J Navarro - Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI

Professor: J Navarro

Department: Music

College: Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: MUSC141
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Dr. Navarro is a phenomenal conductor and musician. He will challenge his choir to achieve musical excellence which definitely is a challenge, but you can tell he cares about his ensemble and the music. Take him if you have the chance!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MUS131
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He is such a great guy and you can definitely tell that he loves what he does. You can definitely tell that he is a man of God. He challenges you musically, but you won't regret it.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ORATORIO
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Dr. Navarro is great!! He knows his stuff and has a passion for the music. Though we sing "The Messiah" every christmas, I always learn something new about it. Once in a while, he will pick music for the spring performance that is really difficult for us, but he will stay after rehearsal and help or give his office time. Take him!!!

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: MUS131
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Professor Navarro is one of a kind. He's so passionate about what he does and such an intense director that he can almost be scary sometimes, but he's so good at what he does that we've improved immensely. He's a nice guy and he's pretty hilarious too. Choir with him has been great- definitely join!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC141
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Somehow some professional choir went wrong and didn't pick up Prof. Navarro before he came to the United States. And somehow he ended up at Calvin College. He is overqualified for his job in every dimension. He is driven towards excellence and passionate about the great things of life. Class is just his medium for sharing those things.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC121
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Campus choir - works the class like dogs, but he's really passionate about what he does. He can be kinda bipolar, but he has really random and sometimes inspiring tangents: makes each class really interesting! although his attendance policy is unreasonable.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: MUS111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I was in Campus and Lyric Singers with Navarro as conductor. He is a superb director and knows what he wants, and he will make you work for it. If you're uninterested in working hard- don't bother this isn't high school choir.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: MUSC131
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Great director! I learned a lot!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: MUSC111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Was pretty patient with us (Lyric Singers). We were like a little family. He worked us very hard, but was clear and quite helpful. Expecting a lot from us only made us better.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: MUSC131
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Very talented prof. Demanding only because he knows enough to expect greatness from his choirs.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC141
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He is passionate about music and demands the highest quality of work from his students. His class can be difficult but the end result is well worth the effort.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: MUSC141
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Passionate about his music, but lacks organization and clarity. Has huge mood swings - one day he jokes around and tells many stories, the next he snaps at people for no reason. Although the choir meets 4 times a week, seems like we waste more time than anything. Sends too many e-mails only minutes before class starts. Love the man, not the class.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CHOIR
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

awesome man. really helped me enjoy music at calvin after having 2 bad experiences. knows what he's doing and is sincerely intrested in your life and you as a person

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MUSC111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He is a woman in a man's body. He has more PMS attacks than all of the lyric singers combined. It may have been the stress from his dissertation but he was incredibly cruel and unhelpful to the lyric singers even though he kept saying "I have gone above and beyond to help you all" but you still suck(implied). Doesn't know how to help us get better.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: LYRIC
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He's an incredibly talented conductor - seeks perfection. Definitely has favorites and can be very discouraging. It depends on the day I guess - some days he thinks you're great, other days, he makes you feel like crap.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CHOIR
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He makes me feel stupid and worthless.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: LYRICSINGERS
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

I don't like him at all.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I try to like him. Really, I do. But he just seems so far above the choir and unwilling to try to bring out potential in the choir as a whole instead of just concentrating on the talent of one or two individuals

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: LYRICMUSC111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He's a nice enough guy. He tries hard. Sometimes I think he's possessed.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: MUSC111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He is a good conductor. Very passionate. Sometimes he gives us long sappy "reasons" to sing with feeling. We had student conductors and I felt that he spent most of the time teaching them and not us. I liked my high school director better.