"Music Master" Colette Hebert Interview
www.ColetteHebertPianist.com
Interview by Roger Zee (01/30/21)
Roger Zee: Who inspired you to play the keyboards and sing?
Colette Hebert: When I turned four, my mom started teaching me piano. We began with "Fur Elise" by Beethoven. When it got to the point where I played it better than her, she didn't know what to do with me! At age five, knowing that I would end up a pianist some day, my mom took me around Syracuse to audition for teachers. She wanted me to receive proper instruction. I tried out for many in Central New York, but a lot of them thought me too old to start taking lessons! We finally found an amazing woman, Mrs. Veronica Abel, RIP, who said she would love to work with me -- the best teacher I ever had. Because of her, I fell in love with the piano.
RZ: Do you play any other instruments?
CH:
I play all of the instruments. I went to Syracuse University for Music Education and Music Business where I earned my BM and first MS. They made me test out of every string, woodwind, brass and percussion instrument in order to graduate. Organ, piano and voice remain my main instruments though. They're also my favorites! I also love playing the cello, flute and string bass! I received my EdM at Columbia University. Currently I'm applying to PhD programs.
RZ: Talk about some of the musicians you worked with.
CH: I played in a Southern Blues band in NYC. What a lot of fun. We would rehearse in midtown with me as the youngest one and the only girl in the group. I also moved to Egypt for a summer where I joined a band made up of mostly Egyptian musicians. We lived together, wrote songs together, and rehearsed for seven hours a day. What an incredible experience! I'm 36 and it's definitely the highlight of my life so far. Immersed not only in another culture but working with musicians from another part of the world, it completely blew my mind. That experience changed who I am as a musician and opened my eyes up to international music. In my own teachings, I find world music extremely important. Learning songs and dances from other parts of the world helps us all feel connected if only for a few minutes.
RZ: What keyboards do you currently play?
CH: I've got three pianos at home -- a Wurlitzer baby grand, upright and electric keyboard. In church, I play a baby grand, upright and Gress Miles pipe organ. And at school, I work on a Steinway baby grand and Yamaha electric piano. Yes, I play all of my instruments!
RZ: How did you begin as Church Organist and Choir Director at The Episcopal Diocese of New York?
CH: My first piano teacher also worked as a church organist. She persuaded me to join her congregation choir at age five. So I watched her play the organ every Sunday. When in college, before she passed, she gave me her organ. It still sits in my mom's house today. In high school, I began subbing at local churches. In college, I became an organist, choir director and music director. Twenty years later, I'm still at it. I love going to church anytime I want, pulling all of the stops on the organ and playing all night!
RZ: Describe your most special and/or unusual gig.
CH: I played my most special show two summers ago. I gave a recital at my church on piano and pipe organ and also invited some musical friends to join me in the concert. So much fun! My family and friends came and afterwards we all ate cheesecake -- the perfect day!
RZ: Talk about teaching at NYC schools. Do you also offer private lessons?
CH: I'm in my fourteenth year teaching music full time in schools and I can't imagine doing anything else. I absolutely love educating children about music, helping them discover how incredible making music is and helping them learn new instruments. I gave private lessons before. But after years of teaching all day at school, working as a church organist, freelance writing for music magazines, and submitting my research to music education journals, something had to go. I teach my students privately at school as well, and I do a lot of juggling. I also need to carve out at least an hour a day for myself. So I don't teach privately currently.
RZ: Tell me about your publications.
CH: I work as a freelance writer for several music publications and education websites. You can buy my first published book, "30 Countries in 30 Years," at Barnes and Noble. I turned my travel journals into my first book, "Ms. Hebert's World Songbook," also available at Barnes and Noble. The book consists of all the compositions I wrote while teaching over the last year and a half. Inspired by my students, I bring world music into the classroom. It includes lesson plans, original compositions and a world music curriculum for teachers. And that led me to starting my non-profit organization, The DAR Project.
RZ: How did you start NYC Singing Telegram?
CH: My youngest sister couldn't come home for Christmas one year, and my whole family felt really bad about it. So I hired a guy to go to my sister's NYC apartment to deliver a singing telegram. She called me immediately afterwards. She said he dressed like an elf and sang and danced all around her apartment for three minutes. I thought to myself, I do that every day! I dress up, sing and dance at both home and school and literally entertain thousands of students. That's when I thought, I can do that too and set up my website, Yelp page and ads for telegrams.
RZ: Tell me about Colette's Music Hour Podcast.
CH: Last year, at the beginning of the Covid-19 Pandemic, I got laid off, taught remotely and talked on the phone to my other music teacher friends for hours a day. We chatted about how we wanted to change the state of music education. We discussed how to positively move forward, how to continue making music with our students even at home, and how to change our approach to music education. After weeks of talks with other music teachers and taking lots of notes, I thought how amazing if I could record these conversations and share them with other educators. And that's how I gave birth to my podcast!
RZ: How's the Pandemic affected you? What's on your horizon?
CH: Well, I got laid off last year due to Covid and budget cuts. You know, music's always the first thing to go both in schools and in general. I spend a lot of time quarantining and social distancing. I also published my second book, presented in front of NYS Senate members fighting for music education for all students, and presented my music education advocacy work in DC, NYC, and at national music education conferences. I compose and record a lot of new music and hike a lot.
RZ: How do you see the future of the music business?
CH: I see the music business booming! I've never received so many calls from producers, music directors and people putting shows together. I get offers all of the time to record music for shows, collaborations and projects. The music scene's crazy right now, just in a different way! It's more underground. Every musician I know either uses this time to compose, rehearse, collaborate with other musicians, record at home, work on new projects, or recreate their approach to music making.
RZ: What advice do you give up-and-coming musicians?
CH: If you're doing what you love, it never feels like work. A lot of people ask me how I do so much and when do I sleep! I simply only do things I enjoy doing and that I absolutely love. I have no problem walking away from anything that doesn’t make me extremely happy. I think if you approach your life like that, it changes your mindset. I love making music. I love making music and I love sharing music with others. I don't feel like I've worked a day in my life because I genuinely enjoy what I do.
It's a hard industry though. Just keep at it. Practice. Keep creating. And, just enjoy making music! Networking's also very important! I constantly network. I've lived in the NYC area for 15 years now. I've gone to so many networking events and played with so many other musicians that I get calls almost daily about joining new groups, collaborating on projects, and making music with new groups.
RZ: As a fourth degree Black Belt in Taekwondo, I can appreciate the time and effort you put into your Ironman training.
CH: Thanks. Covid hit in the middle of my training for Ironman last year. When the pandemic ends and it's safe, I'll start again. Then I can rise to a three time Ironman!
RZ: Do you live with any animals?
CH: Yes, with my dog, Daniel the Spaniel!
YouTube - Bach's Prelude in F - Colette Hebert
©2021 Roger Zee
