Zayith Fernandez was a first-grader at Hibbard Elementary when she first picked up the violin at one of The People’s Music School’s summer music programs. She was full of energy, curiosity, and a love for music. But she never guessed she would end up back at Hibbard fifteen years later, as a teaching assistant at the People’s Music School, working directly with the students whose shoes she was once in.
Early Years as a Young Violinist
When Zayith joined the Albany Park Program in 2011, she immediately fell in love with playing the violin. “I just always wanted to play. I remember our teacher would be talking and explaining what we were going to be doing in class, and I was just like ‘C’mon, I just want to play!’”
Zayith ended up being one of the youngest students in her string ensemble. Though an outgoing kid, she sometimes felt shy among older TPMS students. But that challenge became one of her greatest motivators. “They had the advantage of being older, having more knowledge of technique – so I would just observe them. I would watch them and think, okay, I’m going to try that too.”
Having more experienced students to look up to was the push that made her want to get better and better. “I have never been so competitive! I think that’s how I improved my violin skills – by observing other students and learning from them.”
Becoming a Leader at The People’s Music School
As she progressed in the Albany Park program, Zayith’s confidence and abilities grew. Moving into higher-level ensembles and performing at major venues became defining moments for her. She remembers the side-by-side opportunities she had to perform at Symphony Center and Harris Theater being some of the most formative. “I was always amazed and shocked that I got to be up on that stage. Just being there with those musicians felt incredible.”
Her dedication to practice and passion for playing earned her a spot in The People’s Music School’s honors program, SLAM (Service, Leadership, Artistry, and Mentorship). She became concertmaster of the SLAM String Orchestra and performed a solo at Performapaloozathon her senior year.
From Student to Teacher
At The People’s Music School, Zayith works as a Teaching Assistant at the Albany Park program at Hibbard Elementary, helping students in the beginner string ensemble and instructing the class alongside Teaching Artist El Faussane.
She remembers the surreal feeling she had walking back into her old elementary school: “I had my violin, I walked in, and I thought, am I going back to school? But then the kids started calling me Ms. Z, and that was it. I realized I’m the teacher now!”
The Biggest Reward
For Zayith, the most rewarding part of teaching isn’t perfection. It’s seeing the joy in learning music. Watching students laugh, sing, and connect with music in the same way she did when she was young reminds her why she fell in love with it in the first place.
“The goal is for them to have fun with music,” she says. “Getting to see that happen? That’s everything to me.”
And if a student is having a bad day or doesn’t seem engaged, Zayith remembers what her TPMS teacher at Albany Park told her: “If you can reach even one student, and have them learn one new thing that day, that’s enough. That’s a win.”
Lessons Learned from People's
One of the lasting lessons Zayith took from her time at People’s is discipline. Like many students, she admits she struggled with procrastination. But the rigor that comes with a high-quality music education – refining technique, preparing for concerts – taught her how to stay focused and committed.
“Discipline was such a big thing for me to learn. You have to always keep going, especially as a violinist. Your muscles and joints need it!”
Most of all, Zayith remembers the friends, educators, and people who were there for her along the way. “Without the music education I got at People’s and my teacher Mr. Felipe, I wouldn’t have gotten into the high school I wanted to go to. I have friendships and “familieships” that I made at People’s – to this day. And now I have a career that I’m starting up, and I see the path ahead.
“And I have People’s to thank for this amazing, free education that I got.”
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