An original member of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra teaches a new generation of musicians in Green Country.

Mark Wood hosted a workshop with students from the Tulsa area on Monday afternoon at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center.

This is the first of many stops at area schools and his workshops, Wood hopes to teach students not only how to become better musicians, but also better, more empathetic people.

“The most important part of being musicians is teaching others,” said Wood.

Wood’s energy lights up a room and his music lights up the hearts and minds of young students like Rebekah McCarty.

“I freak out almost all the time, like waiting. What does this guy want me to do? McCarty said.

Wood has said that sometimes the symphonies can feel a little stiff, so he takes the week before his next performance in Bartlesville to liven up the local orchestras a bit. He plans to hold workshops in Tulsa, Jenks and Bartlesville.

“If you’re not captivated by what I’m doing, I lose the most important part of the experience, which makes you feel something of my music,” said Wood.

It seems to have worked for McCarty.

“I was smiling all the time, I loved it,” McCarty said.

That’s the point – Wood isn’t just teaching the next generation of musicians to move, he teaches them how to feel.

“I think the most important topic in the world right now, I think, is our emotions, how do we express ourselves,” Wood said.

Wood hopes that the echoes of this lesson and emotions will be heard for a long time as the students take the stage at their future concerts.

Wood has a gig coming up. He will perform with the Bartlesville Symphony Orchestra on October 9 at 7:30 p.m.