Ian Ferguson is a Manitou Springs native who lives out loud and mostly flies under the radar – though he seems unlikely to stay under the radar.
While Ferguson spends his days teaching music at Ute Pass Elementary School, outside of the classroom he collaborates with at least seven local bands who perform across a range of genres, including The Jacob Larson Band, Dr. No, Myron Grove Band, Heavy Devils Organ Trio, Dustbowl Refugees, Nube Nueve, and New Vintage Jazz. Music is core to Ferguson’s personal evolution, and sharing music with elementary school students is his mission.
“My goal is to help students become good musicians,” Ferguson explained. “Part of that is letting kids guide what we sing. When they help pick our music, the kids find ownership in it.”
He said that at Ute Pass Elementary’s most recent concert, his students sang “Eye of the Tiger,” a song included in the popular kids’ movie “Trolls.” He believes his teaching style is unique, because he focuses on teaching contemporary songs – music and lyrics that his students recognize.
“In music, there is a lot of collaboration,” Ferguson explained. He enjoys playing a note for his students and then asking if they can sing back the note he played. “In a class of 20 kids, maybe one or two kindergarteners are sophisticated enough to hear a note and match it. By first grade, the number of kids who can sing back a note is 12 out of 20, and then by fifth grade, an even larger number of kids can match a note I played with their voice.” Ferguson finds the growth of students rewarding.
In addition to singing, Ferguson’s students learn to play the violin. “We can’t overlook how much work a child’s brain has to do to play an instrument,” he said.
Ferguson has been the Ute Pass Elementary School music teacher for six years. He said the school is a particularly good fit for him, because the support he receives from Principal Jackie Powell is phenomenal.
“She is just awesome to work with,” Ferguson beamed. “I have absolute creative freedom in my classroom.”
This week’s Light in the Dark candidate began his life in music as a singer and trumpet player. “Playing the trumpet,” he explained, “is a lot like being a long-distance runner. You have to train constantly.” After playing the trumpet in band through high school, Ferguson received a degree in trumpet from the University of Northern Colorado. Along the way, he learned to play the keyboard and guitar.
Ferguson, the teacher, is also a perpetual student. He recently completed a master’s degree in music production from Berklee College in Boston. He said, along with teaching, he aims to continue both writing and producing music. In work, school and at home, the music lover is surrounded by sound. Ferguson’s wife, Beth Hembd, is the music teacher at Chipeta Elementary School, and his oldest son, a middle school student at Manitou Middle School, plays the trumpet like his dad.
As far as flying under the radar, Ferguson plans so many gigs this summer that you can catch him playing locally at a handful of intimate venues. In order to hear Ian on the keys, or as a vocalist, guitarist or trumpet player, check out the live music schedules for: MiningExchangeHotel.com, HillsideColorado.com, TownhouseSportsgrill.com and ManitouArmadilloRanch.com.
