We have all been there. Whether it happens to come at the end of your time at a university or other situations arise, relationships come to an end.
Flashback to seven years ago…
A gentleman comes to Defiance College, a small, private school in Northwest, Ohio, to re-start the music programs which had become dormant. He had four degrees. In 2006 he graduated from Ohio Northern University with a B.M. in Music Business and a B.S. in Business Administration. Also, in 2009 he graduated from Bowling Green State University with a M.M. in Choral Conducting and a M.B.A. in Management. He studied for years to be able to bring the program back from the dead.
He did just that. The program began with just twelve women. This spring the Chamber Singers ensemble was up to about forty members. In the fall, we took a five day trip to Nashville, Tennessee. The trip included stops in Indianapolis, Evansville, and Urbana. One of the most amazing things we did on the trip included a recording session at the famous RCA Studio B, made famous by Elvis Presley. Sometimes I still find myself jamming out to the tracks on the CD we got made for us. However, being a huge country music fan, the best thing we did while on tour was take a tour of the Grand Ole Opry. At the end of the tour, we even got to sing on the stage!!! I got chills knowing that so many famous individuals have performed on that stage.
I graduated from Defiance High School in the spring of 2014. Towards the end of every student’s senior year, they must make that decision of where to further their education. I looked at a couple of schools, two of them being the University of Findlay and Defiance College. In high school, we had the opportunity to join a group called the Black Swamp Honors Choir. It was directed by the director at the college. He made a point to personally come to each school and audition the members of the high school choir that applied. Also, he occasionally came in to work with us throughout the year.
So finally I made the choice to attend Defiance College. I joined the Chamber Singers in the fall of 2015 and it was perhaps the best decision I have made up to this point in my life. I have met some of my best friends through Chamber Singers. The director has made such and impact on my life, not only in singing, but also in leadership and understanding.
This Tuesday he announced to the choir that he will be leaving at the end of May to obtain his doctorate at the University of Southern California. At first, like the others, I was in shock. However, over the next two days, I realized that I should be happy for him and want to carry on the legacy he created for the Chamber Singers. Two days after he announced that he would be leaving, we had elections. I ran for President and won the election.
I knew I could not let him down and I am going to do my best to take the Chamber Singers to a level even he would be proud of.
