How has your experience at Pella been so far?

It’s been good. It’s been awesome to get to know everyone. Because I already knew some kids from helping with show choir. It’s been awesome to get to know all the freshmen and other kids who aren’t in show choir; it’s been really cool to see the growth so far that has already happened in just the first month. I felt like all the staff and the students were really welcoming to me.

What has been your favorite part of the job so far?

It has probably been getting to be picky with the music already in choir and in show choir and being able to already work on dynamics and all those kinds of things. The music-making has been cool.

Did you ever think you would end up working with your old choir teacher?

No! We used to joke about it. Me, Mrs. Robiliard, and our fellow show choir choreographer. Like we used to joke way back, like six years ago we’d be like “Oh well, maybe someday this will happen”. But the fact that it all happened is like an amazing dream that came true. 

What are your goals for the year?

I want the students to feel more confident in music literacy so they would be able to understand solfege. Just being able to self-diagnose things for themselves and being able to read the music and find success in the music would be a great goal for the choir this year.

What are more of your long-term goals?

I want this program to grow. I want more kids to be involved in choir and more kids involved in show choir. I want kids to get excited for new traditions. Having things that they looked forward to when you are a freshman, and you see the seniors doing it and you think, “Wow, that’s really cool. I want to be that kid someday!”. 

What has been the biggest challenge? And how did you overcome it?

Probably classroom management. That was difficult. I thought I could just show up and say “Everybody, sing on the risers with a pencil. And I didn’t realize that wasn’t a given. And so probably just having to come up with ways to keep students engaged and want to get better. Like giving fun warm-ups that everyone likes.