Gal Faganel, a professor in the 网曝吃瓜 School of Music, hadn鈥檛 seen his cello students in person since the university moved classes online in the spring due to COVID-19. Despite adapting to a virtual learning space, he still longed for side-by-side instruction with his students. It occurred to him that the outdoors could enable him to offer bonus lessons over the summer for his incoming and continuing students.

He arranged for individual hourlong lessons at the pavilion in Glenmere Park in Greeley. Students were asked to wear masks, and Faganel provided music stands and chairs kept at a distance as an additional precaution.

It鈥檚 been so successful that Faganel is toying with idea of incorporating some of the newfound hybrid teaching strategies into his regular curriculum when the pandemic ends. Regardless of the modality, Faganel strives for high-quality personalized instruction and creating a sense of family among his students.

鈥淭here鈥檚 this can-do attitude about this that we鈥檙e here for students and have a deep responsibility for that,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what my mentors did for me.鈥�