Student & Alumni Spotlight

Students and alumni of our WP Band program and instrumental studies program do big things! Check below to read our Fall 2023 Student and Alumni Spotlights!

Student Spotlight

Angie Cirovic, Class of 2023

Hometown: Wayne, NJ

High School: Wayne Valley HS

Degree Program: Music Education

Graduation Date: May 2023

Piece of Music I Recommend that

Everyone Listen to: Elgar Cello Concerto in E minor

What advice do you have for prospective or incoming WP students?

My advice to incoming students is to do everything you can to make sure that you're happy. This could mean taking a mental health day, skipping a hangout with your friends to have some alone time, or even changing your degree. So many people go through the motions and finish their schooling without any feelings of fulfillment. If you want to be happy, it all starts with motivation.

What is one thing people might be surprised to know about you?

I'm an Esports coach working at C9TG! I've always loved video games and played them my whole life. I coach Valorant and regularly work on marketing projects.

Who is a professor or staff member at WP who has greatly impacted your life for the better?

Dr. Sandra Dackow (WP Director of Orchestra) has been a huge influence on how I prepare for ensemble playing. She tells it like it is and pushes you to be your best. I love being under her baton!

What do you plan to do after graduation?

After graduation, I plan on pursing a Masters in Business Administration. The reason I choose to pursue another degree outside of music is because it opens a ton of doors in the Esports world. As of now, that is something that I want to pursue. And whether or not I continue my pursuit in Esports, it's a great degree to have. WP has an online program that you can complete in as little as a year and I've already applied to it. I'm very much interested in project management, social media, marketing, and communication. But music education will always have a strong place in my life and I still hope to teach marching band part-time.

What excites you most about the future?

I can't wait to explore the world and travel. I'm currently planning a trip to Alaska next year and hope to visit family in Montenegro during the summer. After that, I plan on going to Italy for my mom's birthday. I'm a nature-lover and hope that after college, I'll be able to connect and be in nature more. And if you couldn't already tell- I plan on traveling all throughout the rest of my life! Don't get me wrong- I really enjoy college. But I'm excited to move on and fully embrace adulthood. College kids are in this weird limbo of "I'm a legal adult, but I'm still in school." So yes, I'm ready to explore what this world has to offer 🙂

ALUMNI Spotlight

Joshua Idio, Class of 2018

Hometown: Nutley, NJ

High School: Nutley HS

Degree Program: B.M. Music Education, 2018

Graduate Education: M.A. in Music Composition, Montclair State University, 2022

Current Position/Occupation: Middle School Band Director and Freelance Composer

Why did you choose William Paterson University for your education?

I chose WP because not only was it the closest university to home that I could comfortably study at but also because of some music & teaching public figures and role models that I look up to have come from there. The campus was beautiful and small enough to get an intimate and thorough education in the field that I wanted

.

Share your best music-making memory at William Paterson.

As a student musician, conducting was a dream. As an educator and composer, it became a reality. At WP, I learned how to study scores and conduct instrumental music from the late director of bands Dr. Craig J. Davis, and the last piece we had to conduct was a classic, Vincent Persichetti's "Psalm for Band". We conducted it with the WP Wind Symphony as our final exam and the adrenaline I felt was eye-opening. I realized the influence I can have on students and audiences alike. And that's one of the many reasons why I wanted to teach, not only because I can conduct an ensemble, but because I could potentially change lives through it.

Can you describe your career path in music?

I've always known that my career path would have to do with something in music, but I never thought I'd be taking several different turns to find it. Studying to be an instrumental music teacher was a memorable journey at William Paterson. It was painstaking work, but those 4 years of undergrad showed me why I loved teaching music.

After graduating, I entered a different world that I didn't expect. Gig-playing and performing at Medieval Times were some of the things that I did while looking for a full-time teaching job. But my experience with student teaching while at WP had also shown me the road to music composition and the wonderful opportunities that awaited me. So while I continued to look for a teaching job, I honed in on my music-writing skills and gave the world of composition a try. I applied all the knowledge I learned from my background in music education to my compositions and found that both work perfectly in harmony.

Needless to say, I couldn't be happier about the decisions that I've made up to this point. But I haven't given up on teaching either. In Spring of 2022, I finally landed a teaching position as a band director for Readington Middle School for the fall. I truly am excited to get started because now I know, the results from my work at WP were worth it.

The biggest realization I've had is that I can do both. I can continue what I love, composing, while also teaching what I love, instrumental music. Yes, the path is going to be tiring and long, but that's a challenge that I'm willing to take on.

How did your education at WP and in the WP Department of Music help prepare you for your career?

My education at WP gave me practical insights to take on many of the challenges, both teaching and logistic, that new educators encounter in the field. As someone who loves to experience music with people, as much as teaching it, the fundamentals I've learned in my conducting, instrumental methods, and practicum classes, helped me vary my instruction and adapt to any modern or traditional environment.

I've taught in both and never felt overwhelmed because the extensive knowledge that WP gave me was communicated so easily, that I could, in turn, share it with my students. And now I can adapt them to much more than just music education. As a self-taught composer [who went on to pursue it in graduate school], I'm now able to write sensitive yet challenging music that showcases the best of every instrument, because I know where the technical problems are.

And the students and musicians who have played my music see it too. My most popular work to be performed is still a piece that I wrote back when I was student teaching, "Overture For Education", which focused on the musicianship skills that my students needed.

What advice do you have for current students who are planning to pursue a career in your field?

Take your time. No one knows exactly what they want to do with their lives until it passes by them. But learning the craft is a long and well-worth-it process that can only benefit you for whatever future path you take, be it music or not.

As with anything, don't forget to take care of yourself, both mentally and physically. This specific field is known to be overwhelming.

In the end, you can only make great memories and even leave a lasting legacy. So take in every minute and every breath. Be open to the possibilities and don't be afraid of failure. Each opportunity you face opens another door and you won't find out which works for you unless you give it a try.