Kirin Sugino

Ms. Kirin Sugino is not only our head music teacher but she is also a Husky Alumna, more proof of our graduating dog-tag inscription: "Once a Husky, Always a Husky!"

Where were you born?

I was born in Singapore.

When did you first know you wanted to be a teacher? 

It was in my junior year at HIS and Mr. Sugino started this leadership team to make the Kitara concert. And then I was in that team and it was really just so fun to produce a concert and be really creative and then kind of get my kohai (junior) and teach them and just interact with younger students because Kitara used to be high school all the way down to elementary. So that really sparked my interest.

How does teaching at HIS compare to the other schools you have taught at if you have?

So, HIS is the only school that I have officially taught at. I took a break and I went to a public kindergarten. And then I was just teaching English. HIS is, you know, very small and cozy and cute. So yeah, HIS is basically my first official-like and big music teaching position.

How long have you been teaching?

At HIS this is my 8th year. Wow!

So what year did you come to HIS as a teacher? 

As a teacher, 2015—August 2015.

What were you doing prior to HIS? 

I was a college student, so right after graduating university, I got a call from the then-headmaster who had been my homeroom teacher. I was a good student, so he was like, "hey, I know you're trying to be a music teacher. Do you want to come back to HIS?" And I was like, "yeah!"

What attracted you to come work at HS or come back?

I always loved the Kitara culture and Mr. Sugino was away at the time in Egypt. The Kitara concert culture kind of started to diminish a little bit, which is fine. Different schools do different things. But I loved Kitara so much that I wanted to bring it back so that a lot more students could experience it. So that was kind of my main motivation. And also, HIS is a small school, and its community is tight. Also, I'm not so much a people person—big schools really kind of intimidate me. So the small school atmosphere and Kitara are my main reasons for coming back.

In your personal opinion, what do you think is the importance of choosing an international school that emphasizes music?

I think if you are somebody who is passionate or loves music, it's important to always be in a school where there's lots of music going on, or there are lots of options. But in terms of a job, I bet music is not something you really need to survive. It's one of those soul-nourishing things. So technically you don't need a music program in order to be successful in life or have a successful time at an international school. But it's just nice to have that experience. It's nice to stand on stage. It's nice to be able to play instruments, dance, and sing. So yeah, just for your soul, I guess.

What is your perspective on learning music skills from a young age as a music teacher?

Music is very physical. It's about space and time as well as the more aesthetic, artistic aspects, like building the many senses of coordination—not just through dance movements, but also the space in between sounds, the space in between the height of notes. The earlier you start, the better instincts you build, and the faster you can learn music, the easier things come to you. And because things are easier and you hear things better, you appreciate it more. So starting from a young age is great. It's really important, especially if you want your child to kind of have a musical life.

In your terms, what is your teaching style, like the way you teach your students compared to others? 

I don’t know. You know, I really like to avoid my students' eyes because I'm actually terrified of looking at people's faces. So I mean I have my teaching style faked. I am terrified on the inside. I'm always so nervous when I teach and my biggest fear has been for a student to be like, "I'm done with this!" and walking out of my classroom. So, I try to make it fun and meaningful. But I do know that I'm a little bit mean sometimes. And if students aren't doing well, I'm like, so you think you're good enough for that? 

If you had the opportunity to teach a different subject, what would it be and why?

Biology.

I mean, I love science, which not many choir teachers actually teach, but I found that in college, and I was like, so many things make so much sense to me. And even in high school, Mr. P was my biology teacher, and it was just so fun learning about things like cells and organisms and, yeah, how things are alive and how things work in order to stay alive. So probably not AP bio, but I would be interested in teaching general bio or introductor physical science.