As part of our series talking to the women of GPG Music, we asked Lara Martin, music teacher at Drake Elementary School in Reno Nevada, about being a music educator, oh and being married to GPG CEO Steve Martin.
What is your partnership like when it comes to GPG Music?
We make good partners. We talk about everything. Steve’s the creator, he’s the artist. He grew [GPG Music] because of his business sensibilities. It’s been fun to watch the company flourish.
My favorite thing about GPG is the core value of creating something the kids can actually achieve with music written as educators, by educators for educators. What Gary [Gilroy] and Steve [Martin, cofounders] did, and Steve is still doing, makes music accessible and the opportunity for students' success.
What got you involved in color guard?
I went to a parade when I was in first grade and saw the local high school marching band. I was enthralled and announced that I wanted to do color guard. I started choreographing and teaching my junior year of high school, then was asked as a junior at Nevada to become a university coach. Eventually I turned coaching over to Kim Hines.
Describe what you love about teaching music.
It’s the fun part of school. Student musicians can think multi-dimensionally. We are teaching every subject, not just “music”. You could teach all the subjects through music — language, vocabulary, reading, math, history, geography, science, but kids think they are having fun. It gets them out of their own space, to a different atmosphere.
What is most rewarding about music education?
Music classes give students an opportunity to succeed, regardless language, academic skills or socioeconomic status. Music is the common denominator; the kids can sing and be part of a group musically, taste success from being part of the musical performance and be proud of their work. I love their energy and happiness.
How do you envision the future of music?
My hope for music education is to be accessible to all students. We are so fortunate to be able to offer music classes here in Washoe County, Nev. beginning in preschool. We have music programs all the way through high school. Music groups are more than just a class, they become a family and a place to belong. Music gives us something to relate to and I am proud to share it with upcoming generations.
Lara Martin’s bio:
Lara has been in music education for 26 years, beginning with private piano, clarinet and saxophone lessons before teaching in public schools. She’s currently teaching pre-K through fifth grades at Drake Elementary School in Reno, Nev. but has also taught sixth grade band and choir over the years; color guard for high school and college for twenty years in three states; and on staff at music camps for 12 years. Lara earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education. She’s a third generation University of Nevada, Reno graduate with a Master’s of Education in Educational Leadership (M.Ed.). She came to Reno to go to college in 1994 and stayed in town to teach music, subsequently meeting and marrying Steve. Lara did some choreography and visual design for GPG Music in the early years. Lara and Steve have two children, a son 13 and a daughter going on 11.