Mr. Cincotta is the band teacher for students in Hingham from seventh grade to senior year. This is his twentieth year teaching in Hingham.
Mr. Cincotta splits his time between the middle school in the mornings where he teaches seventh and eighth grade band and at the high school in the afternoons where he teaches concert band and wind ensemble along with music electives like songwriting and guitar lab. After school he also leads the middle school and high school jazz bands and chamber winds.
Each year after the last song in the spring concert he gives out awards to his students as Ms. Sassano does the same. Rather than just handing them the award and accompanying firm handshake, both music teachers write a speech for each award recipient, showing how well they have gotten to know their students over the years and how much they love their professions.
When asked about the best part of his job, he said, “My favorite part of working here has to be the students. They’re enthusiastic, creative, kind and hilarious. I’m really proud of the community we’ve built together.”
Mr. Cincotta also describes why he decided to become a music teacher, saying, “I can’t remember a time where I didn’t feel a deep connection to music as an art form, and played in bands – both concert bands at school and rock bands at home – throughout my childhood. The artistic collaboration I experienced in those settings was so inspiring and fulfilling that I knew I wanted to help others discover it for themselves. In a world that’s become increasingly isolated, I can’t think of a more important pursuit. I also did it for the money,” he concluded, adding a bit of his classic sense of humor.
When asked, Grace Owen (winner of the John Philip Sousa award) shared that her favorite thing about him is “…the community and safe space he creates. There’s never been a moment where I felt like I wasn’t welcome to his classroom and that’s really been great. Join songwriting!”
After a thoughtful pause, Anthony Ricci expressed, “He doesn’t feel like a normal teacher, and you can really talk about anything with him, and he won’t dismiss it. He’ll actually talk about it with you, no matter what.”
No matter where he is or what he is doing Mr. Cincotta always manages to brighten his students’ days and Hingham is proud to have him as a music teacher.
