Julia Bel: "As much as I enjoy being in front of the class, I also want to build something for myself"
- Music
- Education in Art
Julia Bel doesn’t have to consider it for very long when asked whether she prefers being on stage or in front of a class. “The kids’ happy faces warm my heart, but being onstage is where I belong,” she says. “The stage is my home, my passion and my biggest dream.” About a year ago, she graduated from the Music in Education course at the ArtEZ Academy of Art in Enschede. What has this 22-year-old been up to since then?
She gets right to it: “I do a lot,” she says, “but I feel my best when I stay busy. Once I began teaching, I found myself thinking, ‘I don’t want to only do this for 40 hours a week.’ It’s nice to be in front of the class, but I also want to develop myself in other ways. I’ve always been like that, according to my mother,” she says, laughing. “I’ve always wanted to determine everything for myself.”
Running into students on a night out
She is a driven person, bursting with energy, someone likes to design her own path. Alongside keeping busy with her performing career, Julia also spends 3 days a week as a music teacher at a secondary school in Apeldoorn. At 22, she can still remember her secondary school days well, “which is a big advantage,” she thinks. “I’m also a mentor for the seventh years and the kids often come to me with things they’re struggling with. Because of my age, I think I can empathise well with them and their feelings.”
She owes her current job to her previous music teacher, who asked Julia if she wanted to join him in teaching in Apeldoorn. “It was a wonderful opportunity that I quickly snapped up. It’s a bit of a drive from Almelo, but on the other hand, I’m also glad that I won't run into my students on a night out. I can avoid awkward moments like that this way.”
Battle of the Bands
How does she see herself as a music teacher? Julia says she allows her students to have a lot of freedom in their development. She also doesn’t push her students to sing or play in front of the class. “If they have an idea, I take it in stride and let them explore it. For me, the most important thing is the quality of the experience and the fun they have. If a student came to me in tears because she was too nervous to do something, I wouldn’t make her to do it. We would find another solution. I prefer creating a safe atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable.”
Together with her colleague, she has significantly revamped the school’s music lessons. “We’ve created some more light-hearted music nights, such as Battle of the Bands, where students compete against each other on stage. It may not always sound perfect, but it's great fun and enjoyable. Just playing music and having the experience, that's what it's all about.”
Slower to judge
During her course, Julia discovered that she prefers teaching at the secondary instead of primary level. “As a primary school music teacher, much of what you do is entertaining. Oftentimes at the end of the week, I would have no voice left from the taxing week before. As I do really enjoy it, though, I still sometimes give workshops at primary schools or work on small projects.” Understandably, then, Julia hesitated between deciding on a music degree or a PABO after her secondary school was finished. “I made my decision during one of the open days at ArtEZ, when I got to know the Music in Education course,” she says. “It felt like it was meant to be.”
Reflecting on four years of study, she mostly describes her time as incredibly fun. Sometimes, though, she “does wonder what it would have been like if [I] had started my education a little later. I was 17 when I started studying at ArtEZ. If I had been a bit older, I most likely would have absorbed the material better. In any case, I chose an advanced programme and went with my gut. “That was the right call, because it was the best choice for me, and it also changed me as a person for the better.”
For me, music is not necessarily a goal I must achieve. Above all, I want to have fun
“I’m more open-minded now,” Julia continues. “There are people of all sorts walking around ArtEZ all the time. Through that constant exposure, I’ve come to accept people as they are, and I don’t judge others as much or form my opinions so quickly.” She also of course made lots of progress in her musical skills during her studies. “If I’m teaching one of my voice students, I can tell exactly what they are doing correctly and incorrectly, thanks to my conservatory training. It’s gratifying to notice how quickly I am reaping the benefits of my education now.”
Her first single release
Although Julia loves being in front of the class, singing and writing her own music remains her greatest passion. A while ago, she took the plunge and decided to go for it herself. “I reached out people I already knew and had a nice musical connection with, and now we are working on my music together,’ she explains. “My first single, Mama, has just been released. My next one is coming out soon too, which I’m very proud of.” She performs with a band under her own name, but is keen to emphasise that it’s a team effort. Julia: “I may have written the song, but you can only turn it into the beautiful end product together. It's not Julia and the band. That’s not who we are.”
Appreciating where you’re at
Whilst she can now be found performing primarily in Twente, Julia hopes to tour the whole country in the future. “We’re still getting our name out there,” she says. “I would love to play shows on the big stages and sold-out theatres in the future, but I’m not looking to become a millionaire with a fancy car. I’m easily satisfied, and mostly, I hope that I will be able to make a nice living later on doing the thing I love most.”
She has a piece of advice for students in the Music in Education course, as well. “Don't forget to enjoy yourself, because your time at ArtEZ will be over in no time! Whilst studying, you’re always caught up in tests and internships and don’t realise how short the time is. Every now and then, you should pause for a second and appreciate where you’re at right now. I wish I would have done that a bit more.”
