Tomorrow marks the start of my 18th year as a music educator and I’m feeling reflective. 🎶
I became a music teacher at Kirkland Middle School, where I taught choir & orchestra from 2009–2020. I was a rookie when I started and had to quickly learn how to manage a classroom, create a positive and encouraging rehearsal environment, and draw out high-quality, inspired music-making from kids.
Explorer West Middle School prepared me to become a leader. Music was a required class for all students; much of my job involved instilling confidence in kids who thought they couldn’t sing or play an instrument, shifting their mindset from “I can’t” to “I can.” In addition to teaching, I was also a student advisor. My advisor role is where I really learned how to communicate effectively with parents and families: something that would be essential for the next step in my career.
In 2022, I got my dream job and was selected to be the next Artistic Director of Seattle Girls Choir. Although I had been on staff as the Dolcine and then Allegra director since 2009, stepping into a leadership role and directing Prime Voci fulfilled a lifelong dream. This past summer Prime Voci toured Europe and sang at such a high level that I was often brought to tears mid-performance—tears of joy and gratitude that I get to shape and guide not only their sound, but create a space for young people to be themselves and work toward something great, together.
Onwards!
