It is not unpopular to have heard the many tales of the famous LHS Orchestra and AP Music Theory teacher, Dr. Mario Chiarello. But do you really know him, or just his humorous antics?
Chiarello’s personality consists of much more than his frequent telling of childhood circus stories and his chair-throwing. (P.S. he does not actually throw chairs.) For one, Chiarello’s musical abilities are far beyond what one could imagine. He has been in orchestra since the sixth grade and absolutely fell in love with it, obviously, as that has been his chosen career path.

Chiarello has valued his students and colleagues for the past 25 years at LHS but teaching AP Music Theory and directing the LHS Orchestra are definitely not his only gigs. Before he started teaching, Chiarello played in the South Dakota Symphony as the Principal of Bass, and he has continued to do so presently. The South Dakota Symphony is a very prestigious group, consisting of a total of 90 musicians playing a variety of instruments. Chiarello and his wife are both involved in the South Dakota Symphony, both of them playing bass.

Alongside his musical background and continued involvement in the arts, Chiarello’s tactics regarding teaching both AP Music Theory and various levels of orchestra are unique, but also of great importance when unpacking the thoughts inside his mind. Chiarello prioritizes the process of “getting it right.” He is passionate about encouraging students to push themselves to not only be their best, but also not accept anything less than the best. Or as he would put it: “Don’t accept crap,” said Chiarello.

With his common idea that “knowledge is transferable,” Chiarello puts a strong emphasis on taking the lessons learned in the classroom and applying them to real-life situations. He implements important life skills into his teaching in order to prepare students for the real world, while of course teaching the students the required skills and techniques for the class itself. Chiarello’s reasoning for making the knowledge gained in the classroom transferable to other areas of life is clear.

“Because you can take this and take it to a job interview. You can take the things that we use, and you can bring them to use to write your papers when you go to college. You can use it because it’s not just for orchestra, it is for your life.” said Chiarello.

Of course, Chiarello is well-known at LHS for his constant antics and the countless rumors spread around the school. For one, everyone has heard that Chiarello channels his rage toward his “creepy high school students,” as he would say, by violently hurling classroom chairs at his students. Or maybe the unfortunate tale of how Chiarello was tragically, but not fatally, struck by lightning, not only once, but twice in his lifetime. But due to the fact rumors and gossip spreads like wildfire in the LHS halls, there is no true telling of the accuracy of these stories. After speaking with the doctor himself, it has been determined that Chiarello does not actually throw chairs at his students, but of course that does not eliminate other factors.

“If the desk hits you, it’s your fault,” said Chiarello.

In regard to his alleged lightning incidents, Chiarello confirms that he was not struck by lightning on two occasions. He was only struck by lightning once, contrary to the popular belief by the LHS student body. Chiarello’s endless stories from his past and his teaching life are a large contribution to his personality.

Chiarello’s musical abilities sprouted from his father, who was heavily involved in music. Chiarello’s father wrote and arranged the music for Tricia Nixon, daughter of the 37th President Richard Nixon’s, wedding. In addition, his father is the founder of the “Army Blues” band, which is the top band in the military. As for Chiarello himself, he went to Interlochen Arts Academy, the most prestigious school for music for high school students in the world, a school in which LHS is considered a “feeder school” because many orchestra students have been accepted. After high school, Chiarello attended the Eastman School of Music for college. Following his college education, Chiarello went to the University of Iowa for his master’s and doctorate degrees, although he was accepted to Yale majoring in music. His musical lineage from both his father and his earlier education add to Chiarello’s talented musical abilities which he passes on to his students in the classroom.

Although Dr. Chiarello’s general reputation of constant shenanigans and his unique personality remain true, it is important to shed light on his love and dedication to the orchestra program and students of LHS.