A private music teacher from Newmarket knows he teaches some of the finest students this side of Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, but something happened recently that truly made his heart happy.
James Linderman, who teaches guitar, piano and songwriting both in person at his Surin Court music studio and over Skype, decided to leave a guitar in its case, along with a note from a student, in his waiting room for a week to see what would happen.
The note from former 20-something student Daniel, said: “Hey, James. Didn’t want to disturb you. Thanks for everything. $ is in the pouch. Oh, and the guitar. ~Daniel”
“I got the notion to leave it there for the whole week, and I had almost 100 students of all ages, kids and teenagers, walking through the waiting room, it was always full of people coming and going,” Linderman said. “At the end of the week, the guitar, the money, all of it was still there. I found it really great that I’m teaching a group of people in Newmarket that would be honest enough to leave that there.”
Linderman was so encouraged by the integrity of his young students that he created a social media post and published it on his own Facebook page and on the Newmarket: What’s Happening page with its 12,000+ followers.
More than 430 likes and loves flowed from people in the community who were heartened to hear that Newmarket’s young people “definitely restored (our) faith in humanity”.
There was $40 in the gig bag, Linderman said, and if it had gone missing, there would be no way for him to know who took it or when.
“Perhaps Mark Twain said it perfectly, that bad news can be halfway around the world before good news can even get out the front door. That’s a great quote because you can have a sensational story about somebody not doing the right thing, but the little thing often doesn’t get any traction.”
Local citizens commented that the story was “refreshing content” for a change, “lovely news” for a change, such a “wonderful story”, and that “Newmarket is a great town”.
Ryan Grant, who is an area manager at COBS Bread at Upper Canada Mall wondered if there was something the business could do to thank all Linderman’s students for their honesty and integrity.
“Would love to discuss!” Grant wrote on social media.
Linderman said so many in the community responded in such a positive way.
“People said, generally, that we’re a pretty divided and divisive place in some fashion, especially politically where a lot of people are looking at the world quite differently,” he said. “They said it was great to hear a story like this. People, for the most part, are pretty good at heart and that was the overwhelming sentiment.”
The guitar student, Daniel, was taking lessons at Linderman’s namesake musical space, James Linderman Music Lessons Studio. But the young man moved away for work and had to end his local lessons.
Daniel was using a borrowed beginner’s guitar, just one of many instruments that Linderman makes sure to always have on hand for students when they are just starting out and not sure if they want to make that investment initially.
The music teacher himself, who is now in his 47th year of teaching privately, believes so passionately in giving enthusiastic and budding young musicians the opportunity to learn that he started up his own small local charity, Elevation Music.
When he left Boston’s Berklee College of Music two years ago, where he served for 14 years as an academic ambassador, while also teaching songwriting for film and film composition at the Canadian Film Centre, he knew he wanted to return to teaching full time.
“I really like the practice room, so when your interest in music is based on advancement and practice, teaching is connected to that,” he said. “I became a teacher because I love the practice room and advancement is the thing most interesting to me about being a musician.”
Linderman quietly runs Elevation Music with the help of four local music teachers who work in the local school board, and takes on students who come recommended from local teachers.
They scout out donated instruments, discounts on others, free lessons, and some donations round out the endeavour. Linderman has also lowered his private lesson fees so every young person who wants to pursue music will have the chance.
“I never don’t teach people if they can’t afford it,” he said. “We find them an instrument, we put it through the charity, and a kid could take lessons from the time they are referred right through to Grade 12 for free.”
“A lot of times, somebody will give a year’s worth of this or that, but one year won’t make a difference, there’s no traction to that, they’re back to square one,” Linderman said. “If a kid is recommended by a teacher, it’s because they’re enthusiastic about music to a high degree and they can’t afford the lessons. All the music teachers in our schools will tell you it’s an unlevel playing surface, kids who are really enthusiastic and skilled and not from wealthy families don’t get the same chances. They don’t get those private music lessons.”
For more information James Linderman Music Lessons Studio, call 905-251-9180. The studio is at 866 Surin Crt., Newmarket.
