My Home Away From Home

By Lea Botta, Director of Woodwinds and Manager of Program Development

I have been teaching here at Encore since February of 2013. I started with two students on a Saturday. I had a very busy teaching studio of my own, teaching 6 days a week in various schools throughout the South Shore. I had worked hard to build my studio up and loved every minute of it. However, having moved to Franklin in 2009, the commute to the South Shore was definitely grating on  me. It was time for a change.

I remember my first phone call with Lisa, one of Encore’s Founding Directors. It was the night before a blizzard. I was on my way out to get milk and bread….I don’t even drink milk, but this is New England –  it’s just what you do.

I met with Lisa and Pat the next week and I passed muster. They hired me. It was with a lot of trepidation that I started working for someone besides myself and gave up some of my own studio time to work at Encore. I gave Encore a Saturday out of my schedule as a compromise. If things didn’t work out, I still had five other days at my own studio.

Fast forward five or so years … one day with two students on my schedule turned into five full days of lessons. This past year, I was hired full-time as Director of Woodwinds and Program Development Manager. I have never looked back or regretted giving up my own studio to teach here. Besides having two of the best and most understanding bosses on the planet, I work with a great group of people. My colleagues that teach with me are highly educated, awesome musicians and are professional in every way. I couldn’t ask for better students. They are highly motivated, enthusiastic, and work hard to become better musicians in every lesson. I can tell that they, too, love being here at Encore.

And, yes,  Encore is my home away from home. I am honored and proud to call this wonderful place so! Onward and upward!

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