The best kind of teaching happens when educators share their passion for the subject and help their students find their passion in it.
Two of Manitou Springs School District 14’s music teachers shared their thoughts about the art form and the end-of-year performances they’re overseeing.
By the time you read this, David Williams will have led his orchestra and band students through their concerts, on May 3 and May 4, respectively. That’s 31 orchestra students and 52 students total from the symphonic band and jazz band.
They’ve rehearsed throughout this semester in classes that meet every other weekday. The orchestral performances included “Pictures at an Exhibition” by Modest Mussorgsky, and the band performances included “”Attitude Adjustment” by Larry Barton and “In the Forest of the King” by Pierre La Plante.
Williams, who has been teaching for 19 years, is in his first year of teaching in District 14.
“I love seeing students learning to overcome obstacles and learning life lessons. When students are rehearsing and preparing for a performance they are learning a process toward success. This can transfer over to another class or their job or their personal lives,” he said.
“That’s what the root of teaching is all about. We just happen to use music as the vehicle to learn those lessons.”
Even if the students don’t plan to pursue music in college or as a career, it supports their studies in math, science, language and history, Williams said.
“When learning music, we are learning foreign languages, we are discussing emotions, we are figuring out how to express ourselves, we are living in a realm that we don’t get a chance to within other academic classes.
“That is something we can take with us long after we graduate high school, regardless of the paths we choose. Plus, it’s really fun!” he said.
Choir teacher Abby Steen found some time to talk about her feelings for music and teaching, even though she was preparing for two concerts.
This is her second year of teaching — she began as the pandemic was starting here, so she hasn’t experienced a lot of normalcy while teaching middle school and high school students.
But the Manitou schools alumna is happy to be back in the district she loves.
The singers have been preparing for their concerts since January; the high school choir will feature about 35 students and the middle school choir will feature about 50. They’ll perform songs by composers including Rogers and Hammerstein, and Lennon and McCartney.
Steen said the singers are thrilled that the community and their families will see and hear the results of their hard work.
“I love getting to know my students and their joys, passions and personalities. I truly think that music is an essential part of education and childhood, and I love being able to be a part of that exploration at both the middle and high school levels,” she said.
And, just like Williams, she knows it can change people’s lives.
“I believe that everyone should study music in one way or another at some point in their lives. Music allows us to tap into a humanity that we can share with each other and that our young people can learn from,” Steen said.
“Music can relieve stress and anxiety, and it is a wonderful way to create a community and make new friends!”
If You Go
The High School Choir Concert will start at 7 p.m. Friday, May 6, and the Middle School Choir Concert will start at 7 p.m. Friday, May 13. The middle school band will perform at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 11, and the middle school orchestra at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 12. All performances are free and take place at the District Auditorium, 110 Pawnee Ave. Information: mssd14.org or 685-4755.