Munger Hill principal Salvatore Frieri and Tyler Cook, the new music instructor for Munger Hill and Abner Gibbs. (Photo by Amy Porter)
WESTFIELD – Tyler Cook was recently hired as the new general music instructor for K-5 for Munger Hill and Abner Gibbs Elementary Schools. Cook will teach chorus and Orff music education for three days at Munger and two days at Abner Gibbs. He will also lead the fourth and fifth grade chorus.
Munger Hill principal Salvatore Frieri said they had a lot of applications, over 30, for the position. He said they had an awesome search committee, and leaned heavily on Patrick Kennedy, instrumental music director at Westfield High School, to help them make the selection.
Cook, who is 25 and from Montgomery (although he just moved to Westfield), has a lot of local ties. He is a 2010 graduate of Gateway Regional, and studied at Greenfield Community College before transferring to Westfield State University. He graduated Westfield in 2016 as a combined piano and music education major. He also started his music studies with private lessons at Performance Music in Westfield.
Tyler Cook following a performance at Westfield State in 2015. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Some residents may have seen Cook perform “Rhapsody in Blue” with the Wind Symphony on the Dever Stage on the night of November 17, 2015, when the announcement was made that Dr. Catherine Dower would donate $1 million to establish the center for the performing arts. Following his performance, Cook recognized Dr. Dower in the audience, calling her a role model who lived a life of positive action, and made exceptional contributions to music at Westfield State.
The previous year, Cook placed first in the Crescendo International Piano Competition, allowing him to perform at the first-place winners’ recital at Carnegie Hall.
Cook will teach 600 students between the two schools, 400 at Munger Hill alone. “As a first year teacher, this is perfect. I couldn’t imagine anything better right now. It’s a great start for me,” Cook said this week.
Having been a student teacher at an elementary school in Springfield, and also giving private piano lessons, he said he likes the experience of teaching young students, “They’re sponges for information,” he said. “For me, it’s seeing them get a concept. They get a spark in their eyes.”
Tyler Cook said he “can’t wait to get started” his teaching career in Westfield. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Cook said his goal is to get students learning music concepts through games, moving and dancing. “It’s a fun thing,” he said. “It brings out creativity, imagination and curiosity, which can transfer to many other things as well.”
Cook also studied six semesters of voice at the university, and looks forward to leading the 4th and 5th grade chorus. He said at the performances each grade will also contribute two songs. He has previous experience at concerts in the Westfield schools, having accompanied teachers on piano at performances in the past.
Cook looks to the teachers he’s had for inspiration, naming in particular Galina Gertsenzon, his classical music piano teacher at Westfield State. He said she had a perfect balance of discipline and passion. She taught him deep technique, a good practice ethic, and also helped him become fluent in reading music.
“I’m at the point in my life when I wanted to challenge myself and make a difference. That’s why I decided to teach music, to change at least one student’s life,” Cook said. “Though all the work this is going to be, I’m excited to get started,” he added.
