TEACHING ARTIST SPOTLIGHT - Jayla!

Meet Jayla Mitchell! Jayla is one of Grow Music's outstanding cello teaching artists. She has been teaching through Grow Music since Fall of 2021. In addition to working with a handful of private students, Jayla assists Jessica in leading the Cello Mafia. Jayla takes her role as a mentor seriously and thoughtfully. It is clear she loves music and all things cello! And she loves cats.

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Here are some other fun facts about Jayla! >>>

Tell us about how/when you decided to pursue music as a career.
I made the decision to pursue a music career when applying to college. I had dedicated a lot of time to cello playing in high school and it just felt like what I was meant to do.

Tell us about why you decided to become a teacher of music.
I always knew I would fall into teaching at some point. I was surprised it happened so early in my career, but I’m really passionate about spreading the joy and fun of music and that’s what teaching music is all about!

What do you enjoy most about teaching group classes?
Teaching in group classes allows you to connect with so many young musicians at one time and the ultimate result of everybody’s hard work is very rewarding to see as a teacher.

What about individual lessons?
Teaching individual lessons allows you to connect with students in a more personal way. We get to work together at a student’s own pace and build strong working relationships.

What is a memorable moment for you in your time at Grow Music?
As a first year teacher, our Grow Music recital in May was an experience I’ll latch onto forever. Witnessing all of our young students putting themselves out of their comfort zones and performing music that they worked so hard and did so well on was very fulfilling.

What is your favorite type of ensemble to play music with?
I most enjoy working in string quartets and trios. It is a more personal working relationship than larger ensembles and gives you more freedom to make musical decisions.

What is a piece of music that you think everyone should hear?
I highly recommend Poeme for Cello and Orchestra by Henriette Bosmans. It’s one of my favorite pieces:

What fun thing did you do last summer?
This last summer, I attended Brevard Orchestral Institute in North Carolina. I got to play with faculty from across the country, world-renowned conductors, and perform amazing music like the Star Wars soundtrack!

What non-musical things do you have interest in?
Outside of my musical life, I like to hike, spend time with my cat, Winston, and I recently started learning how to climb!

Thanks, Jayla! You're amazing and we love having you in the Grow Music family!

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