After high school I attended Florida State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Music Education Degree. Taught choir and strings at Stranahan High School in Fort Lauderdale. We had a huge program, with over 515 kids enrolled in 7 choirs. I taught 375 kids every day for four years! Still found time to get into training and showing little Shetland Sheepdogs, my second love. Returned to FSU for a Master in Music Education Degree. (Wonder what Pappa Carlisle would say about his advice to not attend college). After graduation, it was off to Canada to teach in Toronto, Ontario. Always wanted to go back home and I had a grand time starting a choral program in a high and middle school, learning to ski and singing in a coffeehouse on the weekends.
Returned to Florida to Stranahan High School for another 6 years serving first as a Department Head and later as the County and State Music Chairman. A chance phone call from a college chum led me to observing a winter workshop at First Presbyterian Church sponsored by Westminster Choir College from Princeton, NJ. I was hooked, and enrolled in their summer workshops in Princeton studying with Alice Parker and Robert Shaw. That summer was the beginning of a most incredible time performing major choral works with Robert Shaw. Took the plunge after singing with his festival choirs for 5 years and moved to New Jersey. This move led to a two year job as a Project Coordinator for the New Jersey State Department of Education. After the project ended I went into Arts Administration starting with the Richmond Symphony (Virgina) as Director of Education and Marketing, and moving on to become the Executive Director of the Plainfield Sympnhony (NJ) and later serving as the General Manager of the Chamber Symphony of Princeton, NJ.
Through a series of serendipitous events as a free-lance consultant, I ended up working for Robert Shaw and his wife Caroline at Mr. Shaw's summer institute in Quercy, France as his choir manager. What a glorious 6 years and what a beautiful place. The choir rehearsed for a week and then toured around southern France for an additional two weeks as part of a summer music festival in Lot Quercy. After the Shaws passed away, it was off to New York City where I've been living for the past 8 years. Always wanted to live and work in New York City, there's just something about the excitement and energy of this place. While serving as the Administrative Director of the Singers Forum, a vocal academy, I got the chance to put together a cabaret show and perform it at Danny's on Theatre Row. Performing is something I've secretly wanted to do all my life. So, now I plan to do another show and audition for character parts and voice-over jobs.
Gosh, fifty years. Can't believe it's been that long since we all were at PBHS. Along the way there have been some great moments; the in-between times have been tough but all-in-all it's been a fun ride so far.