Mônica Giardini

We sat down with Mônica Giardini to discuss her career so far and thoughts around music and education.

To begin with, I would like to know details about yourself and some background on your music journey.

I got into the music scene working as a private guitar and piano teacher. Later I began to work as a conductor in the same Lyre and Percussion Band at the School where I attended and played. From then on, other areas such as the conductor came along.

My first musical memories were at home. On weekends my father would gather the whole family in the living room to listen to classical music, operas, and a few popular songs. I loved it, but my sisters were not so inspired. When we traveled, we would also listen to more popular music in the car.

How would you describe your relationship with music and education?

My relationship with music is firstly the means of being with people, especially teaching. It is the means I use to make them happy. Currently, my expectations are also focused on the study of the effects of music, sounds, and their frequencies on people’s physical, mental and emotional health. Music is not always entertainment, although challenging it is very rewarding work.

My biggest inspiration is the interest and joy of a student in wanting to learn from me. Then I get motivated and do everything for the student to progress.

Life for me is already 100% education. Education is everything. Being a conductor is also educating, whether in a group of children or professionals. There are different levels of education requiring an educator's focus. A professional, to stay happy in their job needs much more motivation and new learning than a child where everything is already a learning experience.

My purpose in music education is to always seek the “beautiful music” through good tuning, harmony, sound balance, and never leaving aside the personal tuning between the members, with good vibes of respect, fellowship, joy, and integration.

My teaching style is all about motivation and confidence. If the student is motivated and confident, they develop quickly and well. If not, they tend to give up. What is important in my classroom is to make the students happy. For anxious students, I teach a lot of information and music to develop a quality item. They go home happy that they played and learned a lot. The student cannot play with quality right away, they need a lot of practice. Several similar songs can motivate them to practice more, and when they succeed, they are happy because they can play many pieces. Parents also then believe and can see that their children are learning and are talented.

Have you ever faced any gender equality issues? How did you overcome these issues?

Problems related to gender equality have never been very clear and explicit. Many times, I received salaries lower than those of my colleagues, but I overcame it by trying to do my best to get more recognition in future jobs, where I succeeded.

What changes do you think need to be made to empower women and girls in the field of music?

The changes that need to be made to empower women and girls in the field of music must start at home. I felt this myself when I decided to pursue a career in music and my mother was sad to tell me that there was no money in music. My father, on the other hand, said: “let her do what she wants while she can, because later she will have to take care of the house, the children…” Today I say that it is possible to earn money, take care of the house and children, and work with music. You just have to want it.

Message to the next generation

The message I leave for the next generation is to never underestimate music. It is not just entertainment. It is divine, it is healing, and it deserves consideration and respect. I also say that when studying an instrument, do not judge yourself or treat yourself badly if you are not playing the way you would like to. It is just a matter of time, discipline and focus.