Mahopac High School (MHS) Band Director Richard Williams has been teaching music for 30 years, 18 of them here in Mahopac, and in that time he has shaped not only exceptional musicians, but exceptional young people. Williams’ journey to becoming an educator wasn’t something he originally planned, but rather something he grew to love deeply once he stepped into the classroom.
“I had no intention of becoming a music teacher originally,” Williams said. “My aspiration in college was to become a professional musician. Once I started teaching, I realized that I truly loved it and that I could still perform on my own time. It’s the best of both worlds.”
Williams’ professional experience as a jazz and funk saxophonist plays an important role in the way he teaches. He encourages his students to approach music like working musicians do, reminding them that the process of learning, practicing, listening and performing is universal at every level.
“Music is music,” he said. “The things I’ve learned from fellow musicians and from being on stage inform my teaching every day. At the same time, teaching forces you to think clearly about how to get from point A to point B, and I learn from my own lessons as much as my students do.”
When asked about memories that stand out, Williams pointed to the band’s performances in Italy, at the Pantheon in Rome and during Carnival in the small town of Dicomano as particularly meaningful. But more than any one experience, he values the opportunity to work with students over their four years at MHS, watching them grow from young teenagers into confident musicians and young adults.
“The teamwork and accountability required from every student is unique to a performing ensemble,” he said. “Although music is our medium, I’m really trying to teach students to be the best versions of themselves in every aspect of life.”
Superintendent of Schools Frank Miele praised Williams’ impact both inside and outside the band room.
“Rich is the kind of educator who brings out the best in students,” Miele said. “He teaches them to work together, to push themselves and to take pride in what they create. That’s the heart of great teaching, and what Mahopac is all about.”
When asked if there were any artists he would have dreamed about performing with, Williams says if he could go back in time to New York City in the late 1950s to play alongside his jazz heroes, that would be tough to beat. He expressed gratitude for every musician he has met and performed with and looks forward to whomever he will play with in the future.
Mahopac is fortunate to have a teacher and mentor who brings such passion and dedication to its music program. Under Williams’ leadership, our students are learning not just how to play notes on a page, but how to grow as musicians and as people.
