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Shannon Marie Gravelle

Stories of Newness: Healing and Reimagining with Stephanie Gravelle

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This was such a fun conversation with me. Stephanie is a fantastic musician and passionate music educator. She’s also my sister-in-law, and I love learning from her. I wasn’t able to include everything from our conversation. Stephanie is an incredibly engaging and thoughtful programmer, and I highly recommend just reaching out to her and asking her what she has planned. It’s inspiring.

Stephanie Gravelle, Middle and High School Music Teacher at The International School of Beijing, was on break when her school moved to virtual instruction due to COVID-19. They first used an asynchronous model, which was helpful, especially as teachers navigated some unique obstacles (ex: In China, Google and all of its products are blocked). Also, many teachers and students had been vacationing and didn’t have laptops, instruments, or other materials. Stephanie did one (optional) virtual choir, but was on the fence about the value. It was good for the community– one person commented “it’s so good to hear kids singing again.” But students were living with an unknown number of people. Imagine, Stephanie said, being a 12-year-old and going through a voice change… of course you wouldn’t want to practice in your own house.

When they returned mid-September, many students were in-person, but many teachers weren’t back; in addition to visa issues, teachers were trying to navigate their return in a global pandemic. There were teacher assistants for teachers who were away. For students at home, it wasn’t choral singing. Eventually students who were virtual went to an online school, without a music option.

In January 2021, high school students worked on solo recording projects: chose a song, analyzed text, prepared music, while Stephanie gave periodic lessons to students. She kept middle school students engaged with vocal exercises, stretches, sight-reading, canons, etc. She sang with students, and had to trust they were participating. She made tracks for rehearsals. Students completed practice journals– even if they didn’t practice. She wanted them to think about the music. She offered a virtual choir, but many students opted out. In class, students participated in listening discussions. Students who never said a word in class had great discussions through chat. In-person, she hasn’t figured out a way to replicate that. Still, it was inspiring to see students fully engaged.

Parents weren’t allowed on campus, so the performing arts department held a festival in April and invited the whole PK-high school. For three days, every hour, there was a concert, drama performance, or other performance art event, including their choir concert. Elementary kids were able to watch high school students. It was great for the school community.

After the performing arts festival, Stephanie wasn’t sure students missed evening concerts. She reflected: Do we need after school concerts? Can these concerts interact with the community in a different way? During COVID, there were no concerts or rehearsals on weekends or late nights. She went home and spent more time with family. And that was nice. Is there a way to hold this up as standard, instead of normalizing late nights and long rehearsals? She thought about Brené Brown– “It shouldn’t be normal.” How can she, and how can our profession, pursue doing things during the day? And “How can we do things that give us more time for family, friends, or even ourselves?” 

This past year, she also did an audit on herself. She created a spreadsheet and listed the repertoire she gave students– everything they listened to and all the materials she used. The spreadsheet included time period, religious background, gender perspective, etc. She wanted to see what she used and then ask “do I want to change anything? If so, how?” She set up weekly themes where she highlighted different genres of music and a variety of performers. This work will continue as she asks “How am I amplifying various voices, and how can I diversify that amplification?” In addition to finding culture bearers of musics, she plans to teach these musics like they might be taught in their origin environment.  

Each international school has a different instructional set-up, but there are some shared silver linings. For example, students recorded their solos for a virtual solo and ensemble. Participation levels increased dramatically due to the online format. With so many things being held virtually, Stephanie was able to attend more professional development, such as a Village Harmony course and yes, she went to the national ACDA conference for the first time.

As far as the fall, repertoire is selected and goals are set. She knows things can change quickly, but it makes her feel better to be prepared. She also recognizes that students are navigating a lot– not just their own changes, but also the stresses that many of their parents have. Some students are struggling with how to have a discussion or work collaboratively. Technique is very important, but right now they need to come into a room that makes them feel happy, safe, and wanted. Her focus will be what it always is: find the heart of her singers and have their hearts connected. This has always been where they get the best sound, and it’s even more true now.

Stories of Newness: Healing and Reimagining with Remel Derrick

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Like many music educators, Remel Derrick (high school choir teacher at Abilene High School and choral composer– find his music here) found out about his school closing the week of spring break in March 2020. They were given a week to adjust and then made the switch to virtual. During remote teaching, his students recorded rounds, did research activities, practiced and recorded fluency drills and scales. His students watched choir performances and shared their impressions. And, unfortunately, some students stopped participating. “That was the saddest part,” Remel said, “to see kids really strong in the classroom, but not so strong with remote learning.”

In Fall 2020, school started in-person with COVID risk mitigation strategies. They needed more space in the choir room, so they removed risers and shells. Seats were placed wall-to-wall, creating room for physical distance. The baby grand piano was replaced with a smaller, electronic keyboard that took up less room. They kept masks on and sanitized chairs. Students found the set-up jarring, but they followed COVID recommendations that would still allow them to learn and sing. In Spring, students were mostly back in the classroom. Periodically, students had to leave class, letting Remel know “I’m going to get my vaccine.” That was uplifting.

The 2020-21 school year came with challenges and joys outside of music-making. For Remel, he knew the students wanted to be doing more, but teachers could only facilitate events that were within boundaries of COVID regulations. It was frustrating for everyone– students and teachers alike. On the other hand, the community was incredible. “We are in this together” was stronger than Remel had ever experienced with his students. There was a tightening of an already close-knit group.

As they look to next year, some things from pre-COVID will return, such as risers, shells, and the Boston baby grand (after a good tuning). However, because of COVID-19, there are a few additions to Remel’s classes. For example, there will be a renewed commitment to music literacy. While they worked on music literacy pre-COVID, but Remel found ideas that he’ll take with him into Fall 2021.

There are added health concerns now, too. Masks will no longer be required. In addition, students (and teachers) will be managing post traumatic stress. Knowing this, Remel is planning to leave space for his students to share their experiences. “[It can be] hard to talk about it when you are in the middle,” but afterwards, students may want to share, and may need additional support. He and his colleague (Wendy Weeks) will create safe spaces for their students; much of this will happen through music. He is looking for texts addressing collective grief, singing, and community. Finding the right texts is always important, but especially so this next year. As Remel said of his teaching, “You’re going to learn a lot of things in choir, and some of them will be about music.”

Remel wears another hat: choral composer. He never really thought his music would be performed, but over the past year, his music has seen performances across the country. The changes necessitated by COVID-19 gave him the chance to meet singers and conductors who performed his music. It also gave him a lot more time for personal reflection. “I needed that creative outlet [composing] to deal with some of the fear that came as a result of what we were being confronted with.” Being home gave Remel a chance to write, think, reflect, and sometimes, simply be still. Stillness, he believes, is something that was forced on him by the pandemic. And it wasn’t such a bad thing.

As he looks toward the future, he’s evaluating how to share his music; he’s also becoming more comfortable with being labeled a composer, a word that took him a long time to use to describe himself. As he spoke about working through his own self-doubt, he reiterated that he will “always respond to people singing, purchasing, and recommending [his] music.” It was clear that people singing his music was a joyful and moving experience to him.

As far as his compositions, he’s focused on finding texts that are true to who he is as a composer. What was striking during our conversation was this moment… Remel explained that he lives in his world all the time; he’s constantly in it. He has not found a way to talk about that through music (or, he implied, he’s not sure if that even should be his focus). When it comes to addressing equity, he says “Let’s just do it… in our own spheres of influence.” As he thinks about his own composing, he keeps coming back to the question: “How can I present music that does not divide, but brings us together?”

On a personal note, Remel is one of the kindest, most genuine people I have met. We are fortunate to have him as a colleague. His music is thoughtful and intuitive (so make sure you check it out… here).

Stories of Newness: Healing and Reimagining with Amanda Stevenson (Omaha Children’s Choir)

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This week’s blog is sharing highlights from a conversation with Amanda Stevenson, founder and artistic director of Omaha Children’s Choir (OCC), an organization focused on making choral music education accessible to all children. OCC just wrapped up their 6th season (2020-21). You can read more about OCC and their amazing work here.

In late January 2020, Ms. Stevenson was wrapping up an OCC retreat, where singers worked on the organization’s first big commission. The kids had been highly involved in the artistic process, including helping to decide the focus of the text. The composer was brought into the retreat. This 2-year-long process also involved collaboration with a local, non-music organization; the premiere was scheduled for April 2020.

When COVID-19 shut down community gathering, it was hard. Not only was the premiere paused, but OCC serves a wide range of families, including many that don’t (or didn’t) have access to the internet or devices. Some parents don’t speak English or they work multiple jobs (or both). One of the central tenets of OCC’s mission is about access, but they didn’t have the means to provide access to everyone, and they were not prepared to go online. Remember, OCC is a younger organization, and it follows a different type of financial and musical model. Instead of moving choir online, Ms. Stevenson and the OCC board decided to reach out to their community in another way– through bringing families food who needed it and creating activity boxes for the singers to stay connected. They attempted a few meet-ups over Zoom in the summer, but there was no singing yet. And still, it didn’t feel like OCC because they were missing so many singers in their community.

At the end of September 2020, OCC began meeting twice a month over Zoom. They didn’t rehearse and instead explored musical topics. Most importantly, these meetings were a way to check in with the singers. Still, Ms. Stevenson said, most of the refugee families in their community weren’t with them. She had stayed connected with them, and they wanted to return, but didn’t have the ability at that point.  

In December, OCC had two virtual caroling sessions. That is when the kids said “When can we sing? We don’t care if we are online!”  

Starting in January 2021, they began rehearsals on Zoom. In April, they moved outdoors and had 4 “outdoor singing gatherings.” Low key and without an audience, it was a chance to engage in communal singing with a community they loved. Performance wasn’t an end goal. It was seeing the kids desire to be and sing together that mattered.

“Hearing from them and seeing their desire to continue… the importance of joining our voices together and how powerful that is… [even] outside of what your choir can or can’t do musically,” Ms. Stevenson said of what kept her going. “Process over product” is what she has always subscribed to, and COVID-19 gave this mantra an entirely new meaning. 

But really, it was all about the community.  And that, she says, is what the singers need the most. They need community even more than they need the singing. It’s been lonely for the singers, and they’ve been through the loss of family members and neighbors. Parents were reaching out to Ms. Stevenson often. This community was a lifeline.

As OCC and Ms. Stevenson look toward the future, there are many considerations. There are no solid plans in place yet, but she’s hopeful they will be in person, as long as their rehearsal spaces are open to the public again. The organization is navigating safety, and will reach out for feedback from their community. It will be a rebuilding year. While Ms. Stevenson could potentially see the use of Zoom rehearsals or recording future rehearsals, she understands that technology doesn’t replace in person choral singing, and the use of this technology would leave some families out.

As Ms. Stevenson looks toward OCC’s future, she recognizes the challenges in front of them. The organization is small and young, which means many resources that are available to larger and more established organizations are difficult to access. In addition, OCC doesn’t follow a traditional model, which means the resources that are available aren’t always the resources OCC needs. Beyond that, there aren’t many models for OCC to follow. How can OCC continue to be sustainable while keeping accessibility a priority? Beyond financial accessibility, music is a big consideration. There is not a lot of music available that fits the mission and needs of OCC and the singers– it needs to be centered around social issues written for children.

“When we are talking about equity, we have to define that,” Ms. Stevenson says, “Equity is not a marketing [ploy].” Financial accessibility, organizational access and equity, music accessibility, rehearsal spaces (location, spaces that aren’t affiliated with a religious institution)… “Who has benefited the most [from traditional models of communal singing]? Who have we actually left behind?”

While the next season for OCC is still being planned, Ms. Stevenson is very clear with her priorities: “It’s about building that community [and] those relationships. You can’t have a community without relationships.”

Stories of Newness: Healing and Reimagining

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We are very pleased to introduce a new voice to ChoralNet blogging today. Shannon Gravelle posts today and beginning next Wednesday, will be posting every other week sharing interviews with a variety of choral professionals about their experiences during the pandemic and their plans as we look forward.

In March 2020, choral professionals made massive shifts in rehearsals and performances. In the last 15 months, we’ve created new ways to make music, found moments to connect in community, explored teaching music literacy virtually, and learned new technologies. Some organizations and institutions went completely online, while others found ways to make it work through events such as parking-lot sings and 30-minute, indoor rehearsals. Many concerts were presented online, and often featured a combination of virtual choirs and prerecorded performances. I was inspired by the amount of support and collaboration I saw among choral professionals. And, I’m sure like many others, I wondered “how will this change us?”

As we transition into whatever is next for the choral art, I suspect it will include the same innovation, support, collaboration, and work. Unless, I suppose, we are all okay with going back to exactly what we were doing before, which I doubt. Why not use this as a chance to reimagine and widen the community? COVID-19 disrupted our way of music making and much of our standard practice. We have questions to answer about recruitment, community building, and safety. We have questions to answer about our programs and curriculums, worship services and advocacy. We also have very real and unignorable questions about how our profession will work and attain greater equity. The process of answering these questions could result in exciting and needed movements forward if we are willing to keep the same focus on thinking outside-the-box. What risks are we, or are we not, willing to take moving forward?

To that end, and in the spirit of communal support and growth, this blog is going to focus on sharing the stories of choral professionals as we transition to a new “normal.” The conversations I have already had with friends tell me we have incredibly innovative colleagues who care immensely about the musicians they work with. Still, as we think about how to proceed next, there are a few lessons we can learn from our sudden thrust into COVID-19. For example, I know that in my own “pivot” (which is a word I admittedly loathe using at this point), I took the approach of “throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks.” It seemed like a good idea at the time, because I was sure there were going to be bits of my plans that fell away. In retrospect, I should have considered that one of my strengths is getting things done, regardless of late nights, stress levels, and the number of other demands. Hence, I was too busy. The silver lining is that I was involved in conversations with amazing choral professionals from across the states, conducted two premieres, learned how to work Adobe Premiere Pro, facilitated multiple workshops through my state ACDA, recorded concerts that were heard by alum across the world, and was inspired by collaborations with others. Had I done it differently, however, I would have made a far more comprehensive, prioritized plan (with a timeline and better estimation of the amount of hours my ideas would take). With that lesson in mind, I am planning for the next season of music-making.

Planning for the next season of music-making is where we all are. How do we learn from and honor the traditions that we learned in while creating a larger path for growth? Or don’t we? Are those traditions holding the choral profession back? Is this a chance for us to lean into each other’s wisdom? As we started doing in March 2020 once we adjusted to COVID-19, growth can come from the commitment to continue to listen to and learn from other choral professionals. I look forward to hearing the stories of my colleagues.

Dr. Shannon Gravelle (she/her) is currently the Director of Choral Activities and Coordinator of Music Education at Meredith College. She is committed to reimagining conducting pedagogy, telling authentic stories through the choral medium, and building strong community.

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