Reverend Aaron Rathbun playing guitar in high school (top). He plays at School Meeting (bottom) 22 years later.
By Grace LaPlaca ’25
Choate is home to a myriad of talented musicians. However, this talent is not confined to just students and the Music Department; many non-music faculty members have extensive musical backgrounds. From being high school rock band members to competitive pianists, five teachers recounted their past experiences as musicians and spoke on the continued influence of music on their lives on campus.
Mr. Morgan Harris
Music has played many roles in the life of Humanities teacher Mr. Morgan Harris. An experienced musician, Mr. Harris’s first exposure to instruments was through piano lessons at age nine. Throughout high school and college, his skillset expanded to include the bass, guitar, mandolin, banjo, drums, and singing.
His experience attending transcendent music performances during and after college was a primary source of inspiration for his inclusion of music in both his Moral Reasoning and Spiritual Journeys classes. He often begins class by playing a song thematically related to the content and then discusses it with students.
“It helps us sync up our energies together and go through [a] communal experience that touches on aspects of our humanity that go beyond merely the intellect,” he said.
Mr. Joe Lampe
Humanities teacher Mr. Joe Lampe, who played both the piano and the tuba throughout his childhood, primarily specializes in choral music and singing. While at Wesleyan University, Mr. Lampe was a member of the Wesleyan Spirits acapella group, as well as a professional vocal group, The Vineyard Sound.
A film major, Mr. Lampe worked in the entertainment industry in New York after graduation while also singing with an acapella group (who sang the national anthem at a New York Mets game in Shea Stadium, a highlight of Mr. Lampe’s choral career). With a strong love for music, Mr. Lampe continues to be involved in the arts at Choate through taking guitar lessons and jamming with Mr. Harris.
Reverend Aaron Rathbun
Like Mr. Lampe and Mr. Harris, Reverend Aaron Rathbun started his musical career with childhood piano lessons. Through these lessons, he discovered his ability to play by ear.
In high school, he learned how to play the guitar and sang in his school choir. Rev. Rathbun played in two bands: a metal band called Fleshwound and an emo band called When Heroes Fall.
On campus, he plays the guitar with Choate’s music faculty and experiments with a multi-effects pedal at home. On December 6, 2022, he played guitar at School Meeting in a band with Mr. Harris and two other students. Occasionally, he also plays songs related to the curriculum in classes to prompt further class discussion on the topic.
Mr. Yassine Benzinane
Mr. Yassine Benzinane is a self-taught musician. He grew up playing the guitar, learning styles derived from Spanish flamenco, North African, and Middle Eastern music.
In his Arabic classes, he introduces his students to both the guitar and drums as well as different styles of music and dance. Eventually, he assigns the class a task to create their own songs and dances together. On occasion, the students will perform their original pieces at School Meetings. Beyond pushing students out of their comfort zones, these performances also expose the greater Choate community to cultures they may not be familiar with. “It’s a full immersion into the culture,” he said.
Dr. Viva Zhao
When Dr. Viva Zhao was one-and-a-half years old, her parents noticed that she had perfect pitch. She would often tap her fingers or make a beat with her chopsticks at dinner, which prompted her family to sign her up for piano lessons at age five.
Throughout her childhood, she played piano competitively, always placing within the top three. When she moved from Canada to the U.S. in high school, she transitioned from competitive piano to solo recitals. “[The recitals] were pure enjoyment,” she said.
In college, Dr. Zhao was a double major in neuroscience and music at the University of Rochester and the Eastman School of Music. While it is difficult to find time to practice in her everyday life now, she hopes to perform again one day in a more relaxed environment.
These teachers demonstrate the many ways a love for music can manifest in one’s life as both a medium for learning and a passionate hobby. The ethos exemplified by these talented faculty members reflects the interdisciplinary spirit of Choate’s curriculum and student body.
