The Intriguing Case of Dustin Harvey

If it would please the Rock 101 Court, I would like to present the case of Dustin Harvey.

I have never met anyone like Dustin. Not kidding. He contains a conglomeration of qualities that renders the mind boggled. I present the evidence below. Follow along and see what you think.

Evidence #1: Dustin is chill.

He may be the most chill person I know. He is unflappable. He can, in fact, not be flapped. Case in point: I am observing a Freebirds class with Dustin as the instructor. The room is full of tiny musicians. One is doing a semi-headstand with legs flailing around; one is creating a musical masterpiece on the drums; one is very shy and is trying to become camouflaged into the corner of the couch. In the midst of all this is Dustin, cool as a cucumber. With ease, he calls the class together, starts strumming the guitar, and leads the students in singing the scales. 

Evidence #2: Dustin is fun.

When I asked Dustin what band he could join if he could magically become part of any band in history, he told me that what he looks for in bands is the amount of fun being had. Are they having fun on stage? For Dustin, fun is the opposite of stress and music is the path towards this destination. It is the quality of fun, or lighthearted joy, that he looks for in all things. The first thing I learned about Dustin is that he is part of a band called Albukaraoque. This is a karaoke band, meaning they play music so that you can go on stage and sing karaoke. I’m not sure there actually is anything more fun than this.

Evidence #3: Dustin is a deep thinker.

When I ask people what music means to them, I often receive blank stares, memories, or short and descriptive statements. In contrast to this, here is Dustin’s reply: “Music is TOTALITY. It is everything and nothing. It is the void and the mass. Music organizes randomness to create vibrations. It is endlessly forgiving and rewarding. It is the way out of stress.” Whoa. Mind blown. He took all of my questions seriously, thinking before responding, considering all angles, and listening intently to my responses.

Chill. Fun. Deep thinker. The questions I pose to the Court are as follows: How can someone who is chill be intent on answering my questions carefully and with depth? How can someone who thinks deeply about all angles of a situation have the lightheartedness to have so much fun in a room full of squirrely Freebirds? Is it even possible to be both chill and fun-seeking at the same time?

I may never know the answers to these questions but what I do know is that Dustin applies these three qualities to his teaching style. He does not have a favorite age group but rather has a favorite classroom event: the lightbulb moment. He is motivated by those moments when students make connections and suddenly understand concepts. He thinks carefully about classroom techniques but lets events roll right off him when things don’t go as planned and creates as much fun as he can. He has been working with Rock 101 since 2018 and loves working with any age or skill level.

Chill enough to handle any situation with ease. So fun that he can find joy in even the smallest moments. A deep thinker who will sit and discuss imaginary super powers with the same intensity as he does teaching strategies.

The verdict:
Dustin Harvey is a contradiction. And it is awesome.

I rest my case.

- Danielle Parker