Teacher Spotlight – Bruce Legge

Bruce Legge

Our new woodwind instrument music teacher, Bruce Legge, shares stories about his rewarding career teaching music, starting new string programs and his travels as a musician.

Tell us a little about yourself? 

I started to teach music and band in the Roosevelt School District in 1989. My only ambition was to support my brand new family (Jackie, Jennifer, Nicole, and Elise), and to play music in the valley. After a rather rocky first three years at P.L. Julian, and V.H. Lassen Middle Schools in the Roosevelt School District, I found teaching to be the most challenging and rewarding career path that anyone could choose. In 1994 I moved to the Litchfield Elementary School District, teaching first at Western Sky Middle School, then Scott Libbby, Palm Valley, Litchfield Elementary, and finely, Wigwam Creek and Thomas Heck Middle Schools. During my 26 years in the Litchfield Elementary School District, I have taught Band, General Music and Strings. I have started the only string program in this district along with creating before and after school jazz bands and drum line performance ensembles.

Professionally, I have performed with The Brass Menagerie Brass Quintet, Symphony of the Southwest, Scottsdale Philharmonic, Territorial Brass brass band, Arizona Pro Art Orchestra, Scottsdale Musical Theater Pit Orchestra, Whiskey Kiss rock and role band and at various churches and organizations around the Phoenix Valley. I have been lucky to have toured Europe, Mexico, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, California, and Nevada as a musician. My ambition is to teach write and play music, for children and professional music organizations.

What is your vision for the Woodwind Program of SOUNDS Academy?

SOUNDS Academy has done so much and I am excited to add to it. I see students entering the program and becoming better versions of themselves. In my studio, I would like to excite students to the point that they want to continue music in a larger capacity. I want them to feel like they are doing an amazing job and look forward to the following week.
In learning an instrument, there is a lot to overcome. When you add what you need to overcome in this current world (with Covid-19), our students are doing an exceptional job in growing. When a student learns how to overcome the challenges of being a young musician and learn self-discipline, it can help them in other areas of life. They can apply the lessons learned from music in school and life to overcome obstacles.

Ultimately, I would love to see our students in other woodwind ensembles, chamber orchestras, larger orchestras, and jazz bands. I am thrilled to see the students become the top fliers within these ensembles and their school programs if they are fortunate enough to have music in their school. I would like to open the door for children to experience higher education and the world through music. In future years, I’m looking forward to expanding our educational scope to include brass and percussion. The sky is the limit for what we can do!

What aspects of being a musician has impacted or helped your role as an educator?

It has been my experience that being a musician has offered me the opportunity to meet people of many cultures, to overcome obstacles through determination and discipline, and develop many positive facets of life such as relationship building, communication and team work through music education. All this and music too? Nothing could be better.