Getting to the Art of the Matter: Part 7
Want to sell your car? Take a piano class. Interested in law school? Perhaps you should audition for “Guys and Dolls.” A fine arts degree can teach you so many useful skills.
We talked to eight successful former Casper College students who are now working in their respective fields. In discussing their careers, they offer numerous ways that music, dance, painting, and acting apply to other professions such as law, finance, sales, and politics.
If you haven’t yet, make sure you read part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5 and part 6 of this series.
Kit Robertson (AFA, ’10)
Music
Kit Robertson’s favorite students are the ones who have the smallest vocabularies. It’s her “Music for Little Ones” class, filled with babies 0 to 2 who are given their first introduction to music. Working closely with the parents, Robertson offers the children a jump-start on their brain development.
“Studies continue to show that the introduction of music to babies helps with their development of language, motor skills, overall literacy, and social and emotional well-being,” she said.
The Casper College grad has run the Robertson Music Studio in Aurora, Colorado, since 2007 for students young and old. Robertson designed the “Music for Little Ones” class, as well as an “Introduction to Music” class, for children 2 to 5.
Yet, she doesn’t limit her piano and vocal studio to one age group.
“I believe music has value for all ages,” Robertson said. “Music is my passion, and I hope to build that passion in others.”
Before the birth of her daughter, Robertson worked full-time in her studio, teaching young children, helping teens looking for a positive outlet, and inspiring adults who had always wanted to learn the piano and sing.
“You probably can’t play basketball when you are 90, but you can still play the piano,” she said. “This keeps us happy, and as we age, music works both sides of the brain and helps it function as it should.”
Today, Robertson works with 16 students every week, a busy part-time evening schedule. Eventually, though, as her children grow, she hopes to expand her studio and reach
more people.
Her interest in teaching began in 2008 while a student at Casper College, and was kindled in large part because of her father, Art Washut, a former police officer and a full-time criminal justice instructor at the college. She thought about studying music education, however she likes the freedom she has in her own studio, where she tinkers with her curriculum and looks for new ways to reach more people. Instead, she earned music performance degrees at Casper College and Bethany College in Kansas.
“I am a more confident person today because I decided to play music,” she said. “I am naturally a shy person, an introvert, but now feel more comfortable speaking or presenting before groups because I have performed on stage.”
She sees such confidence helping people in all kinds of careers whether it is a leadership role, sales, public relations, or teaching. Even the simple job interview will go better, Robertson said, if the person is confident and able to present herself well.
Ultimately, Robertson believes that everyone has the ability to play music. “We have two types of people in the world: people who are musical and people who wish they were. I’m happy to help both groups.”
More in this series
- Part 1: Matthew Dailey — Theatre (’09)
- Part 2: AJ Campbell — Dance (AA, ’05)
- Part 3: Shaley George — Museum Studies (AA, ’14)
- Part 4: Michelle Jarvis — Technical Theatre (AA, ’10)
- Part 5: Darren Lougee — Music (AA, ’85)
- Part 6: Gabrielle Reeves — Fine Art (AFA, ’06)
- Part 7: Kit Robertson — Music (AFA, ’10)
- Part 8: Aaron Wood — Dance (AA, ’02)
This story originally appeared in the Winter 2017 issue of Footprints.
Learn more about the Casper College Music Department and the music, music education, and music performance programs.