Get to know me

What role did music and the arts play in your childhood growing up?

Music was always something that I just did. From an early age, when we would drive anywhere with my grandma or mom, we would always listen to music in the car and sing along. Later on, my grandma wanted me to take piano lessons from Karen Bruns, so I started doing that. At Pomeroy-Palmer we had a wonderful art teacher who would also accompany for solo/ensemble festivals, and I remember going to the lunch room or listening outside the doors where she was practicing with a student or she would just play for whoever was sitting in the cafeteria; I always thought that I would end up doing that someday (and I do!). Jan Powers, who was the elementary music teacher for a time at Pomeroy would take me out of class to learn mallet percussion or sing something for an elementary show. Steve Brown, the Pomeroy band teacher, made me do my first solo in high school and pushed me musically in both choir and band. Finally, Cassie Langstaff from Fort Dodge who taught at both Pomeroy-Palmer and Manson, made me realize that music could be a career choice for me.

What is your earliest memory of music/art? 

The earliest memory of music would be sitting at the piano with my grandma and her teaching me some sons. She and my parents would always be amazed when I would hear a song, or a melody on the TV, and I’d go over to the piano and start “sounding it out”.

At what point did you decide that you wanted to pursue a career educating students in music?

My career could’ve gone two ways. My dad is an owner operator for a trucking business and I always enjoyed traveling with him and I could’ve seen myself working for/with him. I didn’t really have anyone pressuring me or guiding me into pursuing a career in music. There were no school counselors that were telling me I could do it, my classes in high school were very basic and not advanced levels, and I did music just because I enjoyed it. My junior English teacher, Sharon DeVore, was the first person that told me I could be successful at college and Cassie Langstaff was one of the people that said I could make music education a solid career choice. Dr. Paula Keeler, the vocal professor from Buena Vista University solidified my decision to be a music education major my senior year.

What was your college music experience like?

I was very fortunate to have three fantastic music educators in college. Dr. Paula Keeler and Dr. Merrin Guice-Gill for vocal music, Jerry Bertrand for instrumental music, and Dr. David Klee for Jazz Studies. Under their guidance, I was offered a lot of unique opportunities that a lot of students wouldn’t normally get at a larger school. I was able to conduct the concert choir and band, sing with the Jazz band, and play piano for a lot of performances. I was also active in the theatre department at BVU. I performed in several plays and musicals like 25th Annual Putnum County Spelling Bee and Little Shop of Horrors. 

What was the biggest lesson you learned while teaching high school choir?

I spent 10 years at Odebolt Arthur Battle Creek Ida Grove High School. During that time I’ve had countless, memorable performances and student successes. A lot of young teachers think that once they hit the classroom that they will start instantly changing lives through music. The truth is you won’t change anything after just one year; you might not even see change after three years. If you want to make a difference and change lives, you have to stick it out for the long haul. You will make a difference in the lives of students through music eventually, but good things take time. There is no such thing as “the grass is always greener…”. You have to cultivate your own pasture.

Since you have relocated to Fort Dodge, what are you most looking forward to as far the music and arts scene goes?

I’ve been telling a lot of people, especially former classmates, that Fort Dodge is not the same since I was a kid/high schooler. There are so many opportunities for fine arts and music. When I took on the director of the Fort Dodge Choral Society, someone on the board asked me if I ever received a scholarship from them, and I had to reply that I had no clue the organization existed. Not only am I looking forward to great performances with FDCS, but I’m excited for the live music scene that local businesses have to offer. I taught with Neil Anders and Claudia Rihner (Coltrain), and I know they are regular performers in the area and fantastic musicians. So many good things are happening here musically!

Tell us about some of your music/arts related accomplishments.

I’m not much of a performer. I like to focus on teaching and encouraging other musicians. In college, one of my favorite performances was accompanying the BVU Choir for a Conversation with Condoleezza Rice (who is also an accomplished piano player), and conducting the OABCIG High School Choir at the Northwest Iowa Choral Directors’ Association Honor Choir at Dordt College. During COVID, I led a workshop on utilizing a “flipped” classroom for choir where students learned parts outside of the class and record themselves using the app Flip. I’ve performed in a lot of musicals with BVU and Cherokee Community Theatre either taking a chorus role or smaller featured parts.

Who is your biggest role model and why?

There are so many people that have played a major impact in my education, upbringing, and life. To name one person would be an insult to the other people that have helped get me to this point. If I had to pick one single person, it would have to have been Cassie Langstaff. She pushed me and encouraged me musically that no other person did. She made me feel like I could be a professional performer or a great teacher, and she helped me discover my voice.

What are you most looking forward to as you step into your new Vocal Music role at Iowa Central Community College?

I’m looking forward to really bringing back the choral arts at Iowa Central. There are so many amazing composers and music that I want to share with the community and the students. I also am looking forward to building up the choir. At OABCIG, I had 120 students enrolled in choir; I would like even half of that number to be involved at ICCC.

How do you spend your free time?

I like playing games, going to movies, traveling around Iowa or neighboring states. I try to use my summers to recharge as much as possible and take my weekends slow and relaxing. 

What would you tell one of your students considering music education as their college major?

I’ve had this happen before. Let the student discover the love of music and then open their eyes to the possibility of making it a career. A lot of students are so worried that they will be poor as a musician. Guess what? Everyone is in debt at some point in their lives. The question is: do you want to be miserable in debt or do something that is meaningful to you? You also can’t just love music, you also have to love education. If you focus only on the music side of things, you will limit yourself and what you can get out of kids/young singers. You have to really focus on those general education courses so you know how to tailor to your students' needs.