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Photograph by Vicki Thompson
Student Lessons: Lincoln High School student Hilary Powers, 15, donates her times giving free violin lessons to eighth-grader Amanda Weitz and other students at Free Music School at Almaden Hills United Methodist Church.
Lincoln sophomore shares love of music
By Mary Gottschalk
Hilary Powers is enthusiastic about her students. "I'm teaching eight wonderful violin students," she says. What Hilary doesn't say is that she herself is a student.
A sophomore at Lincoln High School who turns 16 in June, Hilary volunteers her time every Friday to teach violin to eight children in grades 2-6 at the Free Music School at Almaden Hills United Methodist Church.
Hilary isn't a member of the church, but her close friend Gigi Green is, and the two are active in the church's youth group.
"I play for the church a lot, and the music director asked me if I'd like to teach," Hilary says.
"That's my big thing. I love teaching; that's what I want to be. I said I'd like to try it and it's been very successful."
Hilary says she's had no discipline problems with her young charges.
"They all really want to learn, so they accept my teaching. There's no conflict," she says.
"We're learning out of the 'Strictly Strings' book. It's commonly used and it's on violin techniques and fingerings. We've learned a few songs already, and we're all preparing for the concert in June," she says.
Hilary knows first hand the importance of learning to play a musical instrument at an early age.
Although she was born in San Jose, Hilary's parents, Joan and Jeff Powers, moved to Illinois when she was young. At the end of third grade, students were invited to pick a musical instrument to learn to play during a summer music program.
Students were told they could try out three different instruments before choosing.
Hilary says she walked in intending to do percussion.
"I did clarinet and flute like everyone else, but somehow I never made it to percussion. I ended up on violin and I have no idea how," she says with a laugh.
Hilary played violin all through fourth grade and then, while she was in fifth grade, her family returned to San Jose.
That year Hilary played alone at home, teaching herself.
In sixth-grade, she chose Castillero Middle School and was accepted into the school's intermediate music group.
"I've been playing ever since," she says.
Now at Lincoln, Hilary plays in advanced and chamber orchestra, the women's choir and for musical productions. She's played for the school's productions of Bye Bye Birdie, Cats and Fiddler on the Roof.
In addition to her Lincoln and Free Music School commitments, Hilary also takes private lessons from Randy Cono.
Cono, who relocated from the East Coast in 2006, holds a master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music, performed with the New York City Opera as well as serving as concert master for several Broadway shows and co-founded the Sugarloaf School of Music in Lawrenceville, Ga.
Cono says while he wasn't aware Hilary was volunteering to teach younger children, he wasn't surprised.
"Hilary is a sweetheart," he says. "She's very devoted to the violin, she's very talented, she has a tremendous ear and she's a hard worker.
"She probably started doing it for her love of music. She was probably thinking, 'This would be a lot of fun. I enjoy kids and I really love music.' That speaks volumes about her."
Cono says Hilary is someone who is "not looking for accolades. She's quiet in the sense that she goes and does her thing.
'She's a good student, and she's got a lot of talent."
Candace Love, founder of the Free Music School, is equally enthusiastic about Hilary.
"She's amazing," Love says.
"Hilary is a natural teacher. She has her own curriculum and the students love her. They really respect her."
Love's own daughter, Caroline, is one of Hilary's students.
Love started the Free Music School because of her own love of music and to compensate for the lack of music programs in area elementary schools.
"I've played trumpet for 25 years, and I started in the fourth grade," Love says. "I have three young children, and there's really not a lot of music instruction in the schools below sixth grade. They get the recorder in fifth grade, but I want instrumental music from the fourth grade.
"Since I love music and I'm willing to teach for free, I thought other adults who played instruments would teach for free. The church is letting us have the space for free and covering insurance costs.
"The idea is like Stone Soup. We can all work together and make this happen."
Love says the school is already successful, with more than 35 students receiving free music instruction every Friday afternoon.
"I expected more kids to drop out and only have had two," Love says. "I also expected teachers to drop out and they haven't."
Love is already planning classes for next fall.
This spring's students will move up to an intermediate level and a new class of beginners can start.
"Hilary is ready to expand," Love says. "She's willing to do two hours."
Hilary isn't sure which college she wants to attend, but she says she knows it will be a music school.
When she's playing for pleasure, Hilary says it's "mostly classical, but I really am looking into playing jazz.
"I've seen jazz violinists perform, and they're really passionate and exciting. I like jazz music a lot and to be able to play it would be exciting."
Thus far, Hilary is the only violin player in the Powers family.
Younger sister Alyssa, 12, "is a big dancer and she plays flute in her band at Bret Harte."
Younger brother Tyler, 10, owns a guitar but is still learning to play.
For information on Free Music School, to enroll or volunteer or to donate money or a musical instrument, visit www.freemusicschool.com or call 408.226.6962.
