Why arts in education matters
Our choir director died last week. When I say "our," I'm talking about a music educator of five decades' tenure in the school district where I grew up and graduated, nearly forty years ago.
The gentleman in question raised the district's music program to be the finest in the state. Our choirs were so good, that NYSSMA had to create a new category, 6A+, to accommodate the incredible ability, poise, and talent, of Mr. Thayer's choirs.
But to say that Mr. Thayer was an extraordinary musician, or educator, is to miss the point entirely. The intangibles taught in that program stand among the most stellar of human virtues. We were taught patience, and discipline, and to challenge ourselves, and to work for the good of the group. None of us alone could ever be as good as all of us together. And all of us together was nothing short of awesome, in the original meaning of that word.
Alumni were regular faces at concerts, and reunions were frequent, especially after Mr. Thayer retired. These were more than class reunions. Choristers of all ages from all over the nation returned--to sing. When you hear 500 voices swelling with "When Rooks Fly Homeward," you are a little bit closer to heaven yourself. No one ever forgot their part. And Mr. Thayer, even at his most frail, still conducted--and criticized (sopranos, I'm talking to you!)
A large number of choir members went on to become music or other educators themselves. Several established their own music programs modeled after Mr. Thayer's. Others, like my husband, went on to professional music careers. The effects of Mr. Thayer's program continue to ripple outward, as students all over the world are taught reverence for art, music, and to challenge themselves to be their best selves. Teachers--good teachers--do that. They teach us that there's something bigger than us, and to strive for it. They teach us that there's beauty in the world, and that even the most humble among us can create it. I can name hundreds of people who are better people for having known Mr. Thayer.
Teachers, you make a difference. Thank you, Mr. Thayer. You will be missed.
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