Why I Want to be a Music Teacher

by Morgan Green, FAME Scholarship Recipient

Immense relief washed over me as the bell rang, signaling the end of first period. That morning had been a mess. From the stress of being late to the fear of failing my math test because I did not understand the material, I was not having a great day. I knew that if I could persevere until the beginning of my second period choir class, I would be okay. Throughout my three years at Hillcrest Middle School, the choir room remained my safe place. My warm, enthusiastic, talented teacher not only taught me a great deal about music, but she taught me about life through music. Her example has not only convinced me that music education is valuable to every student, but it has also inspired me to pursue a career in music education.

As a recent high school graduate, there are many things about life that I have yet to learn, but one thing I am certain of is that the impact of a strong music education is immeasurable. An example of this impact in my own life occurred when I was in the third grade and was assigned the lead role in a local children’s theatre production. Simultaneously, my mother became very ill and was hospitalized for a few months. I chose to continue rehearsing for the show. While the support I received from friends and family was vital during that time, the escape I had in portraying the character was my greatest therapy. When I went to rehearsal, I was able to become this character and forget about the difficulties of my own life. Through the songs I sang and the words I spoke onstage, I could express the emotions of my character, and ultimately the deepest emotions of myself in a safe, appropriate manner. I am so thankful for the music educators and directors who provided me with that opportunity, and I want to follow in their footsteps. Likewise, I am sure that many other young students going through difficult experiences can benefit from the positive relief that music provides.

In recent years, music has continued to be a wonderful outlet through which I can express myself, but in some cases, music itself has presented me with challenges. During my junior year of high school, I enrolled in a college-level Music Theory course. It is the most difficult class I have ever attended. Despite the frustrations and struggles, the more I learned of the mechanics of music, the more I understood why I love music so much, and my appreciated for the arts increased. At the end of the year, I earned a passing score on the Advanced Placement Music Theory Exam. This experience gave me the confidence to face new challenges and the certainty that I can excel as a music education student at The University of Mobile.

When I ask myself why I aspire to teach music, I have several reasons. First, music has always been a part of me: utilizing my voice in song is the best way I know to express myself. Although I gain a thrill from performing, I long to make a lasting impact by teaching young hearts to perform and express life with their own unique voices. Additionally, I have seen that life can be difficult at times, and no one is immune to hardship. One of the best ways I know to cope with problems, to healthfully convey one’s emotions, and to escape the concerns of everyday life is through song. Every student should have the opportunity to realize this wonderful ability he or she possesses to handle adversity. Another beautiful, important aspect of music education is its potential to broaden our perspectives about other cultures, history, and the ever-changing world around us.

This past school year I had the opportunity to visit an elementary school several times a week to learn from a general music teacher. (An interesting side note is that this impressive teacher is the same one who made such profound impact on me as my middle school choir director!) One of the lessons I was permitted to help my mentor teach was about the life and culture surrounding Louis Armstrong’s release of “What a Wonderful World.” We discussed the artist’s decision to celebrate all that is good in the world, despite the wrongs he suffered. I thoroughly enjoyed contemplating each phrase of the song and encouraging the students to embrace its meaning as they performed. In the same concert, this fourth grade class performed a musical about the development of our nation’s Constitution. Their teachers and parents were thrilled to see these children gain an unusual excitement about history as they embodied the lesson in a musical way. One student, an intelligent boy who has autism, played the role of George Washington with passion that would bring tears to your eyes. In this musical, he discovered a venue of creative expression in which he excels. Another young girl had a positive experience when I noticed her creating some movement to one of the choir songs. Her face lit up as we adapted her creativity to be included in that song. Many of the children had speaking parts or vocal solos, and we emphasized to them that each student had a special, important role to play in this concert. There are countless other examples of how this one production benefitted each student, sometimes in similar ways and sometimes in very unique ways. I believe that this experience, if only for a moment, opened their minds a little, educated them about an important time in American history, and brought them joy. It thrills my heart to think that this was the effect of only one concert in one elementary school. Imagine the massive effect of successful music educators everywhere! This experience assured me once again of the importance of music for every child, and I am motivated not only to teach music, but also to advocate for music as a vital part of education, because it is a vital part of life.

I want every child to learn about music, learn about life through music, and love music. The reality is that I alone will never be able to reach every child with music that offers happiness and hope. However, as I make my career in music education, I hope to someday be one drop in the ocean of impactful music educators who change lives every day.

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It is my honor to serve as AMEA Choral Music Reviewer for the Ala Breve. It is my hope that there will be “something for everyone” in this column and that together, we will explore the incredible richness of choral literature that offers many teaching moments and programming options.

Siúil a Rúin

Michael McGlynn(1964—)

Text: English and Gaelic Mixed Voice Choir, a cappella; mezzosoprano solo

Publisher: www.michaelmcglynn.com

Michael McGlynn, the Artistic Director of ANUNA, offers a wide range of choral settings (many have been performed over the years by ANUNA) on his website and Siúil a Rúin is onesuch example. It is one of the most widely known folk songs in the Irish repertoire. The text dates back to the Glorious Revolution (1688) and the war between England, Ireland, and Scotland. Irish men enlisted to overthrow the rule of the British over Ireland and were called “Wild Geese.” This folk song, in particular, is a lament for a lover who has joined the Wild Geese. In this arrangement, the choir creates a melancholy atmosphere while the soloist(s) sing(s) the traditional melody. Michael shared some of his thoughts with me in a recent conversation: “Our culture in its indigenous form has no polyphony, only the melodic line and I try not to alter the melodic line at all…the priority is the transmission of the text… Siúil is such an appealing story, like many of the songs I set from the tradition. I aim to carry the story forward to a new generation…”

Each verse (sung by the soloist) is in English, but the refrain (harmonized by the choir) always appears in Gaelic. The Gaelic title literally translates to “go/walk, my love.” Michael sets the piece in 12/8 (dotted quarter = 105), which helps to propel the lyric melody and text stress. Sample pdfs and an audio performance of this piece are available on his website in addition to the IPA and audio pronunciation. This piece would serve as a very accessible introduction to traditional Irish music and will leave both your choir and audience wanting more!

Siúil, Siúil, Siúil a Rúin. Siúil go sochair agus siúil go ciúin Siúil go doras agus ealái liom Go, go, go my love

Go quietly and go peacefully Go to the door and fly with me

If you are looking to program a unique pairing, combining Siúil a Rúin with the Parker/Shaw arrangement of Johnny has Gone for a Soldier works well (Alfred). Similarly constructed (soprano solo, SATB), Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier is most likely an American adaptation of Siúil a Rúin. The text is known by other names (Buttermilk Hill and Shule Agra), and each one has slight text variations. This American adaptation became popular during the American Revolutionary War and features a woman’s lament for a soldier going off to war.

The Nightingale (the first of Two Colonial Folksongs) arr. Dan Forrest SATB, with piano four-hands and optional violin Hinshaw Music

I was pleased to see Dan Forrest’s The Nightingale in a reading packet at the ALACDA summer conference. Nightingale is an American folk song that, like many, is a variant of a European folk song. This piece is a derivative of the English song “the Bold Grenadier”. The haunting tune, based on the pentatonic scale, can be found in Sharp and Karpeles’ “80 Appalachian Folks Songs” and the text dates back to 17th century England. This particular arrangement was commissioned by the Williamsburg Choral Guild and is part of an on-going project of Forrest to set pieces from every region of the United States. The lilting folk - tune is passed between women and men as the story is told about young love and the imminent departure of a soldier to war. The harmonically –rich climax (“the tune that he played caused the valleys to ring…”) is guaranteed to move singer and audience alike. Nightingale is rich in programming possibilities and serves to introduce students to an example of our country’s rich folk tradition.

Batter My Heart, Three-Personed God

Richard Nance

Text- Holy Sonnet 14, John Donne (15721631) SATB, a cappella Colla Voce Music (Series Editor, Jo-Michael Scheibe)

When I heard this piece performed at the National ACDA Conference, Salt Lake City (February 2015) the very first phrase (“Batter my Heart, Three-Personed God”) quite literally took my breath away. Richard Nance has taken a provocative and personal text from John Donne and masterfully set it, giving careful attention to its power while exploring the imagery.

The early years of John Donne (like St. Augustine) were filled with wine, women and debauchery; his subsequent journey of repentance and regeneration led him to become a cleric and metaphysical poet in his later years. According to Frederick Rut, the poet Donne explored themes of mortality, divine judgment, divine love, penance, and personal anxieties. Here Donne shows the “paradox of regeneration, asking God to batter his heart in order to mend it” (Entangled Voices: Genre and the Religious Construction of the Self, Oxford University Press, p. 41).

The plea to “batter my heart, three-personed God” is set with alternating meters, both at the beginning and when this plea returns at the end of the song. I appreciate Nance’s care with setting the evocative text and his musical reflection of Donne’s inner turmoil and regret through both key changes (five total for the piece), dynamic and textural shifts, and wellplaced but sparing use of split voicing (SSATTBB). I particularly think Nance’s use of rests (after words like “knock”, “breathe”, “break”, “blow” is another tool to get the listener to pay attention to the power of the regenerative journey and his alternation between homophony (such as in the “divorce me” and “ravish me” sections) and the linear treatment of the plea “take me to You, imprison me” is terrific word painting treatment. This piece would work well for any advanced choir (originally commissioned by the Coral Gables Congregational Church Chancel Choir and Dr. Schiebe).

Dr. Diane Orlofsky is Professor of Music and Director of Choirs at Troy University, where she oversees the choral program and teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in music education. She is the conductor of the Troy University Concert Chorale and the Director of the Troy University vocal jazz ensemble, frequency.