Artist Spotlight: Jill Heinke Moen
“Music is a language in and of itself, and when we play with others, there is a greater purpose. When we play together, there’s no room to think about anything else other than working together to achieve a common goal. It builds leadership, cooperation, and communication skills, and is only truly successful if everyone brings their best efforts to the table. ”
Born in Wisconsin and raised in Illinois, Jill Heinke Moen developed her love of music growing up in a musical household. She began learning piano, flute, and bass guitar at a young age; her musical achievements quickly followed. In middle school, she was winning local competitions; in high school, she won all the major school music awards (she is still the only person to win the major concert band and jazz band awards in the same year); in the community, she won the Rockford Area Music Industry Outstanding High School Musician Award/Scholarship. Jill used this momentum to propel her to the University of California at Santa Barbara to continue her passion. Further educational pursuits brought Jill to the Royal College of Music, London, where she studied with Susan Milan, world-renowned recording artist, soloist, chamber musician, and former principal flutist of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and received her Postgraduate Diploma while on a full scholarship as a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholar. Today, Jill shares her energetic passion for teaching and love of music-making with her students in weekly lessons. For her complete bio, and more on her music, click here. For now, read on for the complete interview!
1.) Tell us a bit about your “art origin story”? When did you first fall in love with your art?
I grew up in a musical household, so falling in love with music was not a conscious moment for me. It was just there inside already. Even though I'm classically trained with three music degrees, I've always had a love of rock and pop and all other kinds of music, which has kept me from burning out in any one area.
2.) What role have teachers played in your development as an artist? Any one stand out?
Teachers have played an enormous role in my path as a career musician and educator. When I was in middle school, I had an awful private teacher who made me feel untalented, scared, and undeserving at every lesson, and it never got better, so I almost quit entirely. My middle school band director also seemed like he didn't enjoy his job, which was very discouraging. Then, a year later, I started studying with someone who embraced (or at least tolerated) my strengths as well as my weaknesses and nurtured me with positivity and encouragement. If it hadn't been for her, I wouldn't have gone on to major in music in college. My high school band director was also a source of positivity who always offered me opportunities and was quick to laugh and have fun with us students. Major game changer! My undergrad, grad, and post-grad teachers were all amazing and so different from one another; the difference there is that I chose my institutions based primarily on who I would study privately with, so I had a better chance of having a good experience. That is one of the beauties of a higher education in the arts!
3.) What advice would you give to young folks thinking about pursuing an education or career in the arts?
I would say go for it, as long as you have a well-rounded education as a backup and are willing to work your butt off. Recently a lot of my colleagues are discouraging their students from majoring in music because they say there are no jobs. But that's just not true. The most successful musicians now -- the ones walking among us and making a living from music -- are carving their own paths and are very versatile, multi-skilled, and multi-talented. On the other hand, if you major in music, you can also go on to med school or law school later, just the same as anyone else. There is so much info out there that I wish I had known when I was 17!
4.) Describe how you use art and creativity in your craft as well as your everyday life.
My skillset lies primarily in performing other people's music and not creating it from scratch, but that doesn't make me a robot nor does it exclude me from being a creative person. Like any other vocation, being a musician involves using the skills you have to solve problems, and problem solving itself is a form of creativity. Because I have to analyze music in a technical way to understand how to be more expressive (I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but that's the way it works), I am constantly leaning in to stare at the minutia in front of me, then standing back to look at the big picture. That ability has helped me confidently make important decisions in my career and life in general. Some of my adult students tell me that much of what I teach them about playing their instrument is a metaphor for life, and I hadn't seen it that way, but it's true -- all that "art is a reflection of life and life is a reflection of art" kind of stuff.
5.) How can art make the world a better place? Can you share a personal example?
Music is a language in and of itself, and when we play with others, there is a greater purpose. When we play together, there's no room to think about anything else other than working together to achieve a common goal. It builds leadership, cooperation, and communication skills, and is only truly successful if everyone brings their best efforts to the table. To me, that's something we can all learn from and take to other aspects of our lives.
On a personal level, I've struggled with the concept of making the world a better place through my art. For example, how can six hours a day in a practice room all by myself contribute to the greater good? Or, I feel amazing when I'm up on stage rocking out, but what is that doing for humanity? Ultimately, I think sharing your artistic talents and efforts with others is what makes the world better. Whether you are on stage in front of five thousand people, or playing in your living room for your grandpa, you are allowing at least one other person to escape from whatever it is that might be troubling them and create a moment of bond. There's nothing more beautiful than that.