Private music lessons will resume this spring after a semester-long hiatus due to a staffing vacancy in the director of applied music position. Mawunyo Kobla Titiati is taking over as program administrator of applied music.
Lessons were suspended last semester because the director position — in charge of organizing lessons — was not filled before the start of the term. Students and faculty expressed disappointment for the cancellation of lessons, according to the Arts and Sciences Dean’s office. In a statement to the Daily, Kwasi Ampene, chair of the Department of Music, and Christopher Helmuth, executive administrative dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, expressed sympathy for the concerns but asserted that it was a necessary measure to take.
“We understand the disappointment that was expressed but needed to make sure that there was a plan that would allow for the successful administration of the program in support of the students and the private music instructors, as well as the department and school,” Ampene and Helmuth wrote.
Ampene and Helmuth clarified that the music department and dean’s office needed time to review the processes surrounding private lessons and other programs being managed by the program administrator role in order to then be able to select the proper hiring committee.
“We would have preferred not having to make the decision to suspend private lessons for the semester,” Ampene and Helmuth wrote. “Ultimately, we think the approach that was taken allowed the department and school to review the program and effectively run the search for the Program Administrator.”
Titiati has already begun work as the new program administrator, coordinating with students, faculty and staff over the winter break to ensure a smooth transition. His larger vision for the private lessons program includes helping students to reach their personal goals and go on to have successful careers in music, but acknowledges that first he must focus on ensuring the program resumes smoothly.
“I think that for my immediate priorities, it’s been about organizing the different departments,” Titiati said. “We need to reconcile our numbers and then make sure our enrollments are in place. The next priority is getting instructors aligned with private lesson students.”
As program administrator, Titiati oversees the private lessons and community music programs which include Community Music classes, Tufts Youth Philharmonic, Summer Music and the Dalcroze Summer Intensive Program.
Titiati first came to Tufts in 2019 as an exchange student and later returned for a master’s in ethnomusicology, which he completed in 2023. During his time at Tufts, Titiati participated in various music groups around campus as a drummer. Since graduating, he has worked with the music events staff and taken on several roles at the university as Ensemble Manager for Tufts Kiniwe and as a private instructor for percussion.
He anticipates that his experiences as both a graduate and an instructor will help him to be successful in this role.
“I have always found joy in being able to help other musicians, as a musician myself,” Titiati said. “This new role, it’s an opportunity to put in systems to help other musicians.”
“Having been a student means that I empathize with students a lot, and I appreciate some of our failures [as professors and administrators],” Titiati said. “I appreciate the pressures of being a student but also, having been an instructor, I can step in both shoes, and it shapes the way that I deal with my work.”
Although the private lessons page still displays a message indicating that lessons are suspended for the fall 2025 semester, Titiati said there will soon be a link to a Google Form where students can sign up for lessons. This link will also include a video of each instructor illustrating their skill and what they have to offer prospective students.
Titiati believes that private music lessons are an essential part of an education in music as they are a space where students can apply their knowledge of music theory and gain feedback from experts on form and technique. He hopes that the private lessons program will continue to impact students’ lives after Tufts for those who pursue careers in music.
“Beyond today and beyond this semester, I believe that what we do is prepare young musicians for their future careers,” Titiati said. “I believe that the success of these programs would be seen years down the line, when these musicians are excelling in whatever they do. They can trace an aspect of their success or their excellence to the training that they received through private lessons, the discipline of it, the community that they built and their ability to communicate and build good human relationships.”
