In the midst of the busy hustle of highschool musicians who commute early to school for their Z- Block classes, alumnus Steven Lipsitt returned to substitute for Dr. Michael Driscoll. Lipsitt is teaching the Camerata Choir, Advanced Placement Music Theory and Concert Choir during Driscoll’s absence.

Lipsitt is an experienced musician who graduated from Yale School of Music with a double master’s degree in choral & orchestral conducting. He was awarded several prizes nationally and internationally. Lipsitt said he has experience in conducting choirs and orchestras in North & South America, Asia and Europe.

In the Boston area, Lipsitt conducts two amateur volunteer choirs, the Heritage Chorale and the men’s choir the Apollo Club. In the past, Lipsitt has done work conducting at Tanglewood and Voices Boston. Lipsitt’s conducting ranges from children’s choirs to college and adult choirs.

Lipsitt said his teaching method allows students to make discoveries on their own.

“My love of choral singing is what led me to want to lead choirs. I have always felt that when people make the discoveries for themselves it has the most impact, so I try to have the students reach conclusions on their own,” Lipsitt said.

Sophomore Thalia Goessling said Lipsitts piano playing and new vocal warmups are helpful and thinks Lipsitt’s teaching method has had a positive impact on the students’ learning of choral singing.

“In Camarata specifically, he is really an amazing pianist and his vocal warmups are completely different and I think that they are genuinely helpful warm ups to do,” Goessling said. “I think that certain things that come from his experience really do make Camerata better.”

Sophomore Eva Kates is in Lipsitt’s AP Music Theory class and said Lipsitt forms connections with his students.

“He is a very nice person and I can tell he cares about us,” Kates said.

As an BHS alumnus, Lipsitt was able to come back and see how much the music scene has grown since his time at the high school. Lipsitt was a former member of Camarata, Chamber Orchestra, jazz band, concert band, Concert Choir and a student-run barbershop quartet.

As he was once in his student’s shoes, Lipsitt said he can relate to students who are passionate about music.

“Sometimes, the choral classes especially, are little oases in your day,” Lipsitt said.

Lipsitt said that the growing numbers of musicians at the high school is due in part to Driscoll’s great work teaching music. All students in Driscoll’s classes learn to read music and in the AP Music Theory class students can go into depth on melody, rhythm, harmony, form, pitch and scales.

“He’s kind of a community leader in teaching musical literacy through the choral class and the choral group. When I was coming up, if you knew how to read music, you probably knew it from studying instruments or some outside group,” Lipsitt said. “So I think that work over the years has really built up the level of musicianship in more and more kids.”