“In the purest form, teaching is all about connection,” says Catherine Plichta, Director of Instrumental Music at The Theater Arts Production Company (TAPCO) School in the Bronx. “Building strong and meaningful relationships with my students is at the center of my pedagogy.”
Not only does Plichta lead with transparency and honesty, she show her students that she is human and works on overcoming her own challenges. “The key is taking accountability and being authentic, genuine and caring,” she says.
In 2021, Plichta founded the Harp Chamber Ensemble at TAPCO in partnership with Midori and Friends and the Lyra Society. “Typically, we have 16 students per year involved in the ensemble with four of them being harpists,” she says. “We have performed and collaborated with the Mariachi Tapatio de Alvaro Paulino, the Music Will NYC Jam Fest, the Bronx Borough Arts Festival, and we even had the distinct privilege to perform with Midori herself!”
Another ensemble Plichta started was a modern band program, which means meeting students where they are, fostering their love of music and investing in the infrastructure to allow them to be successful. “It also means obtaining the instruments, gear and sound equipment needed to truly let students shine,” she says matter-of-factly. “In addition, leveraging partnerships, looking for grant opportunities, and building visibility for our program has been extremely important to our success.”
One event that Plichta looks forward to every year is the Bronx Borough Arts festival, which celebrates the talents and creativity of students and their teachers through public performances and art exhibits. “Putting on a production that involves so many diverse art forms and performers with grades K-12 is always somewhat daunting,” she says. “But when you have the right team in place — including many fellow TAPCO teachers who volunteer at the event — anything is possible! Last year, our music department was able to feature our rock band and vocalists.”
Her career has been full of special moments. “Every time a child chooses to pick up an instrument and make music instead of scrolling through social media, that is my proudest moment,” she says. “Every time a light bulb goes off when a student finally gets it after practicing over and over, that is my proudest moment. When I see a student who is being pulled onto a dark and dangerous path find their way back to the light and joy of life through music, that is my proudest moment. Every time I see a student find their own unique voice through their music, that is my proudest moment.”
Plichta builds meaningful connections with students, colleagues and fellow music educators and helping people reach the next step in their journey. Her community of dedicated music teachers from around the country has helped her grow exponentially as an educator and human. “Together, we form a kind of ‘league of superheroes,’ who uplift one another and expand what music education can be,” she says with a smile.
