Teaching Artist Statement
I am so thankful for the gift of music. It has been with me most of my life, and I am grateful to former teachers who have had a role in shaping where I am now. In teaching, I believe that this gift can be developed and used to help people understand more about themselves and the world in which we live. Music should be felt internally so its beauty and meaning may be conveyed. As a teacher, I love being able to help students find meaning in what they are learning. I encourage them to set goals, and I enjoy working with them to achieve those goals so that they too may appreciate producing something beautiful.
Teaching Bio
Jean Pulsifer earned a degree in Music Education from the University of Montana. She has also taught private piano lessons for several years, as well as private and group clarinet lessons. In public schools in Massachusetts, she has taught chorus, band, music history, and music theory. She has also taught lessons at the Hudson Alliance for the Arts, Ashland Extended Day, and the after-school program for the Hale Middle School in Stow. Her most recent piano teaching has been with the Instrumental Music School of Carlisle and Concord (IMSCC). Jean enjoys teaching at all levels, having students from school age to adult. She started teaching at SSC in 2025.
Performance Bio
Jean has been performing both as a soloist and in ensembles for several years. She gave four private recitals between 1988 and 2005. Jean has been a pianist for musicals in Norwood and Ashland High Schools. In 2008, she conducted Guys and Dolls at the Middle School in Hopkinton. In addition, she has accompanied several choral groups for public schools including Sutton, Hopkinton, Auburn, and Newton. Professionally, she was a pianist for the Norwell Company Theater. Jean has served as a substitute and interim organist/pianist for Newton Presbyterian Church from 2008 through 2023. She started teaching at SSC in 2025.