Staff Showcase: Bart Feller on celebrating 30 harmonious years at Rutgers

Rutgers—New Brunswick is a beautiful place, not just due to its gorgeous scenery but also due to its people. While many associate their positive experiences at the University with their roommates and friends, it's important to recognize the instructors who steer academic journeys, ease the transition into the professional world and cater to the diverse needs of countless students.

For Bart Feller, a part-time lecturer in the Mason Gross School of the Arts, one of the many joys of being a teacher for three decades at Rutgers is the opportunity to be involved in the lives of so many students, spanning different generations and backgrounds.

Earlier this month, all these different stories converged as he celebrated this accomplishment with a faculty concert, drawing in a great number of people from around the world that he's managed to inspire and leave his mark on.

But unlike Rutgers alumni who become enamored with the University and decide to never leave or New Jersey residents who learn to appreciate it after seeing the bright red "R" everywhere, Feller offers a unique outside perspective. Hailing from Long Island, New York, the idea of teaching at the school stemmed from his role as the principal flute for the New Jersey Symphony.

When a position opened up at the University, Feller thought it was worth giving teaching a shot. Rutgers was a particularly appealing destination because it provided a special atmosphere, blending a typical research university with a conservatory through Mason Gross.

"I've always loved teaching," he said. "I've loved the experience of putting words on the things I believe about music and about musical expression, especially."

Given the difficulty of mastering an instrument like the flute, which, as Feller explained, involves not only playing the right notes but also being fully engaged, he hoped that he could pass down some of his expertise to students.

Part of what makes Feller such an effective teacher is his ability to form deep connections with mentees — his graduate classes consist of private, one-on-one sessions that happen throughout the semester. He takes the time to practice with them but also impart lessons that will carry them throughout their careers.

With all the rejection and competition that musicians face, especially classically-trained ones, Feller wants to make sure they feel supported.

"Music-teaching should never be the kind of thing where it's like when the student thinks they're at a vending machine, and they just pull out the appropriate information and they're done," he said. "It should be the opposite of that. It should be, hopefully, a relationship over a lifetime."

Feller knows firsthand how much pressure young artists face — he joked that he was once a "shrimp of a kid" who settled on the flute because he wasn't big enough to hold a saxophone and his sister had already picked the clarinet. As he continued to play throughout high school and into college, he commented on how "natural" it felt.

But this initial spark was complicated as he was presented with different avenues and potential paths. Conflicted on which way to turn, he was guided by an overarching goal — growing and learning more about his instrument.

Even if his pupils shift careers after leaving Rutgers, he takes pride in witnessing their evolution as they find their way. When most of his undergraduate students enter the classroom, they're in their late teenage years, away from their parents for the first time. By the time they graduate, they're in their mid-20s and finding their footing.

"The growth is amazing," he said. "I do think music also makes you a good citizen in the world, and it only is going to inform and help wherever you land."

Feller reflected on his improvement as an instructor and a musician, noting that, working with different perspectives has allowed him to learn more than he ever would've alone.

Standing onstage during his faculty showcase alongside his former protégés, the memories came flooding back to him: coaching one to breathe and another to find their tone. All the emotional struggles and collegiate stumbles were in service of breakthroughs that were rewarding for both parties.

"It's so gradual, like you wake up and feel, 'Wait a second, 30 years have passed? What?' And then you realize, 'Wow, I really did put in all that time,'" he said. "I love what teaching has brought to me: ... all these young gifted students and our ability to connect and to share information."

As Feller begins another semester filled with enlightening classes and interactions, he looks forward to having students and music continue to be a key dynamic of his life.

"Music is the defining passion of my life. If I didn't do classical music, I'm not really sure what else I would do," he said. "So, sharing that and nurturing students toward that is extremely meaningful to me."