Keene State College is welcoming a new member to the music department faculty for the upcoming year.
Professor Megan Dillon is taking over the role of Saxophone Instructor from Dr. Craig Sylvern, who retired at the end of last year.
Originally from Texas and now living in Massachusetts, Dillon is currently working on completing her doctorate. Dillon said she was recommended the position at KSC by her own teacher. After listening to her teacher and looking into Keene, she said she liked what she saw.
“I really liked the mission and the motto, originally being a teacher’s college, this idea that the student would go in focused on themselves and trying to grow themselves, but then leave the school with a greater purpose of helping others,” Dillon stated. “Some schools you don’t get that vibe, you know? It’s very much the student is like a product, and I didn’t feel those negative vibes from Keene, so I liked that a lot. It seemed very wholesome.”
Dillon said she has two master’s degrees, in saxophone performance and music theory. During her studies, she was in her school’s music education program as a concentration, which required her to take on multiple teaching internships at her school.
Outside of her own schooling, Dillon said she has teaching experience at Brimmer and May School with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, in Newton, Mass., as well as the Dedham School of Music in Dedham, Mass.
Dillon teaches woodwinds, including flute, clarinet and saxophone. “Especially with classical saxophone, teaching has to go hand in hand because unfortunately there’s not a ton of orchestra gigs, due to just the nature of the compositions,” Dillon said. “Teaching is integral to playing the saxophone.”
Dillon revealed her favorite part of being a music instructor, saying “I like seeing people grow, so I like having this growth mindset, and I think anyone can grow from wherever they’re at.”
“I like seeing people bring something, a piece of music or something that they’re struggling with and oftentimes very frustrated with, and then to see the lightbulb click when they’ve figured something out or they’ve surmounted a challenge. That makes me really happy and I like being able to be part of that,” Dillon added.
Dillon said what she was most excited about for the upcoming year was KSC’s saxophone ensemble.
“I love chamber music, I love ensemble music, and I think that’s going to be happening in the springtime,” Dillon said. “I know we have so far five saxophone students so we can do at least some quintet stuff and I think that will be really cool.”
Dillon spoke about taking on a role Sylvern held for 26 years.
“A couple of my students did most of their education with Dr. Sylvern, so on the one hand I kind of feel bad because that must be very jarring to have one teacher, then all of a sudden have a new teacher that you have no experience with at all.” Dillon said, describing some of the challenges that she is expecting to face in her first year at Keene. “I want to live up to those expectations and to make that transition seamless for them.”
Music Department Chair Dr. Daniel Carberg and Assistant Professor of Music Dr. John Hart were not available for interviews.
Justin Dearborn can be reached at
