Dr. Nathan Huvard studies the fingering position of Justin Swan, a junior Sound Recording Technology major from Falconer, NY, as he plays a selection in Diers Recital Hall.
Assistant Professor Nathan Huvard enriches his teaching through experiences gained playing in the Metropolitan Opera orchestra.
In the Met’s current season, Dr. Huvard has already performed in two productions: playing mandolin and guitar in the world premiere of “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay” and performing the mandolin solo in Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.” A year ago, Huvard played Guitar 2 in the Met premiere of Osvaldo Golijov’s “Ainadamar.”
Collaborative work with singers is a crucial part of a guitarist’s professional life, just as working with plucked instruments is crucial for singers. I’m excited to share the skills, perspectives, and collaborative techniques drawn from my own career with Fredonia students, both in individual lessons and in the classroom.” - Dr. Nathan Huvard
“Throughout the rehearsal and performance process with the Met, I was very deliberate about incorporating my real-world professional experience directly into lessons and chamber music coachings, so that students could see a clear connection between how I work as a performing musician and the techniques I emphasize in my teaching,” Huvard explained.
The importance of a clear, coherent and legitimate fingering system is a prime example Huvard emphasizes with students. For example, drawing from the “Kavalier & Clay” score, Huvard demonstrates how clear fingerings lead to greater musical freedom and expression. He believes that having a reliable system for devising and notating fingerings is a powerful tool that removes common barriers to achieving an effortless performance.
“In that sense, there is a direct through-line between the techniques I rely on as a working musician and the techniques I emphasize in my teaching — it's all about having a system of preparation in place that you can rely on,” Huvard said.
In “Don Giovanni,” Huvard wrote the Italian text and English translations directly into the mandolin part so he could track the poetry and syllabic stress of each phrase. That preparation allows him to anticipate the singer’s breathing, pacing and phrasing.
“These concepts arise regularly in lessons, but they resonate more deeply when students can see how I apply them in professional settings - when they can see that I truly practice what I preach. This approach also informs my classroom teaching.”
Huvard, an associate musician with the Met, is currently teaching MUS043: Guitar Chamber Music, a performance-seminar course at Fredonia focused specifically on guitarists accompanying singers in repertoire ranging from art song to jazz and musical theatre. He believes it’s essential that students understand the text when accompanying singers or performing instrumental music derived from vocal works.
“Collaborative work with singers is a crucial part of a guitarist’s professional life, just as working with plucked instruments is crucial for singers. I’m excited to share the skills, perspectives, and collaborative techniques drawn from my own career with Fredonia students, both in individual lessons and in the classroom,” Huvard said.
