Graduate Studies in Music—A Two-Way Interview

Patrick is enrolled as a graduate student at the University of Mary in Bismarck, where Dr. Rebecca Raber is currently teaching.

favorite part of it. I have been teaching for 28 years now, mostly choral music. After coming to the University of Mary, we worked to launch the MA in Music degree, beginning it in the summer of 2020 with a group of 9 students. This summer we added another 13. They are so wonderful to work with, and it’s such a pleasure to see them working together in community and collegiality.

Well, I was only a small part of the initial process. Most of the good work behind the scenes was done by Tom Porter, who is a grad of UMary and now the Department Chair. His determination and vision for this program was a driving force behind the success we’ve had. I helped to recruit prospects for the MA in Music along with my husband, Michael (in enrollment). We had many a phone conversation together with prospective students during trips home for lunch or in the evenings on the couch! It was really fun, actually, to think of people who might benefit or flourish in taking the next step in their career…contacting old friends and colleagues. Also, meeting many brand new people was so much fun! What has been the most rewarding part of teaching at the graduate level? The moment when you see the students shift from “this is a lot of work” to “I did it, and I understand now” is the most gratifying part. They can all do it. It IS a lot of work, but that is graduate school. You are being tested…not just about motets and Masses, but also how well you budget your time, how well you organize, and if you can remain positive and productive under pressure. Most graduate students turn around and teach others, so all of these little skills “behind the scenes” are super important. Why do you think someone could benefit from a graduate degree in music? For many, it’s advancing their career in concrete terms: a higher salary, an elevated teaching position. For all, I would hope that attending graduate school would be prompted by the desire to learn more, to be a better teacher for their students! That’s what attracted me and kept me going when I was working full time and tak-

ing classes. It was a time for me to do something to enrich myself and improve. In essence, it’s what we do as musicians all the time…we set goals, and then work towards their completion. I think musicians are a natural fit for graduate degrees.

I just wrapped up 5 years teaching at Shanley HS and Sacred Heart MS in Fargo, and am now the Director of Music at Sts. Anne & Joachim Catholic Church. I enrolled in the U Mary Graduate program this past summer and was blown away by the depth of content we were able to study not only virtually throughout the summer, but especially the 2weeks we spent on campus. Every day was a big “nerdout” in all things music. The time we didn’t spend in class I spent enjoying with my cohort/classmates. We developed a lovely little community!

I’d known for a while it was something I would do eventually; I just needed the right fit. I wanted a program that I felt would invest in me as a person, helping me to reach my goals and aspirations. The University of Mary came at the exact right time with the exact support and encouragement I needed. I may someday go as far as a doctorate, but even for just the here and now, I want to get better as a conductor and composer, and this program will help me do that, all while allowing me to work my full-time music director position. A perfect fit!

It has been a blast so far. As I said before, the depth we travel into within our studies is fascinating to me. I get so much out of such small snippets of time! Because of this, sometimes it feels like you’re going a million miles an hour. You have to focus on the tasks to complete and comprehend the load of information that comes your way, it’s intense! But that’s also something to love about it all, the intensity is all directed at your learning and your development. I’ll take that any day.

Easily Choral Methods. We went through so many things in that class that are “plug and play” in my rehearsals/performances. I feel so much more well-rounded in my general knowledge base and confidence as a conductor/teacher. That’s kind of the point of a master’s degree I suppose, you become a “master” of music. I feel like I am developing a higher sense of mastery than I have previously felt before. It’s a big boost for sure!