Sometimes, we imagine teachers as not really existing outside of school: we merely assume that they don’t have much going on outside their lives as teachers. In fact, the opposite is true: our teachers have lives just as full and rich as our own. Recently, I have had the privilege of peering into one of these lives. Seeing how teachers balance personal lives, family, and work can be quite interesting.

Mr. Hardwicke, who teaches Grade 9 Social Studies and IB History, is also the lead artist for Old American Junk. He describes the genre as Americana, specifically Americana folk rock and Americana funk rock, but the sound varies widely depending on which musicians are featured. He said he wanted something he could always work on, so when the band came together, he announced to the band members, “No matter what, this will be the project for the rest of my life.” He was unable to continue recording with the core group due to personal circumstances, so he became the band’s sole artist. He told me that he is inspired by fellow musician Van Morrison, who operates similarly, for this unique format. Similar to Old American Junk, Morrison is the main artist. He does some work alone and some work with other musicians he meets along the way. With this model, no song has the same musicians, and there are no consistent members other than the core artist.

Hardwicke emphasizes that his teaching career and his musical career intersect more than you may think. When asked if and how his music and teaching influence each other, he replied, “Definitely. When I try to become a better singer, I also try to become a better speaker as a teacher. There’s a really close relationship between me trying to improve my singing and me trying to improve my teaching through the way that I speak.”  Hardwicke also notes that there are several commonalities between lecturing and performing, and that when he gets better at one, the other improves as well. He said his teaching style is very performative, which has been informed by his experience as a musician. Also, while scale and context differ, both lecturing and performing music involve public speaking.

As a result, Hardwicke has several commitments he must juggle: teaching and grading, family, friends, and music. He easily could have let his band fade away and stopped making music altogether. Instead, he decided that music needed to remain a significant part of his life, even if investing time in it has become more challenging with a four-year-old daughter and a 17-month-old son. After discussing it with his partner, Renata Reis (a kindergarten teacher at Graded and the mother of his children), Hardwicke explained why carving out time for music matters so deeply to him.

“I just need four to five hours in the recording studio every ten days, working through the creative process, to be a better partner and a better father. She understands that it’s good for my mental well-being. It’s good for who I am,” Hardwicke says.

Hardwicke is currently working on a new album that he says is close to being finished, with 7 tracks being done and 2 more in the works. There are approximately 10 musicians on the album, and 3 Graded alumni from the classes of 2019, 2020, and 2022 are featured. He notes that working with his former students is one of his fondest memories relating to the band and praises their musical abilities. One of them even pursued music due to Hardwicke’s own advice.