Choral Potpourri: The Unicorns Among Us

“Now I will believe that there are unicorns…,” William Shakespeare, The Tempest

Last year around this time, I wrote a blog about unicorns. In it, I explained I feel like an exotic creature most of the time, outside of rehearsals or performances. I also spoke of enjoying being able to work with other like-minded folks in the arts alliance recently formed in my community; I have finally found “my people.” Susanna* read it at the time but wasn’t sure what I meant. She does now.

Susanna is in her first position as a general music teacher and elementary school chorus director. Her university had a wonderful music school and she flourished, graduating with a degree in music education last year. She has been surrounded by musicians and other creative types her whole life. Her family is mostly musicians, even if some don’t make their living that way. If not musicians, the rest are in the arts; both of her grandmothers are painters and one grandfather was an architect. Being creative is who she is and what she does. Being creative has always been a part of her.

So it was a bit of a shock to be thrust in an environment NOT creative. Of course, Susanna has a prescribed curriculum she follows. She thought it would be wonderful for her students to broaden and expand what they do in music class by involving visual arts as well as performing arts in some class work. The art teacher, Maisie*, she works with is an older lady who is used to doing things a certain way, and not open to collaboration. Even though Susanna has the approval of their principal and fine arts supervisor, Maisie feels she doesn’t have time for any of that “foolishness.” Susanna is the only music teacher in the building and sometimes feels so alone.

After recalling my blog last year, Susanna recently contacted me for advice. I told her the best thing she could do—for herself—was to network. Reach out to the other elementary school music teachers in the district; are there “in-service” events when all of them could get together? What about the band and orchestra directors? And if she hasn’t already done so, she should reach out to the chorus directors of the middle schools her school feeds into and perhaps even the high schools as well. She could start a conversation by asking them what she could do in her choruses to better prepare them for the middle school and high school programs they direct. This is her first position; I told her if she is really unhappy with the lack of artistic comradery, perhaps she should begin looking around for another. This time, she should ask questions about collaboration between the art, music and theater departments.

To feed her soul outside of teaching, I asked if she was taking music lessons of any sort or singing in a professional or a community chorus. We should keep on top of our own musicianship but it’s also important to take care of ourselves so we are able to be our best for our students. Being around other musicians and artists keeps our creative juices flowing too.

A group of unicorns is called a “Blessing.” I think it important to create our own Blessing if we have to. If we need to start from scratch, so be it.

*Name Withheld