Education
Jane G. Brown (left) is congratulated by Jennifer Newman, Region 19 membership coordinator and president of Women’s Harmony Brigade. Photo courtesy of Carrie and Tim Burall.
BORN TO TEACH
Meet award-winning music educator Jane G. Brown
“Keep your eyes and mind open for opportunities you may not be aware of. Continue to learn as much as you can. Think out of the box. Everything does not have to be the way it always has been. We have the power!”
J
ane G. Brown, winner of the 2018 NAfME/SA Music Educator Award says “When you are passionate about something, you want to share it! Even before I was a teacher, I was sharing my love for music. Those who are born to be teachers just cannot help it, in my opinion.” Brown has always been a singer, and she also plays the piano, guitar, ukulele and violin. Eventually, she wanted to find a chorus to sing with—“one where I was NOT the director!” She and a friend chose the chorus “with the closest parking lot.” “We had no idea about barbershop singing or Sweet Adelines, but once we heard that sound, we were hooked,” she said. To win the award, “the recipient must have made outstanding contributions to the furtherance of music education in public and/or private schools by promoting the barbershop style as an American art form.” Brown teaches at and is chair of the Visual and Performing Arts Department at The Catholic High School of Baltimore and also serves as music director at St. Thomas More Catholic Church. She is still a member of the Pride of Baltimore Chorus (PoB) and has recently joined Greater Harrisburg Chorus as well. She is a member of both the management and music teams at PoB, through which she developed the popular Summer Singers Program (SSP). The program encourages young women to learn barbershop singing. “While attending Harmony College East, offered by the BHS, I took a class with Nate Barrett, director of the Morris Music Men, on the Ready Set Sing Program,” she recalled. “Coincidentally, one of my choir students had just asked me how to best keep in good vocal shape over the summer. I combined the program with
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| April 2019
the idea, presented it to the board of directors of which I was secretary, and the SSP was born!” She hand-selected the first students from her own classes to run as a test with the PoB Chorus, with whom the students worked and sang. It was a rousing success for both experienced barbershoppers and the newbies, all of whom returned for the program’s second year. The SSP has continued to grow since then. Ever the educator, Brown said her own musical pursuits make her a better teacher. “Since I am more concerned about sharing my passion than becoming a rock star, my focus hadn't been on my own practice as much as it had been on teaching others,” she said. “However, once I joined Pride of Baltimore, I became a student again, learning something new and having to practice outside of rehearsals. Being a chorus member helps me to wear the shoes of my own school and church choir members, and I can better aid them in their own vocal and choral development.” Speaking of rock stars, Brown said she was shocked to find herself receiving the award. “Once I saw the list of former winners, I was even more astounded that I had won an award previously won by Lori Lyford, a rock star director and music educator that I greatly respect!” She has some advice for beginning music educators. “Keep your eyes and mind open for opportunities you may not be aware of,” said Brown. “Continue to learn as much as you can. Think out of the box. Everything does not have to be the way it always has been. We have the power!”
