Jeremija Bundalo: “Every time I come to rehearsal I feel like I’m with family”

Jeremija Bundalo: "Every time I come to rehearsal I feel like I'm with family"

17/7/2022 - 8:00pm

Jeremija comes from Croatia. He applied for a scholarship to work with the Dream Orchestra. Here are many new experiences that he has acquired, and much that he has given to the DO students. He has felt more comfortable conducting a rehearsal, and has learned to conduct an orchestra.

"In that process of teaching I am also learning a lot and improving as a teacher as well as a violinist"

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What do the students call you? Do they give you a nickname?
The students mostly call me “teacher” but my private students call me by my name. I do have a lot of nicknames since everyone pronounces my name differently. For instance Ron calls me Jeremias, French people call me Jérémie while some people just call me Jerry.
What is the name of your hometown…in what country?
My hometown is called Velika Gorica. It's a funny name as it's an oxymoron. It means a great small forest. It's an airport city outside of the capital of Croatia, Zagreb.
What zodiac sign are you?
I'm not a believer in those things but I am still a bit confused. Some people claim I’m a Sagittarius and some Scorpio so I'm unsure.
What do you love most about working with music education?
I love the fact that I am passing on my knowledge to the next generation. In that process of teaching I am also learning a lot and improving as a teacher as well as a violinist.
What makes you happy?
What makes me happy is being present in the moment and appreciating life.
What is your favorite book?
My favorite book is 12 Rules for life by Jordan B. Peterson. It deeply influenced my life for the better.
What is your favorite movie?
My favorite movie is the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
What is your favorite song?
My favorite song is difficult to say but I am listening to a variety of music genres and it really depends on the day.
Something from your bucket lists, what are you going to do next?
Backpacking trip to Asia is definitely on my bucket list.
You applied for a scholarship to come to teach at DO, why were you interested in working with us?
I was familiar with the El Sistema in Croatia as I had some friends teaching there. I knew that the work here was valuable so I wanted to use my knowledge that I have acquired during the past 18 years of playing, to support this idea that Dream Orchestra represents.
What has surprised you about working at DO?
What surprised me the most in DO was the warmth of the people. Everytime I come to the rehearsal I feel like I'm with my family. Everyone takes care of each other and we're working together on something meaningful.
What have you learned about teaching at DO?
I have learned a great deal during the past half a year. I believe that I became better at making myself more understandable while teaching and getting my point across. I learned how to get the attention of the children and how it varies through their age groups. I became more comfortable in leading the rehearsals and conducting which is something I wasn't very experienced at. I've also learned a great deal more that I could spend an entire day writing about.
What do you take to Croatia from this experience at DO
To Croatia I bring great memories and experiences from the past few months.
What advice do you give to students or professors who want to come and teach at the DO?
I say just give it a try! You learn a great deal along the way and the orchestra is full of great positive people.
Can you give an example of a didactic strategy that has been very useful during your teaching practices at DO?
From a didactic standpoint a strategy that was useful in teaching was standing up and addressing students individually. That really engages the students and makes them feel as a part of a group and then it is easier and more productive to teach.

Three members of DO board will be in Venezuela

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