Isn’t it funny how sometimes the very person you thought was standing in your way ends up showing you the path you were meant to walk all along? For me, that lesson came wrapped in a choral score and a bit of teenage indignation. 'You Raise Me Up' by Josh Groban became the bridge between the singer I thought I was and the musician I was becoming — a lesson I didn’t want, but one that shaped me as a performer, songwriter, and educator. In high school, I sang soprano in both Sh

I don’t know if pep rallies get their due in the music world—they should. Autumn each year meant after‑school rehearsals, football games, parades, and yes, pep rallies. The noise, the lights, the surge of unified energy—it still thrills me. In those moments, the whole school came together for a shared purpose: pride. Students who had never spoken in the hallway found themselves standing side by side. We weren’t just spectators; we were a part of the wave. Sure, the focus was