Current Courses

Fall 2024

  • MUSC 1917-003
    Lsns I Non Maj WW
  • MUSC 1947-003
    Lsns I Maj 1 WW
  • MUSC 1997-003
    Lsns I Maj 3 WW
  • MUSC 2917-003
    Lsns II Non Maj WW
  • MUSC 2947-003
    Lsns II Maj 1 WW
  • MUSC 2997-003
    Lsns II Maj 3 WW
  • MUSC 3917-003
    Lsns III Non Maj WW
  • MUSC 3947-003
    Lsns III Maj 1 WW
  • MUSC 3997-003
    Lsns III Maj 3 WW
  • MUSC 4917-003
    Lsns IV Non Maj WW
  • MUSC 4947-003
    Lsns IV Maj 1 WW
  • MUSC 4997-003
    Lsns IV Maj 3 WW
  • MUSC 6170-013
    Adv Lessons Nondegree
  • MUSC 6180-013
    Adv Lessons Major 1
  • MUSC 6181-013
    Secondary Lessons Maj I
  • MUSC 6190-013
    Adv Lessons Major 3
  • MUSC 6191-013
    Secondary Lesson Maj
  • MUSC 7190-013
    Doctoral Private Lesson
  • MUSC 7191-013
    Doc Secondary Lessons

Spring 2024

Professional Organizations

  • American Preparatory Academy . 08/18/2015 - present. Position : Director of Band, Draper Campuses.
  • Sinfonia Salt Lake. 11/18/2014 - present. Position : Principal Clarinet.
  • Ballet West Orchestra. 02/18/2014 - present. Position : Bass Clarinet.
  • Forward 4 Clarinet Quartet. 12/14/2009 - present. Position : Music Director, Principal Clarinet and Bass Clarinet.
  • International Clarinet Association . 08/19/2009 - present. Position : Member.

Teaching Philosophy

Statement of Teaching Philosophy

Dr. Henry Cáceres

I grew up studying music in a very unique school in Santiago, Chile, built thanks to the initiative of a group of teachers and artists, whose purpose was to guide children with high artistic potential through a comprehensive artistic program, which involved all the fine arts disciplines. Here, at the age of twelve, after a short time playing the clarinet, I realized that I wanted to become a professional musician.

Since my early childhood, I have benefited from a wide variety of clarinetists and teachers, as a student first in Chile and then in the United States. I pursued three degrees focused on clarinet performance: Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Doctor of Musical Arts. While studying for my bachelors I regularly attended master classes from world-class musicians, and taught at several music schools and conservatories. I was exposed to a wide variety of playing styles, repertoire, and teaching styles. I also did a significant amount of internship hours at the Universidad de Chile under the supervision of the Assistant Professor of Clarinet. In addition, I was a member of the Chilean National Youth Symphony Orchestra and later won – while still a student – the position for second clarinet with the Chilean National Symphony Orchestra.

My greatest takeaway of this experience is that diversity in education is what makes a student thrive. To be exposed to different points of view, cultures, languages, playing techniques, and methodologies is what allowed me to be a successful student and this is what I promote as a teacher.

Similarly, my experience teaching in different countries is demonstrated in my teaching approach. I am used to teaching in different class setups, different languages, and with diverse student bodies; I have taught in rural as well as large cultural urban areas. What I have learned from these experiences is a great ability for adaptation to diverse student groups, always keeping as the main goal the student’s progress.

Throughout my career as a performer and educator, I have learned that there must be a balance between technique and musicality, which gives a student the tools to help find his/her own musical path. The more and diverse the set of tools, the more likely he/she will be able to be an active member of the musical industry. I believe that regardless of the level of the student, musicality can be taught simultaneously with technical skills. By singing or playing the instrument, I always encourage my students to think and feel the music within the notes according to the style of the piece.

I believe that the abilities of any person are infinite. For instance, if a piece is practiced very slowly and without increasing the speed of any passage unless it is perfectly clean in a certain tempo and musically shaped, the hardest piece can sound technically brilliant without sacrificing musicality.

I like to start a first lesson by explaining and showing the nomenclature of the parts of the instrument, as well as embouchure and breathing technique. Second, I think that one of the most comprehensive first approaches is to demonstrate phrasing, tone, or any other technical or musical aspect of clarinet playing. Likewise, I encourage thinking and analysis of the repertoire so students can discover, experiment, and learn for themselves. Third, one of the most important aspects of my teaching is chamber music. Through different small and large ensembles, I promote in my students an aptitude for sharing within the studio, school, and community. In these groups, they learn and develop crucial values such as camaraderie, respect, discipline, perseverance, and musicianship. In addition to this, students learn the necessary skills of dealing with different personalities, which prepares them for the

Dr. Henry Cáceres/Statement of Teaching Philosophy

professional world. Furthermore, through small ensembles such as duets, quartets, quintets, clarinet choir, etc., the student better learns many aspects such as tuning, blending in a section, matching articulations, etc.

I believe it is of utmost importance for music schools to encourage the performance of works from diverse cultural, ethnic, and gender backgrounds. I strongly believe that when all students feel represented, it makes the learning, teaching, and music-making environment more fulfilling and enriching, not only for the students but for the entire community. One of my objectives is to facilitate cultural exchanges with other musical institutions within the United States and in the world so my students can learn from other environments. Building bridges with as many music communities as possible will enable students to gain as much exposure and experience as possible not only from my studio but from different demographics as well.

As a musician and teacher, I constantly strive for excellence and look forward to continue learning. I consider attending the ICA Annual Conferences; actively performing solo, chamber and orchestra music; commissioning and performing new works; publishing scholarly articles; and making professional recordings of the highest priority to maintain the highest level of teaching.

 

Courses I Teach

  • 1917-4947, 1997-4997, 6180, 6190 and 7190 - Private Applied Clarinet
    The goal of private applied clarinet lessons is to help music majors gain as much musical and technical proficiency on the clarinet as possible and to train them for teaching and playing professionally. For non-music majors the goal is to become more musically and technically proficient on the clarinet which will allow them to enjoy music at a higher level.
  • Music 1770 - Woodwind Study 1
    Woodwind Study 1 is an overview of the woodwind family that focuses on the common elements of woodwind instruments.   Topics include: acoustical principles related to woodwind playing, sound production, player adaptability, articulation, instrument maintenance, intonation tendencies, and the roles of woodwind instruments in various performing ensembles. From this foundation, performance and pedagogical skills for the clarinet and flute are learned.  Emphasis is placed on the pedagogical aspects of woodwind playing.   Half of the class will be with Tiffany Sedgley on flute and the other half with Henry Caceres on clarinet. Instruments and instructors will be switched in the middle of the semester. At the end of the course students will have gained sufficient knowledge of the pedagogical aspect of the clarinet and flute to be able to teach these instruments successfully in the public schools.