We’re looking forward to introducing you to Jennifer Hoover. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Jennifer, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Have you ever been glad you didn’t act fast?
Absolutely. Most of my big decisions in life have been hard to make. Usually I have thought or prayed on those life-altering decisions for at least 6 months to a year before making a choice one way or the other. For example, before moving back to KS from New Orleans in July of 2022, I had been considering and praying on relocating for nearly three years before I fully decided to move. Of course I could have moved sooner but there were some important events in my life and the lives of friends and family nearby in that time period. If I had acted too quickly, I would have missed out on living nearby during those events. I also believe it’s important to let a big change like this settle fully in your heart and mind before acting on it. By the time I was preparing to leave and telling friends and students the news, I was sad but I felt like it was the right decision and I was ready.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I started teaching private lessons nearly a decade ago. When I first started I was apprehensive about whether it was the right job for me and if I could really be a good private music teacher. What I didn’t realize was that I had already been a teacher for many years prior. I had been working on church staff at several churches in the area doing music, choirs, and Vacation Bible School. I would babysit for friends and family and I delighted in sharing my knowledge with others – musical and otherwise. I’d even been asked to teach in a group setting at my graduate school several times, including at a women’s prison program. So all that was needed was the right opportunity for me to embrace the one-on-one music studio lessons environment. I was nervous but excited to be doing what I loved: music!
Shortly after beginning to teach for Louisiana Academy of Performing Arts in 2017, it became clear that this was the perfect place for me to flourish. I am a big kid at heart and always believe one should enjoy what they are learning. Much of my education reminded me of this and I began using play-learning techniques among other teaching methods to help my music students learn and absorb the lessons I was teaching. Using fun games and learning activities to get away from old-school methods really brought music classes to life for my students – and not surprisingly, their parents! I had many a parent share that they had music lessons as a child and had hated them because the instruction was no fun. They said they wished I had been their teacher. That was so heartwarming to hear!
I have now taught for several organizations and am running my own independent private studio for the first time this year. What’s been so lovely is to be able to share that I offer a more personalized and playful experience compared to a lot of traditional private teachers. FUN is always at the forefront for me. At Hoover Music Studio, we will pursue excellence and become our best at all we do because we are having so much fun doing it.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
I had the most amazing mentor in my college years: Dr. Martha Hicks. She was a woman of faith and a wonderful teacher who became a friend. I remember a discussion with her about how to know you’re on the right path towards your calling. She said, “Remember, a calling isn’t just one thing. You may feel called to pursue one path now. That may feel right and good, like God is leading you that way. Then later on you may see a fork in the road and that may feel like the correct path. Both are true and you can feel good about letting your life’s path grow and change as you do.” It was such a gem of wisdom she shared with me and it has informed not only my big decisions about career and life but also my smaller ones.
As a woman and musician, choosing to pursue church leadership and then making music into a full time job has never been easy. But I have always felt it’s been my calling. Now that I am no longer working in the church, I feel strongly about my path as an educator and mentor to my students of all ages. Working doesn’t always mean following your passions if you just need to put food on the table. But every bit of ‘work’ can support your pursuit of the passions that drive you. Letting your passion become your purpose was what I learned most from Martha and it still impacts my decisions, large and small.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
My younger self was such a perfectionist and people pleaser. Those are two things I continue to struggle with daily. What I would do if I had a chance is give her a great big hug and tell her “you’re perfect just the way you are and if YOU like it, then it doesn’t matter what anyone else says or thinks.”
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would say that people matter the most to me. My relationships are integral to who I am as a person. While I am pretty fiercely independent and have been most of my life, I value others to a fault. There are times when I will forget to check in on my own needs because I am so overtaken with the needs of those I love most. I am learning to make sure my own needs are met fully so I can love those in my life from a place of abundance. It’s been hard for me to realize that only when I am caring well for myself and at my best can I love and care for others to the best of my ability.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
I think one thing that I bring to the table as a teacher, mentor, and fellow human is a deep sense of empathy. I feel strongly and that means I can relate when others have strong feelings or reactions too. I love being able to use music a tool for connection, healing, and growth with my students old & young. There are many students who are adults that need to believe in themselves once again or maybe even for the first time. I’m able to sit across from them at the piano and give them that love and validation: “you ARE a singer! You’re an artist. What you make is beautiful and you DO matter.”
Even the youngest of students needs more people to champion them in their life to become the best version of themselves. It is one my greatest joys to be entrusted to have that special role in someone’s life. Bringing my heart to work on my sleeve can be tough at times but I believe it’s what makes all the difference in the lives of my students and families.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://HooverMusicStudio.mymusicstaff.com
- Instagram: @jhoovmusic
- Facebook: @jhoovmusic
- Youtube: @jhoovmusic
