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Get to Know the Faculty: Juli Buxbaum

09/25/2019

Arkansas State University Instructor of Horn Dr. Juli Buxbaum, can literally blow her own horn, which is, as you’ll learn in this Get To Know, one of her prize possessions.

Juli Buxbaum

Dr. Juli Buxbaum

Place of birth:
Enid, Oklahoma
Family:
My husband, Taylor Buxbaum, who also works at A-State as a Director of Development.
Why did you choose A-State?
Frankly, there are rarely more than a handful of positions open year-to-year for teaching horn. I am very fortunate that I was in the right place at the right time to apply for the position here. A-State was much closer to home (I moved here from Arizona, but my family resides in Oklahoma) and this particular school environment was ideal for me.
What is your most prized possession...
my husband (just kidding, it’s my horn).
What makes a good professor?
Someone who is not only extremely knowledgeable in their field, but also has the ability to view their classroom through the eyes of the students and respond accordingly to the needs and wants of the class.
What are you working on right now?
This questionnaire.
Who was your favorite teacher (and why)?
That would have to be Dr. John Ericson, my teacher and mentor during my graduate studies at Arizona State University. He is absolutely an incredible musician and horn player, but he is also the most humble teacher I have ever had. His knowledge of his subject area is only surpassed by his ability to always put the student first. We still email to check-in occasionally and I often ask him any time I have a tough question regarding horn, which he always answers immediately. I have not managed to stump him yet, but I will keep trying.
In college, I was known for...
being very short.
What makes for a good student?
A good student is someone who is motivated by their own internal desire to do well and cultivates a feeling for why they need the knowledge provided them in a certain class. A good student passes the class, but a great student realizes the full potential for practical application of the knowledge they are given.
My favorite trip was...
It’s nothing exotic. My husband and I took a road trip to see Sequoia National Park and I just really enjoyed the scenery and sights. It was the first trip (of now many) that we fell in love with exploring the natural landscapes of our big world.
If I could travel anywhere it would be...
Wales or New Zealand.
My hobby is...
reading and playing video games.
The one thing I’d take to a desert island (and a boat is not an answer)...
Bear Grylls.
What’s the value of a university education?
That depends on the person. Essentially, the value is in whether or not a university education will take you where you want to go. Higher education can be a valuable ticket to a certain career or lifestyle, and should be treated as an investment in that goal.
Your philosophy on education in seven words:
Knowledge and Creativity Together Shape the World.
If you could teach another field, which one and why?
Outside of music? Hmmm… I would teach writing courses I think. My mom is a writer and I have always loved reading.
My spirit cartoon character is...
Katara from Avatar the Last Airbender.
What I like about Jonesboro is...
Craighead Forest Park.
When I want to crush karaoke, my song is...
Fly Me to the Moon, Frank Sinatra.
What is the one thing you wish you could teach everyone about your field?
That music may not always be seen as essential in the obvious way that something like medicine is, but it connects us all in a very expressive and primal way as human beings that is hard to replicate in anything else.
Before you retire I want to...
visit every national park! And see real lava from a volcano (from a safe distance).
What music is playing in your car?
Alternative
What is your favorite podcast?
“The Complete Musician” by James Naigus and Drew Phillips
My favorite motion picture is...
The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Favorite television series?
Game of Thrones
The last book I read for fun was...
The first two books of the Millenium’s Rule series by Trudi Canavan.
Four people I’d take to coffee...
Michelle Obama, Peter Dinklage, professional hornist Gail Williams, and Haydn’s ghost
The best advice I ever received was...
After a rough patch on the horn, someone once told me that “musicians need to spend time gazing up at the sky”. It was so different from the usual mantras that solve every problem with more hard work and more practice, that it really struck me. While it does take immense hard work to develop the technical skills required to become a professional musician, we must also realize that there comes a time to really start making music, and that it is our own personal experiences and emotions that fuel this creative process of our art. That is the one thing that a practice room can never give you. This advice changed the trajectory of my musicianship and I pass it down to all of my students.
What is one thing you always have on you...
cool earrings.
My passion is...
music!
My favorite thing in my office is...
a painting by my sister.
What is the one thing I’ve learned I’d tell my college self?
Social life is just as important as academics, and relaxing is just as important as hard work.
My pro sports team is...
The Berlin Philharmonic.
My pet peeve is...
laziness.
My favorite meal is...
cheeseburgers!
The one thing I will not eat is...
peppers!
A perfect day is...
any day with no plans and nothing to do.
Cats or dogs?
Dogs
E-book or hardback?
Hardback
Beach or mountains?
Mountains
Dinner or supper?
Dinner
I wish I could...
travel the world and never pay for it.
Only my friends know I...
nice try.
My favorite saying is...
“The only reason anyone ever failed at anything was because they eventually gave up” - Victor Wooten