SRMTA Member Wes Froese
Saskatoon, SK
Celebrating Wes Froese
Wes Froese has recently celebrated his retirement after 20 years as recreation coordinator at the Sherbrooke Community Centre, a long-term care home in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Thanks to CTV Saskatoon for this profile.
How did your work at Sherbrooke affect you as a teacher?
At Sherbrooke I played a lot of requests. I learned the resident’s favourite songs. That required me to play by note, by chord, or by ear. So this is what I teach, these three approaches. I try to balance all three ways of playing in my teaching.
What did your patients teach you about music, life, or resilience?
I learned that music events are wonderful opportunities for people to gather and enjoy something together. There is a positive energy when we all come together and sing or laugh or remember, and that energy is available to everyone, whether they can sing along or not. Eric Anderson, communications director at Sherbrooke, did a podcast of my work at Sherbrooke where I describe this: Podcast
What advice would you give to other music teachers or performers interested in working in healthcare settings?
Have a wide variety of music available. There are so many different people with so many different music preferences. Just make sure you learn ‘Music Box Dancer’ if you’re a piano player!
Did it shape how you approached music education?
Being a performer has made me a very pragmatic teacher. When I adjudicate, I recommend that students have back pocket songs, music they can perform at any moment; just sit down and play. Sight reading, whether a piece is all notes or a chord chart, is a very practical skill, so I regularly put random music in front of my students.
Do you have plans to replace your time at Sherbrooke with other projects?
I plan to continue performing and teaching. I’m at the Bassment for Piano Friday on June 19, please come and join me. Maybe I will finally write that musical. Maybe finally write that pop piano syllabus.
Do you seek to instill a multi-talented approach in your students?
My last student show was at Sherbrooke, and one of my students performed three pieces: one of her grade 8 exam pieces, one original composition, and she sang a Bob Dylan song while accompanying herself on the guitar. I was thrilled.
