Chapman alumnus selected for Kennedy Center ‘Inspirational Teacher Award’

He answers midnight emails from music students practicing a tricky bit of Beethoven. He found a way to purchase new pianos. He cracks jokes. And when he walks into the music rooms at the Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA), students snap to attention, ready to give their all.

Yes, Chapman University alumnus Teren Shaffer ’09 is that kind of teacher — the sort students long remember. And it’s for those reasons and more that Shaffer, dean of Arts Conservatories at OCSA, has been awarded a Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Only 14 teachers nationwide were selected for the honor, which comes with a $10,000 award. Shaffer said he was humbled by the honor and shares the recognition with the many teachers who inspired him along the way, just as he strives to do now with his students.

“Pursuing a career in arts education has long been my desired path. I was fortunate to learn from inspiring teachers who instilled in me a lifelong appreciation for the arts,” he says. “My life’s work is about giving back to the next generation of aspiring artist-scholars, and providing my students with a platform for growth and success in their desired career path.”

In fact, the only way to be nominated for the award is by a previous student. In her nomination letter former OCSA student Julia Choi described Shaffer as a teacher who never failed to inspire. Choi wrote:

“In my four years under his tutelage, I learned that the word passion for Mr. Shaffer doesn’t mean “feeling” the music. It means maintaining a wholehearted attitude toward everything you do. It never mattered if he was tired or busy; he would answer midnight emails and help us individually on difficult passages. He never gave up; he would rehearse the same music under different pedagogical approaches until we achieved perfection. He went beyond the call of duty; he redesigned the entire conservatory curriculum and bought new pianos and percussion equipment because he knew we needed them. And he cared, not just about music, but also about us. He would ask us about our families and make jokes every day.”

Shaffer joined OCSA
in 2011. In 2014 he was named the First Prize winner of The American Prize in Conducting — band/wind ensemble division.

In addition to the Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award, Shaffer will be showcased on a website dedicated to the
Inspirational Teacher Awards
.