School of Fine Arts instructor Gregory Torres looks forward to another productive and enjoyable semester in his 32nd year as a music educator. Torres, who received his bachelor’s degree of fine arts in music from Louisiana Tech University, went on to earn his master’s of music education at the University of Oklahoma. Torres said that at the time, he and his wife Jan were living in Oklahoma. The couple are both New Orleans natives and were interested in moving closer to home. It was then that Torres took a position that he eventually held for the next six years. He applied for and was appointed director of bands and instrumental music educator at Central Lafourche High School.
“That was a position I loved,” Torres said. “The students, faculty and administration were hard working and very cooperative.”
After taking a sabbatical to attend the University of Southern Mississippi, the director of bands position at Nicholls became available. It was a position that Torres was previously interested in, but the opportunity had fallen through. This time when Torres applied, he was successfully appointed to the position.
“It was the best of two worlds; first the opportunity to teach in higher education, and second, the chance to do it in a region where I had grown to love the people, students and culture,” Torres said.
He said that since coming to Nicholls, he has made some great friends and tremendous colleagues. And it is the smaller community appeal of Nicholls that he finds most charming.
“Nicholls, Thibodaux and the surrounding area have provided rewarding opportunities to get involved in different aspects of community life and hopefully make a little difference, including, but also above and beyond, the musical world,” Torres said.
While he enjoys being a percussionist and tympanist, he said that being an instrumental music educator requires proficiency in all wind and percussion instruments.
“My real instrument is the baton and the symphonic band and symphonic winds.”
Torres teaches many courses ranging from Music Appreciation for non-majors to Conducting the Symphonic Band and Symphonic Winds. One of Torres’s popular classes, the History of Rock and Roll, covers music of the 1950s to the 1970s.
“The students seem to enjoy the content and are eager to question and get involved in classroom discussions, acknowledging a respect for their peers who may have a different preference of genre and/or style,” Torres said.
In addition to teaching classes, Torres also participates in a number of events at the University. “Nocturn” and the 2008 “Monster Piano Recital” were two fundraisers for the music department. In the aptly named, “Monster Piano Recital,” Torres had the unique opportunity to conduct an ensemble of 12 pianists playing six pianos. When he is not conducting, Torres takes pride in giving his students the chance to put their own talents to the test.
“I enjoy the first concert each spring semester. It provides the instrumental student who is nearing graduation the opportunity to get hands-on experience conducting a live ensemble,” Torres said. “Students are assisted in selecting the repertoire and then provided feedback as they work through their conducting experience.”
The music department, like many others, has been hit hard by statewide budget cuts. Despite this setback, Torres said he hopes the department can continue to employ and attract quality students and faculty and maintain accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Music.
“I also hope that the number of majors in Music and those that complete will continue to increase yearly,” Torres said.
