Academic X’cellence: Sharing stories from our inspiring StFX community
It should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with StFX that our campus is filled with highly engaged students, educators, researchers, and leaders. Academic X’cellence shines a spotlight on members of our educational community to find out more about their unique experiences—both inside and outside of the classroom. (To see the full series, please click HERE.)
Here we meet Paul Tynan, a veteran StFX music professor and professional musician whose work has taken him all over the world. A multiple East Coast Music Award winner, with 14 albums featuring his composition and performance and 75 more recordings as a supporting musician and arranger, Prof. Tynan is also a mentor for students to see craft in action. Over the years, he’s taught many courses at StFX, from jazz history to advanced arranging and orchestration. He also serves as artistic director of the Antigonish Jazz Festival.
Paul Tynan—Craft and art in action: Inspiring students to embrace the thrill of discovery
Tell us about yourself.
I’ve been teaching at StFX since the fall of 2001. I’ve taught many things in the Music Department, including Advanced Arranging and Orchestration, Jazz History, Applied Performance and I have directed Ensembles.
What drives you in your teaching?
It’s definitely evolved over the years. One of the things I find the most important is to inspire the student to embrace the thrill of discovery within their discipline. This is something that I value in my own pursuits, I find it incredibly beneficial as it nurtures critical thought and creative output and hopefully instills the skills for the student to keep making progress after they’ve left.
What impact do you hope your teaching will have?
I want people to be excited about making music, making art, contributing something of beauty to the world we live in.
You’re also a professional, practicing musician. How does that help inform teaching?
It’s imperative that students see the craft and art in action. To have access to somebody who has been there and done that so to speak. Someone they can go to and ask questions; someone who can serve as a resource material that you won’t find in any book or any video. It’s imperative that students see the craft and art in action. I'm honoured to be that person for some.
Are there awards or accomplishments to mention?
I have 14 albums released that feature my compositions and performance and I’ve performed on 75 other recordings as a supporting musician, composer/and or arranger. Music has literally taken me all over the world. As you can imagine that would nurture the thrill of discovery that I mentioned above; for that, I am incredibly grateful. I have been fortunate that the Canada Council for the Arts, Arts Nova Scotia, and the Nova Scotia Department of Culture and Heritage have supported my projects as a composer and performer through grants. My recordings have three ECMA awards and I’ve lost count of how many projects I’ve been involved with have received ECMA nominations. Somewhat recently, I became the artistic director of the Antigonish Jazz Festival. This has been a wonderful experience - giving something back to the community that hosts my home institution.
What drew you to teaching, and at the post-secondary level?
Throughout its history, jazz has encouraged mentorship. I think back to anecdotes like Dizzy Gillespie sharing information with other musicians; sitting at the piano and showing them harmony that type of thing. It feels quite natural and, in some way, necessary to be part of that.
What excites you about teaching at StFX?
Living in Nova Scotia and Antigonish specifically is pretty great. Having the opportunity to be a jazz musician and live in a town like this is quite rare. I feel incredibly fortunate. StFX also attracts some of the best jazz students nationally, and in my opinion, has an incredibly strong faculty. I feel fortunate to work with my colleagues.
What’s something surprising about yourself?
Outside of music and teaching, I’m a blacksmith; specifically concentrating as a bladesmith. I hand-make knives and have shipped them all over the world. I also do a fair amount of leatherwork. If I need something I try and make it before I buy it.
