FM’s music wing is a big part of the high school’s community. Ranging from orchestras to musicals, it has a variety of activities for students to participate in. Mr. Carlos Mendez Jr. is the K-12 District Coordinator of Music. He is involved in many parts of the high school’s music wing such as Symphony, Pit, and String Orchestra, and he also produces the annual musical. In June, Mendez will conclude his 25 years of teaching at FM.
Mendez has taught for 33 years total. Before working in FM, he used to teach at Cortland City Schools, where he taught at five different elementary schools. His interest in teaching began when he first started playing the viola in seventh grade, when he was involved in his school’s everyday orchestra. He had never taken private lessons; the only individual instruction he received was from his high school teacher who played viola as well. Mendez said his first teacher and high school music teacher were initially the most influential in beginning his career path. He even went to Ithaca College, where his high school teacher attended as well.
When asked what music meant to him, Mendez said that music “makes you think, it makes you feel, it makes you feel human.” He continued on saying, “The majority of people have some connection with music.” A very true statement.
At this year’s Senior Farewell Concert, Mendez spoke before playing Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 Adagietto. It is said that Mahler wrote the piece as a love song to his wife, Alma, but there are multiple interpretations of it which Mendez spoke on. It’s Mahler’s most famous and timeless piece, but it is a tough one to play. “Having this level of interest at the school is mind blowing to me. My school orchestra was very different, the level was nowhere near this. We would have never played Mahler,” Mendez said. He directed this song in his first performance in FM, and found it fitting for it to be played in his last.
Mendez wants his students to know that they are talented. The orchestras play music pieces that appear on the stands of professionals. But comparison and self-doubt often takes away from accomplishment, it makes many students forget their hard work. “The level we have to play at for people to be appreciative of it is so high, those standards are so high, and it makes our standards so high, but we have to remember to focus on the good even though we are always driving for better,” said Mendez.
During his 33 years of teaching, Mendez experienced many different thoughts and feelings about being a teacher. Mendez says now it’s been a little more challenging for teachers in general, “I think teachers wish they could just come into school and teach, which is not the case; there’s a lot of ‘other.’” But in all, Mendez doesn’t ever regret becoming a teacher. He said it was what he was made to do, his passion. He said his favorite part about teaching was, “You guys! It’s the best part.”
In the coming years, Mendez will continue to teach in his private studio located in Florida to be closer with his family. There, he will continue his legacy of being a phenomenal music inspiration.
