Meet Our Newest Teacher: An Interview with Ian Babiniec

Today we get to know our newest teacher, Ian Babiniec! Ian is studying cello performance at The Master's University in Newhall, and is a talented cellist, pianist, and teacher. We are so lucky to have him! Below is a little interview we had - learn more about Ian and his journey into cello (and piano) teaching below!

Hi Ian! It's so great to have you here at Adelaide Music LLC. Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got started with the cello?

I live in Colorado and am the big brother to three little sisters. I was homeschooled by my mom and began piano lessons at six years old when my parents saw me picking songs out by ear. I have always loved music and grew up on mostly classical music and Christian music. In my early teens, I found a group called The Piano Guys and the cellist in the group, Steven Sharp Nelson, inspired me by his joy of playing the instrument. I fell in love with the cello and have been playing since I was 15.

That's awesome! Just curious, do you remember the first piece of music you ever learned on cello?

I had a tendency to play a bunch of things by ear or try to work on pieces that were way too hard for me at first so I probably would consider my first real piece that I worked on that was mastered well to be Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major. My all-time favorite piece for cello is Antonin Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104. It has been my dream to get to perform this piece someday with an orchestra.

You've been teaching for a few years now. How would you describe your teaching style , and what do you hope every student takes away from lessons with you?

I would describe my teaching style as being a journey to find the freedom and joy in playing music backed by a foundation of excellence. [I hope] that each student develops the curiosity to discover the secrets of their instrument and finds excitement and joy in using that knowledge to create music. And of course, that they have lots of fun too! :)

What has been one of your favorite performance experiences as a cellist?

My most memorable and enjoyable concert performance was playing Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra at Boettcher Concert Hall with the Denver Young Artists Orchestra.

What’s one myth about the cello that you’d like to clear up?

A myth I would like to clear up is that cellos only play low notes. Becoming a skilled cellist and using extended techniques can allow you to reach notes up in the same range as the violin. The range of the cello is quite vast once you get to know it.

How much practice do you recommend for new students, and what’s your best practice tip?

The amount of time for practice matters far less than the quality of practice. I would always recommend 30 minutes a day that are well focused on all the small details that we work through in lessons each day. It is difficult to keep this laser-like focus for that long, but it will produce the quickest and best results in the long term. Take this from someone who didn’t learn to practice effectively and spent 3 hours a day practicing and now I can get more done in just one hour of work being focused on all of the details.

I completely agree! It's important that students are focused more than that they sit at the piano for long periods of time. But I'm sure you would agree that it's important to be a well-rounded person, not just a focused musician. What do you like to do outside of music?

I like being outdoors, biking, and spending time with friends and family.

What goals do you have for your students this year?

I want for each student I work with this year to become a student who learns how to learn and discover new things about their playing as they keep growing and find the beauty of expression through music.

What advice would you give to someone who is just starting cello lessons?

As my teacher always said “Just relax!”. While cello can be challenging to figure out in the early stages, it is super important to stay relaxed from the beginning so that your muscles will be allowed to do everything they need to without a bunch of extra tension. And of course, have fun!

Well it's been an absolute pleasure talking with you and getting to know you. Before we finish, I just wanna know - what would you say to someone who’s on the fence about signing up for lessons?

I cannot tell you how many times I have heard people say, “I wish I had played an instrument when I was younger,” or “I wish I hadn’t quit playing.” Don’t miss something that you might regret later. It is a skill that will benefit you long-term, even if solely for the discipline it takes to learn an instrument. But I bet that you will only look back on it and be thankful for the experience and opportunity to learn how to play.

If you're interested in taking lessons with Ian you can sign up for our waitlist today!