I see myself as an educator, and over time I have also seen myself more broadly as a part of the healing community, that music is a healing force. My participation in music and my representation of a living entity, bringing music to life and engaging with audiences, is a healing act.
This is Professor Katherine Ciesinski.
You might find her performing onstage in a grand opera house in Mexico; or maybe teaching in a studio at a conservatory; or maybe even taking notes in a science classroom. She is known among Eastman students as the professor who attends every performance and event, gives hours of voice lessons a week, and even pursues an additional degree outside of her teaching.
Whether you spend a few minutes or almost an hour listening to her stories, you will find that this long time teacher still values the importance of being a life-long learner, as well as using music to heal people and tap into our deepest human emotions.
Even as she moves forward, Professor Ciesinski never forgets to look back, remember where she came from and what she has learned, and pass on her knowledge, wisdom, and stories to not only her students, but anyone who is eager to listen and learn.
Listen here:
Music Credits: Henry Purcell, "If Music Be the Food of Love," performed by Kathleen Battle, Sony 53106
Camille Saint-Saens, "Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix," from Samson et Dalila, performed by Denyce Graves, Sony 52570
Out of Africa, "Have You Got a Story for Me?", performed by Michael Chertock, Telarc 80357
Watch Katherine Ciesinski perform the role of Cecilia March in Mark Adamo’sLittle Women at the Houston Grand Opera. She was a member of the opera’s world premiere cast.