My Teaching Interests and Philosophy of Teaching

     During my education at the National Academy of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria, and later at The University of Texas at Austin, I became confident that I could teach harmony, musical form, orchestration, ear-training, and counterpoint at any level. I am acquainted with a number of books on these subjects, written in both the United States and Europe. My favorite discipline is harmony. When I teach it, I attempt to apply conceptions that combine my point of view with fresh and useful ideas coming from both sides of the ocean. Each of the other theoretical disciplines mentioned above also leaves the door open for exploring and teaching it in a relatively new and more efficient way than a single book offers. I am keenly interested, indeed, in teaching as many theory subjects as my experience and individual schedule will allow.

    In my view the theorist who teaches at an institution of higher education should be professional not only in verbal communication and in writing papers but in the skills of practical music making as well. My experience has shown that using the keyboard to illustrate the statements made in class has always been highly advantageous. Many college instructors seem to ignore this, and the truth is that students feel the difference.

    Creativity and flexibility represent an essential part of the teaching process. In addition to a fixed teaching curriculum, the instructor should be able to offer information of his own. This always broadens students’ horizons and creates keener interest in the subject taught. The ability to supplement the more formal matter and to provide the answers of unexpected questions is always highly appreciated by the students.

I am convinced that no one can become a good teacher without passion and a commitment to his profession and to the people he teaches. We are entrusted with the noblest mission among all the professions - to lead students towards improved understanding.

Dimitar Ninov

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