Thoughts – Page 3 – Ed Castro's Blog

A Composer Puts Her Life in Music, Beyond Labels – The New York Times

My new favorite composer and the article about her.
Read more: A Composer Puts Her Life in Music, Beyond Labels – The New York Times
My Old Notebooks

I usually carry a notebook in my backpack. It’s become a habit for me to just pull it out and jot down what’s on my mind or notes from a meeting, chord progressions, tone rows…anything I need to put on paper. Sometimes I may even take a moment to review a notebook from its first…
Read more: My Old Notebooks
My Experience With Classical Music This December

As a trumpeter within the symphonic musical sphere, I don’t always get to look into the audience and notice the demographics of the patrons. A few years ago I started to take stock of the audiences I get the opportunity to perform in front of in December. I wrote about this in a post called…
Read more: My Experience With Classical Music This December
Surprising to me still

When I think about things that upset me, I’m often surprised about the things that get me amped up and blood boiling. There are the usual thing like humans mistreating one another or lack of empathy toward suffering. You know…war, famine, wastefulness, bigotry, bullying, unnecessary shaming, miss using bacon to make other foods taste good,…
Read more: Surprising to me still
This might work out

I recently changed the curriculum of one of my classes to be a more project-based class. My want and desires are to give students an opportunity to dig deeper into a musical subject. As to not make my classes all about performance. It seems as if the only context given for learning about the history…
Read more: This might work out
Class Activity

I don’t usually past about class activities, however, I am making this exception because I’m enjoying the fruit of the activity. On the first day of school, I asked my students to create a playlist of tune to represent how they would like their school year to go. As I tend to do, I put…
Read more: Class Activity
Thinking about a new school year…

It’s that time of the year. The summer is starting to feel like it’s winding down and my mind is moving toward the kind of teacher I want to be this year while thinking about concerts, big projects, and possible themes for the year. I’m also thinking about what the new school year means for…
Read more: Thinking about a new school year…
Teachers Sue Department Of Education Over Student Loans That Weren’t Forgiven : NPR

One of the biggest U.S. teachers unions is suing the Department of Education, alleging a loan forgiveness program for millions of public service workers violates federal law and the Constitution. Source: Teachers Sue Department Of Education Over Student Loans That Weren’t Forgiven : NPR
Read more: Teachers Sue Department Of Education Over Student Loans That Weren’t Forgiven : NPR
‘Fame’ High School Stages Sit In

Very proud of my alma mater. As a music teacher, I couldn’t agree with these students more. Good for them. Please read this article.
Read more: ‘Fame’ High School Stages Sit In
ISM’s in me

The problem with being someone who likes to fix things is, you may end up causing more problems. Unintended problems which may put into question the very reason you chose to help. In my case, a bad mixture of paternalism, guilt, narcism, and hero’ism gone too far. Recently I caught myself trying to help too…
Read more: ISM’s in me

Category: Thoughts