Faculty Spotlight: Mike Sakash

College/ Degrees? B.A. Music Education, African-American Studies, and Classical Performance, UMass-Amherst; M.A. in Composition, Eastman School of Music

Years of service to FA? This is my 14th year teaching at FA. 

Subject(s) taught: Band, AP Music Theory, Beginning Instrument, Guitar, Intro to Rock Band.

Other roles you have at FA: Mr. Sakash leads the FA Jazz program and the pit orchestra for the musical.

Fun fact: Mr. Sakash likes to juggle!

Background: Mr. Sakash grew up in Western Massachusetts. He taught at a college in Pittsburgh before coming to FA. He has two daughters, who graduated from F.A.  Mr. Sakash plays saxophone with several bands and travels around the region to perform.  

Why did you become a teacher? I hadn’t planned on being a teacher, but by the time I had to declare a major, I had taken nearly all the credits I needed to earn a Music Education degree.  My advisor convinced me to add that, meaning I had to do student teaching.  When I got to that part, I discovered that I loved teaching.  I ended up teaching at a college after grad school, but high school is just more fun. 

What is your favorite class to teach and why? Of course, I love Band, but AP Music Theory is my favorite.  It’s a creative class, but it also has right and wrong answers.  It mixes both halves of the brain.

How do you motivate your students? I do the things that I ask my students to do. For example, I practice at school every morning, and they see that. It’s the same with aspects of Music Theory. I also tell them that music might be something they do for their whole lives—that will improve their lives for their entire lives. 

Is there anything from your student experience that has influenced you as a teacher? I have modeled my teaching and musicianship after three teachers in my life, and I think about some of them daily.

Do you have any advice for students? When you are in school, don’t make decisions based on fear.  Please don’t shy away from a course or a major because it’s hard.  Don’t cross things off your list because you are unsure.  You might surprise yourself.