Dr. Jeffrey Price
UNC Charlotte
"Even as a child," writes Jeffrey Price, "I knew that I was created for at least one reason: to sing." Fortunately, he also felt called to teach. Musical excellence requires a lot of students and even more from the teacher.
"The best way I have found to enable people to learn and achieve is by being a sincere, consistent advocate and demanding guide who leads by example," shares Dr. Price. "My presence, guidance, and planned activities within and beyond the classroom serve as 'training wheels' for my students. If we have done our interactive learning well, the students will need me less and less; this is one worthy goal for this teacher."
His voice students testify to his effectiveness and dedication: "Dr. Price is a very approachable teacher, knowledgeable, articulate, positive, and caring. Students respond very positively to his instructions and achieve success in their efforts." "He brings out the best in all his students and sees qualities of goodness that we did not know existed. He's always cheerful and will present all of your positive attributes to you before explaining what needs to be worked on. He's a talented vocalist and makes you believe you will sing like him one day if you apply yourself."
In his 18 years as a faculty member, Dr. Price has maintained a very active schedule as a performer and conductor. His department chair notes, "It is important for any musician/teacher to hone his or her own performance skills as a way of teaching by example and serving as a role model for students."
Believing that students need to apply what they have learned and experience performance anxieties, he involves them in as many enrichment opportunities as possible. He accompanies them to vocal auditions and competitions and prepares them for their senior recitals.
Students benefit from his active participation in the National Association of Teachers of Singing events as they perform for voice teachers, view other student performers, receive written assessments, and place in competitions. He makes use of guest clinicians and twice brought the Young Teacher Intern Program to campus so that students could benefit from master teachers of singing.
Dr. Price summarizes, "The essence of my teaching philosophy and activities is rooted in a love and pursuit to help others attain knowledge, successfully apply information, and experience wholeness. I adopt my students in such a way that, when I am with them, they are the most important thing in the world to me at that particular point in time. I do not teach music; I do not teach voices; I teach people."
Dr. Price earned his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and his Doctorate of Music at Florida State University.