For Sarah Fachada, joining the Cape Symphony faculty is a kind of homecoming. She taught here in her early years on the Cape, and also at Cape Cod Academy for 25 years. Following a hiatus during the pandemic, “I felt a hole in my soul… I knew I had to go back to music.” Today she teaches and music directs productions at Cape Cod Community College, and is accepting new voice and piano students at our West Barnstable campus.
At a first lesson, Sarah says, “the important thing is to make the student feel comfortable, to create a safe space.” She has beginning to advanced students from 6 to 66 years old, and designs lessons with the right balance of exploration and focus for each one. There is discipline required, she says, but “space for movement and sheer creativity is necessary too.”
Sarah’s students think about the music they’re learning. “I’m a bit of a music theory geek,” she says happily. “Music is more than just notes on a page. We’ll talk about emotion, story, theory, form… we have all these concepts to draw from to explore the depth of a piece of music.” This can mean anything from identifying patterns in a simple song to delving into the mathematics of a Bach piano invention. “A lot of people just sit down and play, but the composer had a plan, a form. We’ll talk about that. What did Bach do here? Why?”
“With voice, you also have the poetry,” she continues. “Music becomes unique to every student. I don’t paste on my own interpretation… when a student thinks about what a song means for them, it becomes theirs.” Technology can pose a challenge. “It’s working against us, I think,” says Sarah. “We get the idea that what’s on YouTube is how a piece is ‘supposed’ to sound. Creativity goes out the window if you do that. Listen to recordings, but come up with your own version.”
Asked about her favorite music, Sarah reflects on having grown up in Ohio, listening to country and pop music on the radio and folk songs with her Dad playing the guitar. She pursued classical training, earning Bachelor’s (Mount Union University) and Master’s (Cleveland Institute of Music) degrees in music. “I’m experienced with so many genres,” she says. “Classical is my favorite… for me, that’s the ultimate experience, something with that depth, that scope.”
The important thing, though, is to be open to learning new things. “Appreciate all types of music! If not, you’re closing yourself off to a lot of wonderful experiences. It’s up to me as a teacher to expose you to genres you might not have thought of. Bring me your favorite pop song, sure! There are some wonderful songs from every era, be it the 1920s, 1940s, or last year. But keep your mind open to pieces you might not have been exposed to.”
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Sarah Fachada is accepting new voice and piano students at our West Barnstable campus. For more information or to arrange a trial lesson, email
