I was singing for 12 years. My first season was the 2006/2007 season and my last one was the 2018/2019 season.
When we sang at the St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland. We didn't have the exact time for the performance. We were just singing to warm up and to entertain all the tourists that were coming in and out at the time and someone heard us singing “We Gather”. They walked in and it was an SLCC alumn that had moved to Scotland! They had no idea we were going to be there. I wish I can remember her name, but she just got so excited to see Barbara Burner. It really hit me that you're always a member of the Choirs. It is something that stays with you your entire life and you will always be a part of this Choir family.
I think it's really instilled a lot of my core values, especially professionalism and just a basic respect for others. If you can make music with someone, you can do anything with them. There's a bond that forms when you make music with someone that puts aside everything else and all that matters is being with that person in that moment.
I think the importance of self-care. When I think of Barbara Burner quotes, I think of “great artist take naps”. It really taught us how important it was that in order to look after others, you have to look after yourself. That is something that I carry with me to this day.
I think that being an SLCC dramatically changes your life no matter if you're in it for 1 year or 12 years, you're not going to be the same person afterwards. It teaches you so many important lessons and has shaped so many people for the better. It also just opens your eyes to so many new people and so many new perspectives. Just an absolutely life-changing opportunity. There's something about people who have done SLCC. It’s a group that you're always going to be a part of even when you're not singing on the risers anymore.
I think just talking to the kids and getting to know them, like sometimes they come in and they've had a bad day. I can always tell and just know who needs a little extra attention. Who needs a little check in, like “Hey, how's your day going?” Just getting to be a part of their Mondays and Thursdays is really important to me.
I started working for SLCC in 2024. I went to college at Mizzou and when I came home, I was just looking for a part-time job to tie me over while I was looking for full-time jobs. I heard that Concert Choir was looking for an EA and I was so excited. I wanted to be involved in the Choirs again because that was my family growing up and I was excited to see where they were at now. I wasn't sure what the environment would be like. It has the same core values and I love what Dr. Alyson Moore has brought to it and all her creative ideas. Now, a lot of my time and energy is focused on my own Graphic Design Studio. I became an LLC in 2024, so a lot of my last year has been focused on that. In my free time, I love doing art. I also sing in Visions of Harmony, so I still enjoy having choir in my life.
