Studying with Arlene at Brown is a huge part of the reason that I’m now a professor of music history. Taking piano lessons and musicianship courses with Arlene opened me to new worlds of musical understanding. She introduced me to Mendelssohn, Ned Rorem, Aaron Copland, and countless other composers who changed my perception of how music can sound, and the work it can do. Every time I sit down to play piano today, I think of Arlene’s lessons. And every time I teach piano myself—really anytime I step into a classroom—I try and channel the unique blend of rigor and joy that Arlene brought to her pedagogy. I am in the privileged position of having a job in music that I love, in which I use the skills and philosophy that Arlene shared with me on a daily basis. But even if I had gone into a completely different field, I know I would still carry Arlene’s wisdom with me: that emotion is more important than perfection, that strength and power come from letting go, and that you can always remember how to identify an ascending fourth by thinking of the first two notes of the Wedding March from Lohengrin.
My heart goes out to Arlene’s family, the Brown University musical community, and everyone who studied with her.
Best
Nate Sloan, Brown ‘08
Assistant Professor of Musicology
USC Thornton School of Music