Sarah Graham

MONMOUTH, Ill. — Sarah Graham, assistant professor of music and director of choral activities and vocal studies at Monmouth College, was a featured presenter at the American Choral Directors Association’s (ACDA) northwest regional convention in Portland, Ore., March 15-19.

Graham, who is in her first year on MC’s music faculty, spoke on the topic “Of Mind and Heart: More than Music in the Secondary Choral Classroom.” The title was inspired by Whitworth College in Spokane, Wash., where she did her undergraduate work and which has the mission statement: “An education of the mind and heart.”

Graham says it is her “personal philosophy as a teacher to emphasize the value of teaching not just to the mind – intellectual things like theory, history, rehearsing music – but also teaching to the heart, which would include things like discussing issues, learning about other people and cultures, doing community service, learning to trust one another, reaching out to people who are different and learning respect for self, others and the world in which we live.

“These are all skills that young students – even our college-aged students – need guidance in developing,” she added.

Graham was accompanied in the session by Scott Davis, a teacher from Clackamas (Ore.) High School, and Trey Jacobs, whom she met while completing her doctoral studies at Michigan State University. Jacobs taught choir at Winter Park (Fla.) High School.

In the session, the three discussed their similar philosophies and gave “hands-on ideas for activities that help to foster a learning environment that teaches to the heart,” said Graham. “We did this through example and through anecdotes from our own experiences. We hope to encourage other teachers to think about ways that they can also change lives through teaching to the heart.”

Graham received a bachelor of arts degree in secondary choral music education and church music from Whitworth, and a master of arts degree in classroom teaching and English from Pacific Lutheran University. She subsequently taught secondary choral music in Washington public schools for seven years before moving to Michigan, where she later received master of music and doctor of musical arts degrees in choral conducting at Michigan State University.

Founded in 1959, the American Choral Directors Association, founded in 1959, is a non-profit professional organization whose active membership is composed of more than 20,000 choral musicians, representing schools, colleges and universities; industry; places of worship; and community and professional choirs. Members in all 50 states are organized into local chapters, each with its own separate board of directors. The northwest division includes the states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.

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Barry McNamara, Associate Director of College Communications
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