March 2023

March is Women in Music Month: A time to celebrate the achievements, contributions, and influence of women in music throughout history and, more personally, in our lives.

I've been reflecting on this recently, thinking of the women in my life who guided, nurtured, and empowered me to be the musician and teacher I am today.

Here are a few of the influential teachers and mentors I want to acknowledge this month:

1. The director of the Women's Glee Club, Collegium Musicum, and my undergraduate choral conducting class at the University of Georgia. She was a role model for lifelong learning and seeking out underrepresented and underperformed music. I remember performing her music as well as the music of Baroque composer and Benedictine nun Chiara Margarita Cozzolani.

2. My elementary-school piano teacher and children's choir director, who I talked about on the podcast this month (Ep. 056).

3. The music director at the Methodist church I grew up in who saw in me a desire to pursue music professionally someday and took me under her wing. She provided me opportunities to accompany, play duets, sing solos, teach children's choir, assist with administrative and organizational tasks, drove me to my first college audition, and gave me my first organ lessons (and pair of organ shoes).

4. The piano teacher I studied with between undergrad and grad school who helped me develop my technique, overcome my fear of memorizing music, and successfully prepare for auditions. (Tune in to Ep. 007 to hear more of this story.)

5. The children's choir and youth choir directors I interned with during college who mentored me, valued my ideas, and gave me numerous opportunities to develop my skills as a church musician.

Of course, there are many more women I could name who have influenced and shaped my life and music career.

Who are the women leaders in your life? Who set an example, paved the way, nurtured, or empowered you to be the person you are today? 

I hope this inspires you to take some time this month to reflect on the women in music who have influenced your life and work in some way. How can you pay it forward?