Jeremiah Shem Blas

I started playing the violin when I was ten years old. I was very fascinated by its sound and how it was played. When I first laid my hands on my violin, I immediately fell in love. After years of practicing, I enrolled at the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music to pursue my dream to become a professional music educator specializing in violin pedagogy. When you fall in love in something you want to do, you never stop. That is why when I fell in love in playing the violin I started to explore. I joined various groups in the conservatory such as the UST Symphony Orchestra and the UST String Orchestra. I also started tutoring young children who wants to play the violin in my hometown.

Teaching has always been a dream of mine ever since I started to play the violin, and I want to share my learnings and passion to my students. Not only that, but I also aim to build their characters and attitude towards music. Shinichi Suzuki once said that “If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline and endurance. They get a beautiful heart.” Just like Suzuki I find music as a foundation to develop one’s character and personality.

My love for teaching inspired me to build a music school in my hometown, Taytay Rizal. My whole life I have lived here and seen plenty of musicians perform in festivals and local music contests. However, through the years music related events and musicians are slowly fading here. That is why my goal for my music school is to increase, strengthen and preserve local musicians and help people love and cherish music in the streets of Taytay.