Meet Maddy Tarantelli

We were lucky to catch up with Maddy Tarantelli recently and have shared our conversation below.

Maddy , so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

I need to start by saying that, as a white person, I navigate the world with a kind of privilege and ease folks of color are not afforded. As a gender non-conforming human, I present myself differently from the typical “feminine” shell women are expected to put on. Even as I navigate my own understanding/misunderstanding of gender, my feelings of misfitting in groups, clothes, behaviors, roles, etc. has been a constant since I was a child.

I had to wear dresses in band and choir and always felt uncomfortable but rolled with it; after all, it was the required dress code and I most certainly did not have the language to communicate gender dysphoria.

However, being in band allowed me to focus on something other than presentation most of the time; it is all about how we sound. Once I started on horn, it was like a fast, wild ride I never wanted to get off of. I absolutely pored myself into this art form not knowing enough and I think that was part of my success. I didn’t know what I was supposed to know – and while that made certain techniques/aspects of brass playing challenging – it made me (and continues to make me) the teacher and artist I am today.

Being able to focus on the craft itself is how I have been able to maintain my effectiveness. Despite looks from parents, microagressions from old colleagues, you name it…my work speaks for itself: the sounds coming from my students, the confidence and commitment they exude, and the overall attitude of my studio is how I maintain effectiveness despite my outer shell.

It took years of attempting to conform and people pleasing (destroying my mental and physical health in the process) to realize no job or title is worth that. As I navigate my outer shell presentation struggle (gender identity) I am realizing how critical it is to be authentic. The more myself I am, the better I teach; the better I perform; the better I connect with others.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am in my sixth year of collegiate teaching, second year at the University of Northern Iowa. I came into this job desperately needing a change and I viewed this appointment to figure out the biggest question of my career: is this what I’m meant to be doing, or was it my environment and should I leave the field? I am so incredibly grateful to say that this environment has clarified that this is exactly what I should be doing right now.

As a horn professor, my job is to prepare college students with the skills necessary to teach and perform at a professional standard. My university is the most prominent teacher training university in the state and region – especially for music education. Teaching is at the heart of everything I do – my aim is to create a genuinely safe environment for students to build off of what they know and make mistakes without being judged. You can see more about what my students are up to on socials. I also resurrected the community horn choir – CommUNI•Horn providing a vehicle for anyone wishing to play in a group.

@unihornstudio
@taddymarantelli
https://music.uni.edu/horn-studio
https://music.uni.edu/cms/community-horn-choir

My most recent creative endeavor is with the LGBTQuintet – Lawrence Graduate Bayreuth Tuben Quintet. “The Lawrence Graduate Bayreuth Tuben Quintet is a tuben horn quintet that, fluid by design and inclination, is comprised of at least six members who identify as, know, or would like to know, someone who is LGBTQ+…Informed by their decidedly un-Wagnerian values of inclusivity, diversity, and visibility, the LGBTuben Quintet aims to build and expand the cannon for their flexible ensemble and advance a non-hierarchical agenda that includes affecting positive social change and creating broader representation for the historically underrepresented.”

Performing in the LGBTQuintet been one of the most creatively rewarding experiences of my life. After our second recording session in September 2024, I returned to work feeling incredibly charged and did some of my best teaching. I also had quite a bit of grading to catch up on…

We will be holding a fundraiser at the end of the year in preparation for our 2nd album release and Midwest Tour at the University of Northern Iowa, University of Iowa, and Western Illinois University February 26 – March 1 2025.

@lgbtquintet
https://lgbtquintet.com/

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Perseverance
Creativity
Authenticity/Honesty

I think it’s safe to say that a career in the arts or teaching, or teaching the arts, does not commonly offer the most ease and security – however, what is the point of life if not to enjoy it? ponder it? The arts offer a lens into ourselves and the world around us – capitalism does not really support that so the practical aspect of pursing a field like these must be addressed. That’s where perseverance comes in – after a commitment to the art form itself – we must take on work to pay the bills and it’s not always the most glamorous – I’d say it’s not most of the time. That’s not why we do it – or at least why I do. I do it for the connection I make with people. Music is all about people, especially teaching. Those moments of true connection – light bulb moments in a lesson; hearing growth over an extended period of time; beautiful, creative moments with colleagues; these are what make the other moments of struggle worth it. The grit to seek out information necessary to get where you want/the sound you want/the teaching you want, is vital to success in music and teaching.

Creative problem-solving is a topic I bring up on a pretty much daily basis. Creativity in interpretation of music – it’s everything! For a job in academia – creativity can make your students flourish. It’s a job where yes, you show up and teach, but if you have the support of admin and freedom to do your job the way you want – you can build whatever you desire. Dream big – envision it and build it – the higher the risk, the higher the reward.

I am lumping authenticity and honesty together – I don’t think you can have one without the other. As a teacher, I find it incredibly important to know the limits of one’s own knowledge – it’s okay to say “I don’t know – lemme ask” instead of spewing a half-baked answer to make the problem go away. I touched on authenticity earlier regarding my gender expression (for which I don’t have a label yet) – authenticity in a teaching/learning environment allows the humans involved to open up and learn more effectively – at least in my experience/opinion. We don’t know what we don’t know, you know? Come in as yourself – try your best – keep an open mind – and that’s all you can really do at the end of the day.

In terms of improving on these aspects – surround yourself with people you look up to. Friends, mentors, colleagues, etc. Having a model is helpful so make sure you’re exposed to those models regularly – be that model yourself.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

Anxiety/PTSD triggers from a former job.

Now that I’m in a functional and supportive environment, I am finally starting to deal with the effects of behavior from old colleagues. I’ve never been a particularly anxious person so these moments of anxiety have been really jarring. Part of me just wants to say “suck it up snowflake” but I know that is incredibly unhelpful. My problems/experiences are real and every time I remind myself of that, it allows me to hold more space for those feelings.

For resolving these issues, I’m investing in myself through seeing doctors for various physical/mental health issues. I have adjusted the terminology I use as well as tell myself positive, truthful affirmations about the quality of my work.

I have an incredibly supportive network – I rely heavily on my partner, friends, and colleagues. I talk through my problems and do not hold onto them. I follow through on improving situations too.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Resilience
Portraits of Resilience

Sometimes just seeing resilience can change out mindset and unlock our own resilience. That’s our

Productivity
Perspectives on Staying Creative

We’re beyond fortunate to have built a community of some of the most creative artists,

Confidence
Kicking Imposter Syndrome to the Curb

This is the year to kick the pesky imposter syndrome to the curb and move