This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at St Olaf chapter.
Major: Music Education
Graduating Year: 2016
1. How are you involved on campus? Curriculum Senator (2015-16), St. Olaf Choir, Program Host Manager of KSTO St. Olaf Radio.
2. What are your plans this summer? I am working here full time in Admissions this summer. I am also going to attend at least one week-long choral conference for professional development.
3. What’s your favorite piece of music to sing/play at Olaf? That’s a very hard question to answer. The second movement of “The Lord is the Everlasting God” by Kenneth Jennings, former St. Olaf Choir director, is really moving to me. I’ve sung it, in completeness, more than thirty times and the choir has worked on it all year. That’s been really wonderful.
4. Favorite place to hang out on campus: It’s likely a tie between the Music Library and Felland House.
5. Who is your favorite Professor? I actually have four…I don’t know if you’ll take that as a valid answer…Gwendolyn Barnes-Karol is still my favorite professor, even though I haven’t had her since first semester freshman year. Mike Fitzgerald is one of the best teachers I’ve ever had and he teaches about a topic I’m very interested in – history. David Castro is a music theorist and teaches music theory. It’s actually really uncommon to have a music theorist teach music theory. I know that probably sounds stupid, but it’s usually people who are composers or other professors that teach theory. Castro is very quick-witted, very entertaining and really knows his stuff. And then Anton Armstrong, for obvious reasons. He’s a great voice teacher, but also a really good professor; I had him for a class on Child/Adolescent Vocal Pedagogy last semester and it was a terrific experience. Also I love the St. Olaf Choir. (Good luck with that answer lol.)
6. Favorite meal in the caf: Build your own nachos.
7. What has been your favorite class at St. Olaf? Best class I’ve ever taken, not just because of the professor but also because of content, was my Slavery in the Americas class with Mike Fitzgerald. It was demanding, engaging and interesting. I wrote a lot for that class and learned a lot from it. It inspired me to take a 300 level history seminar next year, even though I’m not a history major.
8. What are you most excited about for senior year? I’m excited to have a car on campus, and am equally excited to student teach. That’s probably the most exciting thing: getting to teach real students…that’s all I wanna do anyway.
9. Where are you living next year? I’m living in a pod in Ytterboe.
10. If you were stranded on an island and could only bring one person from Olaf, who would it be? I’d bring Alex Voigt. He was the greatest roommate ever (freshman year) and he and I get along very well – he’s one of the best friends I have. But, over that, the reason why I’d bring him over other people is because he and I are so drastically different (we like different things and have super different personalities) but we really don’t step on each other’s toes or annoy each other. That’s important for a successful life on a secluded island…