 HOMETOWN: Rutland, IA
UNI DEGREE: Bachelor of Music in Education, May 2005 EMAIL: CURRENT RESIDENCE: Cedar Falls, IA OCCUPATION: Band Director, 5-12 (although during the month of May, I also have beginner 4th grade) GREATEST LIFE EXPERIENCE: This is a difficult one. I have had several great life experiences, but I am having a hard time coming up with the one, Greatest life experience... So I'll tell about one of my great experiences. This summer I was vacationing with my in-laws while Bob, my husband, worked in D.C. Since his parents live near D.C., they picked me up and took me to Bob's aunt's place on the Jersey Shore. I spent three days strolling along the beach, photographing sand crabs (technically "ghost crabs"), jellyfish, and sea shells. It was really relaxing, and I got to see some exotic creatures (like horseshoe crabs). Plus I like his parents and Aunt, so the experience was absolutely lovely! STRANGEST LIFE EXPERIENCE: It may sound lame, but at the time I thought it was quite possibly the end of the world. Let me begin a few hours ahead. I was in grade school and my sisters and I were excitedly packing our little suitcases because we were going to spend the night at our grandparents' house. This should not have been too terribly exciting since Grandma Betty watched us every day while our parents were at work during the summers. Anyways, we did our normal evening activities when staying at Grandma and Grandpa's. We ate pizza and cottage cheese, we watched the awfully boring Nightly News, then we went to bed (even earlier than our normal bed times since that was their bed times). Still though, it was exciting to sleep in a different place (their living room floor), and in a different bed (in a sleeping bag). Now we're getting to the strange part. That night I was sleeping soundly until I woke up in the middle of the night. I didn't know why I woke up. After I opened my eyes, I looked outside (the window was 4 feet from my head, and the curtains were left open for the plants in front of it). That was when I saw it: A GIANT MOON that looked like it was about to gobble up the earth. It was a crescent and it was ENORMOUS!!! I closed my eyes. I was Terrified! I even pulled my blanket over my head to protect myself. My heart was racing, but I couldn't bring myself to look again. I wondered if it was a dream... but I couldn't bring myself to look again. Finally I dozed back to sleep. But...I woke up again that night... I remembered my strange moon-encounter and wondered again if I had been dreaming... so I mustered up my courage... and looked out the window. The moon was its normal size way far off in the night sky. I wondered again if I had been dreaming it all. How could it have looked SO BIG?!?!? We may never know if it was a dream or if the moon, one night, came REALLY CLOSE to the earth and I SAW IT! Nah It was probably just a dream! GREATEST PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Besides the time just a while back when I totally fixed a tenor sax that had about 10 small pieces fall off (I rock), I really enjoyed last year's large group contest where my band of 12 students performed Cajun Folk Songs and Eiger (receiving a II rating), but amazing the judges, their parents, the chorus students who should be in band, and me. STRANGEST PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: During a rousing day of Junior High Band rehearsal, I notice that suddenly, out of the percussion section come two students, who are not known for their mild manner I might add, riding stools as horses and shouting "Yah! Yah!" and "Giddiup!" I gave them my best "what the hell are you doing?" face, trying not to laugh. And they responded with the voice of innocence, "Oh, we were just riding our horses here... this one is Burrito and this one is little Steve." UNI TRUMPET STUDIO MEMORIES: 1.) Freshman year. Playing scales along the circle of 4ths instead of the circle of 5ths as I had always practiced in high school... I was so hopeless!
2.) Performing for the (old) empty Russell Hall Auditorium so many times, I got to see the seats as a meadow of buttercups (the chairs were yellow)
3.) Having that "big black guy" come talk to us about playing the trumpet
4.) Listening to amazing trumpet playing... and realizing it was my own (typical trumpeter's response?) It was always fun listening to the others perform, especially upperclassmen - Great sounds! Being the FIRST to finish my trumpet notebook!! ANYTHING ELSE?: Teaching in a small school has its downsides, but it also has a lot of plusses (is that a word?). To anyone getting ready to go out there and teach in the real world I say: don't be afraid to take on the small schools. Sure you'll be the only one to do all the jobs (like elementary band, junior high band, high school band, jazz band, pep band, etc.) But it is so rewarding when you see students move up through the years, watch them change and develop into the adults they will be, and see how music has affected (or is it effected?) their choices and direction! |
