Ms. Ou-Ponticelli
Tiffany Ou-Ponticelli, referred to as Ms. Ou-Ponticelli or Ms. Ou, is an orchestra teacher at Gunn. She teaches String Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra H, and Symphony Orchestra H. Her primary instrument is viola, and she also is a vocalist and sings in the San Francisco Symphony Chorus (alto)[1]. Ms. Ou-Ponticelli additionally serves as the California Orchestra Director Association (CODA) president[2].
| Full name | Tiffany Ou-Ponticelli |
|---|---|
| Preferred name | Ms. Ou, Ms. OP |
| Classes taught | String Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra H, Symphony Orchestra H |
| Room(s) | S-102 |
| Department | Art |
Teaching personality
Ms. Ou-Ponticelli, while she is a bit of a strict teacher when it comes to students' playing, generally has a pleasant personality and a good sense of humor. She works tirelessly with Mrs. Lewis to help the Gunn Orchestra achieve excellence year after year. In addition, she has put in a lot of work to make sure the Orchestra environment is positive and not stressful for students.
Ms. Ou-Ponticelli also has absolute, or perfect pitch, which allows her to tune many instruments just by hearing, but at the same time is very critical when a pitch is off. However, this skill allows her to help students be more in tune, and helps them in the long run.
Idiosyncrasies
Ms. Ou-Ponticelli owns two cats, Bashi and Mr. Steak, and most students in Orchestra agree that these cats are very cute. She also has had another cat, named Kishi, who sadly passed away. She only allows her students to follow her cats on Instagram, and never her personal account.