Today’s Class: November 15, 2019

Today’s class was a lesson on the importance and value of asking questions.

Francisco answering Lydia Watkins’ question.

Unlike most classes, our students were not told anything about the job of our guest when today’s class host, Omayra Corporan, introduced him to her classmates to start the class.   ” I can only tell you our guest’s name is Francisco and he was born in Venezuela.”

Omayra Corporan welcomes Francisco to the Hope Life Skills class before the start of the class outside the classroom.

Omayra Corporan introduces Francisco to her classmates to start today’s class.

Elliott Burrell introduces himself and welcomes Francisco to today’s Hope’s Life Skills class following Omayra’s introduction.

The students were then instructed to ask any question to Francisco to figure out his job.

However, the only answer Francisco was allowed to give was “yes” or “no“.

After 20 minutes of probing, insightful, fearless, rapid fire questions, Omayra Corporan was first to proclaim what many student were ready to say – Francisco’s job is a MUSIC CONDUCTOR!!

Our guest today, Francisco Noya, is the Music Director and Conductor of the Rhode Island Philharmonic as well as a professor at the world renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts and the Music Director & Conductor of the Boston Civic Symphony.

Francisco Noya conducting the Rhode Island Philharmonic

The lesson I hoped to reinforce was your ‘questions are more important than answers’!

Juan Sevevino networks with Francisco at the end of class. Please observe Juan’s networking skills by exchanging business cards with the Conductor.

Mariely Brito Leonardo networks with Francisco as Ambar Tavaras waits to do the same.

After Francisco greets Marques Jett-Correira, he turns to Hector Guerrero and invites Hector and a guest to join him at the orchestra’s rehearsal later that afternoon.

Hector and Ambar at the Rhode Island Philharmonic orchestra rehearsal as the guest of Conductor Francisco Noya.

5 thoughts on “Today’s Class: November 15, 2019

  1. I loved Francisco’s visit to our class today. I think it was the best class this year. I am very thankful Francisco invited to me to his rehearsal practice after school and then to the concert on Saturday evening. I feel very good about this opportunity to see how a philharmonic orchestra practices and then performs. Francisco is a humble and successful person. I appreciate Francisco being part of my network. Ambar Tavaras

  2. As soon as Francisco Noya walked into the room, I felt his calmness. When this new dynamic was presented to us, I just thought that it was going to be hard to ask the right questions. In my mind, I was just like what can i ask? He looks like a man that could do any type of job due to the fact that he listens with curiosity, acts with integrity and speaks with frankness. When students asked questions as, “do you work with groups of people?” Or “Are you your own boss?” He wasn’t specific with his answer, which in my opinion, was an incentive to our curiosity about his job.

  3. I wasn’t able to experience Francisco’s visit in person, but by reading the blog I can tell that the students had a great experience asking questions and trying to figure out his job. This was a unique way to teach us that questions are more important than answers.

  4. Francisco Noya is an interesting man, to say the least. His words are insightful, powerful and provoke thinking from the listener. His aura was calming and he was extremely kind to everyone he spoke to. He was also kind enough to invite 2 students to watch his rehearsal and gave them tickets to see and orchestra performance. He is an interesting person who clearly puts his soul into his work.

  5. I was not able to be there for the visit of Francisco. Although I wasn’t there to listen, reading the blog I believe it was a very good experience to listen to him. The idea of letting students guess his profession allowed students to connect with him and participate.

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