JAM DECEMBER 2007/JANUARY 2008 Issue: Feature Story

Give My Regards to JCCC

With eighteen years of Broadway experience behind him, Ron Stinson, professor of instrumental music, came to JCCC in 1995. Stinson, who still practices the trumpet two and a half hours a day, is a teacher, conductor and performer.

“I base my teaching on professional musicians' standards,” Stinson said. “I expect students to audition for an ensemble, practice outside of rehearsals, be on time to rehearsals and performances, and strive for the best they are capable of.”

Stinson doesn't ask anything of his students that he doesn't require of himself. In addition to teaching, he spends at least forty five hours a week at JCCC with his JCCC directing duties, which include selecting the music, learning the music he conducts, arranging performances and t akin g students to competitions. “Ron is always here. He is a real inspiration and a good colleague,” said Terri Teal, associate professor, vocal music.

Stinson directs three JCCC music ensembles — the Concert Band, Midnight Blues Vocal Jazz Choir and Midnight Express Jazz Ensemble. He performs with the Fountain City Brass Band, an ensemble comprised of professional and college musicians who perform in traditional English brass band style. “I think it's very important that students see me practicing and performing – the things I am teaching them to do,” Stinson said.

Students can also take inspiration from Stinson's past career. He was working on his master's degree in music at Yale University when he started playing for Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut . After graduation, he went to Broadway, performing for musicals such as the Pirates of Penzance with Linda Ronstadt and Kevin Kline, and Phantom of the Opera .

While Stinson misses the bright lights of New York , now his satisfaction is in teaching. “What makes teaching a joy is when an ensemble sounds good and the students are enjoying their performance,” Stinson said. “When you see their eyes light up in a performance, you know you've done your job.”

Since his tenure at JCCC began, the concert band has grown from twelve to its limit of thirty students, performing six times a year. He has added a jazz band that performs twelve to fifteen times a year and a jazz choir that performs five times a year. Stinson's goals for the future are to start a second jazz choir and jazz band, host a high school and college jazz festival at JCCC and supplement the instrumental music curriculum with jazz theory and jazz composition classes. He would also like to attract more of “ Kansas City 's rich base of professional musicians” as coaches and teachers for JCCC students.

“Music is a good way to teach students the ethic of responsibility – to themselves and the people they perform with,” Stinson said. “Music is something you have to work at diligently.”

— Peggy Graham