School Band and Orchestra Magazine named Rutland City Public School’s Fine Arts Director Peter Miller one of the country’s “50 Directors Who Make a Difference.”

http://www.sbomagazine.com/8379/archives/december-2011/14th-annual-50-directors-who-make-a-difference/

Here’s the excerpt of the magazine interview with Mr. Miller:

My personal teaching philosophy is to strive for excellence while being inclusive of every student. That can mean two different levels: obviously striving for excellence through the honor ensembles and the higher level music and arts classes, but also striving for the excellence that is possible for every student and every class in every ensemble.

On making a difference in students’ lives:

There are several different ways that happens. The most important way is the terrifically important difference that music and the arts make in the lives of every individual. It awakens us to a much deeper level of appreciation and understanding of life in all of its multifaceted aspects. The other part is that music helps to create a certain meaning for life. It can help express that which is almost inexpressible. Words can do it, but it’s most effective when done in an art form, like literature, theatre, or music.

In very practical terms, and I don’t want to overemphasize this, but we are probably one of the best ways to get students to focus and to prepare them to succeed in anything and everything in life.

On most important lesson learned:

Hold high standards, and yet at the same time, realize context that you’re in. I work in a city that is “blue collar,” yet we have an excellent music program and an excellent overall arts program. To say, “Okay, how can we reach everybody where they’re at, realistically?” Yet, still holding for the highest standards. We’ve all seen these groups from the inner cities that produce amazing results. We simply can’t say, “My kids can’t do it.” It’s also important to realize the social context you’re in – with the community, the school district, and so on – and work within that to realistically and incrementally encourage change.