Music Teacher Brings Passion And Experience To The Classroom

 new band director, instrumental music, and piano teacher, Mr. Wayno, shares his enthusiasm for music with his students.

new band director, instrumental music, and piano teacher, Mr. Wayno, shares his enthusiasm for music with his students.

Gabrielle Daley, Contributing Reporter

“Music is not in the notes but in the silence in between.”-Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

In the vast and piano-filled classroom, one teacher expressed his love for the spaces in between notes to his enthralled Piano I class, and it was impossible for the students to not be fascinated at his passion and understanding of music. No one could be better to teach music to intrigued students than the new band director, instrumental music, and piano teacher, Mr. Waynelovich (Mr. Wayno for short), whose life simply revolves around the sound of strings and keys.

Since childhood, Mr. Wayno, has been invested in music. As his father was a music teacher, he was exposed to various types of music growing up. Mr. Wayno wanted to play instruments at a really young age. “I started with the trumpet and it really grew on me. It was perfect for my personality, I was a wild crazy kid,” the band director remarked. In time, the piano pulled him in with its keys. After that, he couldn’t imagine a life that didn’t surround him with instruments and the art they create.  .

Before teaching here at West Springfield High School, Mr. Wayno was the pianist in a band called Barefoot Truth, and he traveled across the country playing about 250 shows a year. After touring with his band for three years, he opened his own recording studio and fitness music producing company called Tabata Songs. Mr. Wayno then moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue his new producing company. There he learned about audio production and recording. After becoming a stronger producer on the west coast, Mr. Wayno found himself back in Massachusetts to attend to the business aspect of his company with his colleague. Meanwhile, he found himself once again teaching music. “Other than that, I’ve been a music teacher my whole life and I’ve taught a lot of private piano lessons,” explained Mr. Wayno. All in all, he fulfilled his lifelong dreams of teaching, sharing, and writing music.

Furthermore, Mr. Wayno is enjoying his West Side teaching experience. “My first few weeks have been awesome! I really love the culture and the school environment here. I have found many interesting students, with a lot of different passions, and I find it to be incredibly diverse here. I really like that. I come from a small town, so it’s nice to be in West Springfield where it’s a little more broad. I enjoy teaching to that. I found the students to be really understanding and nice. So far they’ve seemed to be pretty motivated, and I’m really happy with that too,” he said.

Students describe being in Mr. Wayno’s class like attending a concert with a zealous host. Apart from hilarious rants about half notes and whole rests, Mr. Wayno puts on a show and demonstrates what it’s like to have a passion. Freshman, Meghan Stenwick claims that Mr. Wayno wakes her up in her third period class with his peppy personality. “He demonstrates a deeper meaning of music to his classes. I feel more connected to music than I’ve ever been,” Stenwick said. Another member of his classes, Yam Mangalili, loves the listening and analyzing aspects of Wayno’s class.¨I like that Mr. Wayno lets his students explore music they are interested in. I appreciate that Mr. Wayno shares and plays music he loves to us in class too,” the senior remarked. However, Mr. Wayno isn’t the only one that looks forward to class, the students do too. Piano is freshman Emma Counter’s favorite class of the day. “Mr. Wayno makes every student feel comfortable in class, and is sure to make everyone have a good understanding of the lesson,” she explained.

Along with being talented pianist, Mr. Wayno has quite the sweet tooth. He claims to know more about candy than anyone. “I’m a candy connoisseur,” he explains. Halloween is coming so hide your sweets and watch out for the piano teacher, because he will go candy-crazy.

If you haven’t already been lucky enough to encounter the new band director, be sure to keep your ears alert for his loud and friendly voice.

mr-wayno
Looking for a way to see our new band director preform? Search for his account, “John Wayno,” on Facebook or YouTube. The music-lover posts videos of covers, and sessions with his friends in the studio.