Featured Teacher: Mr. Van Hoven

One of the new teachers at Oratory is Mr. Van Hoven. He has taken over as the Band Director of Oratory and has brought a new flavor to the band while adding some new features like an acapella group. Mr. Van Hoven has been a welcomed addition to the Oratory family, and I was given the job of interviewing him for this week’s edition of the Omega.

What is your favorite part of Oratory?

The sense of community. I see it in both the students and adults on campus in the six months I’ve been here.

How many instruments can you play?

My studies during my master’s degree were in voice, but I’ve worked extensively as a bass player and pianist. I also play saxophone, which I played throughout my middle/high school years and college, and guitar (self-taught). I’ve played just about everything – part of becoming a music teacher is learning all of the instruments. But those are the ones I feel I play well.

What are some challenges when taking over a band program?

It’s always hard to follow a popular teacher. No two teachers will run a band the same way, and I have some very particular ideas about how I like to rehearse and perform. With that being said, the guys in the band have been wonderful, and they have really stepped up and done what I’ve asked of them.

What would be one of the most obscure instruments you’ve ever had in a band?

I worked in a 1940s style swing band where our trombone soloist would take the bell off of his horn and play just the slide with a water glass held in his hand to help the sound resonate. It was strange to see, but people enjoyed it. It helped that he was one of the finest musicians I have ever worked with.  In a school setting, I remember playing something that called for brake drums from a car. The band director had to go to a junkyard and try out a bunch until he found the sound he was looking for.

Who is the most famous person you’ve played with?

The comedian Joe Piscopo once sang “New York, New York” with a band I was playing in, but he changed the lyrics to be about New Jersey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTT7B5mWEfM    

I’ve also played with Sy Zentner and Toni Arden, both of whom were stars of the big band era are not well known names today.

Finally, what started your addiction to jazz?

It started with my father, who served in World War II. He loved the old big band music, and I heard a lot of it driving around with him. When I got to high school, I had a wonderful jazz band director who expanded my knowledge of jazz. I think jazz offers a wonderful combination of understanding the notes on the page but still allowing for freedom of expression as a musician.