After two years as a part-time visiting professor in UCF’s School of Performing Arts, Vasko’s passion for teaching, performing and building community earned him a full-time position as an assistant professor. Vasko has big plans for the future of UCF’s Tuba and Euphonium program. Read all about his journey in the interview below.
How did you discover your passion for tuba/euphonium? What is your background?
I am from El Paso, Texas. I was very fortunate that my first band director, Jorge Avendaño, was the tubist for the El Paso Symphony. He instilled in me and my twin sister a love for music and had a very high standard with his students. My sister is a very successful band director in Texas.
I have taught in some capacity since I was 15 years old. My family didn’t have a lot of money growing up, so I hustled in high school by teaching private lessons to middle schoolers.
What brought you to UCF?
After I finished my doctorate at Boston University, I stayed in town and freelanced for a while. At some point, it became time to leave and find something more stable. After trying and failing about two dozen times to get a job in higher education (having previously taught at two universities), I took UCF up on an offer to move down and teach part-time. I quickly saw that this community was ready for more than that and I am grateful that the university has been so receptive to all the change I’ve tried to bring about.
What has been your experience so far with the students and the programs here at UCF’s School of Performing Arts?
The students here are very special. They are incredibly bright and want to get better at what they do. I rarely have any issues with attendance or behavior. The students are humble, hungry, and kind.
Do you have a vision for the future of the program?
My not-so-secret goal is to have the biggest tuba ensemble in the country. UCF’s tuba ensemble went from zero to 27 in two years, so I am confident this can be accomplished. Another goal is to continue to grow the brass chamber music program and use its unique structure as a draw to UCF’s School of Performing Arts. We are the only music program in the state with a dedicated chamber music class for brass players like this, and I am excited to see where it takes us.
UCF is known for innovation and has strong programs in fields like space technology and engineering. In what ways do music programs use new technology to innovate for the field?
One of the most important keys to improving a skill is the idea of “immediate feedback.” In music, this means having the ability to record ourselves and listen back to what we did in order to correct mistakes. As technology advances, it becomes easier and cheaper to do this, meaning anyone can teach themselves to be an excellent musician.
What are some of the biggest things you would like your students to take away from their time at UCF?
I want them to be compassionate, competent and confident. They should leave UCF feeling like they have the tools and the experience to continue down whichever path they have chosen for themselves.