Jaime Yong

Xiaoyu Lin observes a mentee as they tune their violin. Lin is a freshman starting her first year as a mentor teaching violin.

The Music Mentors program allows Carlmont musicians to develop life skills and refine musicianship while mentoring.

Through the program, high school students provide guidance to elementary and middle school students in playing their instruments. Some students felt a sense of accomplishment through mentoring as they led their mentees.

From 4:15-5:00 p.m., on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, elementary and middle school students gather in F20 with their instruments to improve their musicianship skills. According to Carlmont Music Mentors Director Alan Sarver, the program has been running for 22 years, providing a space for beginner musicians to develop their skills.

“They get at least one additional practice session per week, a different perspective on how to improve their musicianship, and an insight into the path forward,” Sarver said.

Mentors can help mentees in different ways. However, according to Uma Rai, a mentor from the program who teaches violin, mentors can develop their own skills outside of teaching.

“I think mentoring has definitely given me more patience and has also shown me that there are multiple ways to approach the same problem,” Rai said.

Andrea Chen, another mentor from the program teaching violin, feels similarly to Rai about the ways a mentor can improve from mentoring. 

According to Chen, she has also seen her growth through mentoring others in the past year.

“It’s a full circle moment for me and a lot of the mentors I work with because we see kids in the same shoes as us from four or five years ago,” Chen said.

Some mentors have also become more aware of their playing by guiding their mentees with techniques on their instruments.

“For the mentor, it’s a good way to improve at your own instrument since it makes you notice things about your own playing as well,” Rai said.

Sarver corroborated Rai’s statement, noting how he had seen a pattern in the mentors’ growth when teaching.

“By formalizing and modeling the proper techniques of posture, breathing, embouchure, finger position, note recognition, counting, and dynamics, the mentors are reinforcing the skills that make them better musicians,” Sarver said.

According to Sarver, he intends to find a way to keep the program running in the future as part of the Carlmont Music Program to continue helping mentors and mentees.

“I am hopeful that the Music Mentors program could support the program and become part of the fabric of the Carlmont Instrumental Music Program,” Sarver said.