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Consortium CollaborationIf you identify as a woman, what does being a woman mean to you? (Physically, emotionally, historically, societally, personally, professionally, spiritually… interpret as you wish; there are no right or wrong answers).
An overwhelming responsibility to portray strength, determination, and grace as an example for my children and students as well as other professionals. Being a woman is hard and soft, happy and sad. As a woman, I love my giver heart. I love to give and pour love out and empower others and make others laugh and be an empath and deeply feel. On the other hand, as a woman, I can easily feel empty, drained, exhausted, and dry. As a woman, I am strong. I am determined, dedicated, disciplined, efficient, relentless, and leaning forward. On the other hand, as a woman, I am stunted, I am lonely, I am dismissed, I am "emotional," I am weak. There is beauty and ugliness about being a woman. I choose to see the beauty. Does it happen all the time? No. Do I grow weary? Yes. I just keep thinking that if I don't choose to see the beautiful and speak in my voice and give from my heart...it would be a sad existence, no? To be a woman from a strong line of women who have survived wars, immigrant journeys, and established themselves in fields and spaces dominated by men, I have a great sense of pride in being a woman and honoring those who have paved the way before me. To me, being a woman means being powerful, assertive, not afraid to stand up for yourself, and being able to stand up for those around you who are struggling. It's not something physical per se, but it does take time to master as there are a lot of men who seek to dampen our spirits and stomp out our ability to rise. To me, being a woman means being compassionate, strong, loving, caring, determined, and selfless. It means living freely and openly, caring for ourselves and others and providing opportunities for the rest of the world to do the same. Being a woman to me right now means being an example to all whom identify as female. Our youth needs those examples so they know what is possible for them and more importantly, how they can exceed what they see for the next generation. The weight of this responsibility is heavy, but important as we look ahead to building a more equitable world for all. |
Consortium Participants
This consortium was led by Danielle Davey, Mt. Hood Community College (OR) Auburn Riverside High School (WA) – Meghan Wagner Beaverton High School (OR) – Eli Simantel Boise High School (ID) – Meghan Fay Olswanger Bonney Lake High School (WA) – Brandon Michael Cain Formation Wind Band (WA) Grant High School (OR) – Chris McCurdy Gresham High School (OR) – Emily Bundy Hanford High School (WA) – Adam Hancock & Cole Lobdell Houston Pride Band (TX) – Deborah Hirsch and David Lea Iowa Western Community College (IA) – Sarah Jo Aymond Issaquah High School (WA) – Patrick Holen Juanita High School (WA) – Annemarie Smith Lewis & Clark College (OR) – Brett EE Paschal Lincoln High School (WA) – Zachariah MacIntyre MacPhail Center for Music (MN) – Elizabeth Winslow Mahtomedi High School (MN) – Laura A. Goucher Mona Shores High School (MI) – Jason Boyden, Nikki Sanford and Justin Sarns Mt. Lebanon High School (PA) – Brett McCutcheon Newport High School (WA) – Todd Mahaffey Oakland University (MI) – Pamela L. Klena Pierce College (WA) – Joseph P. Scott Pacific Lutheran University (WA) – Ron Gerhardstein Redmond High School (WA) – Cory Edwards Robert Ponto (OR) Riverside High School (PA) – Emily Eastman Rutgers University (NJ) – Julia Baumanis Sheldon High School (OR) – Julie Bounds Sherwood High School (OR) – Brant Stai and Tristan Weitkamp Slippery Rock University (PA) – Jonathan Helmick The University of Utah (UT) – Jason Missal University of Alabama at Birmingham (AL) – Cara Morantz University of Missouri (MO) – Brian A. Silvey, Amy M. Knopps, and Christian Noon University of Portland (OR) – Patrick Murphy Women Band Directors International |
Let’s celebrate! Tell me about a woman who has made an impact on your life, and describe what makes her extraordinary.
Imogen Heap. An extraordinary musician whose art, creativity, courage and kindness has served as inspiration in many ways.
Sarah Viens was my trumpet professor when I did my undergrad at UO. She cared about each and every one of her students and made sure they saw in themselves what she saw in them. She pushed me to grow as a musician and person more than anyone else in my life. I have an amazing career now and it is thanks to her. On top of being an incredible influence, and an incredible teacher, Sarah is also one of the best trumpeters I’ve ever known and flawlessly champions herself as a successful, capable, and talented brass musician, in a field largely dominated by men.
Dr. Catherine Rand is an exceptionally strong woman band director who leads fiercely with determination and conducts with an unparalleled emotional passion. She has shown me incredible kindness and encouragement in this profession and I am forever in awe of her.
My mother, my wife, and my step daughters. Also many of my colleagues in teaching. Straightforward, strong, resilient, no nonsense, fun to be around, passionate, uncompromising, trustworthy, independent, supportive.
I bet she doesn't even know about how much of an impact she made on me. I had a sweet friend in my undergraduate studies named Elizabeth. Every time I think about her, I think about her softness, warmth, her unconditional love, and her laughter. She never judged, she laughed with a head-back-full-of-joy laugh, and she loved her friends fiercely. I have had so many beautiful examples of extraordinary women who have made an impact on my life. Elizabeth was so special because when I was in her presence, I felt empowered and loved. I knew that was the kind of woman I wanted to strive to be forever.
On my fathers side, there is a line of strong women that survived wars, escaped prison camps, and made their way to the states through incredible hardship so that their future generations could have a better life. I have never met any of them beyond my grandmother, but their grit, survival skills, and ultimate attitude of striving towards a better world even though it was not guaranteed still blows my mind today. The sheer believe and hope that they had inspires me to try to stay hopeful through any hardship and puts my work into perspective. Like I said, I have a responsibility to make sure that their hard work was not done in vain.
My wife and my mother. My wife for her integrity and kindness, my mother for her high standards and work ethic.
I have two people in my life that have allowed me to prosper and soar; my mom and my master's professor, Dr. Carolyn Barber. They have both picked me up more times than I can count and they love me more than I loved myself at times. I wouldn't be alive without them and I owe them everything.
My new orchestra colleague - she has reignited my passion for teaching, reminded me what it looks like to be both caring and extremely demanding, and brings fire and passion to the work place EVERY SINGLE DAY. She fights hard against external forces that have long made her feel othered in the workplace as a woman on the podium, and she stands taller than the rest for overcoming it. I'm inspired and pushed daily to be better by being her colleague. I can't imagine work without her tenacity and leadership every day!!
I have started and stopped writing this a half dozen times, and I've restarted now again in the hopes that something profound and joyous and feminist will burst forth, but each time I've been unsuccessful. I am not a woman, but I am a brother to two incredible sisters. I am a son to a caring mother, and in a handful of months I will be a husband to a loving wife. I have grandmothers, sisters in law, and aunts. I have cousins, colleagues, and friends that are all women. I have been coached by women and taught by women. I have leaned on the women in my life for support when I need it, and I have been honored to be the one supporting the women in my life when they need it. How could I possibly pick just one when I am so lucky to have so many extraordinary women in my life? How could I even begin to quantify what makes her extraordinary? Or bring to words what a huge impact she's made on me? The task is clearly impossible for the small mind of this young band director. I would have to invent a new language to describe it properly, or maybe a machine that could solve a number of equations to quantify it, or perhaps compose a piece of music that might sing it straight to the listeners heart... Or maybe, I don't have to do any of that because a woman has already done it, and she's done it better than I could.
My principal/boss. She is so supportive of me and anything I need. She works to find a solution to everything. She holds a high standard while still being caring and compassionate. She is highly professional and kind.
My mother, April. She selflessly sacrificed literally everything for me and my brother. I have never met anyone who worked as hard as she did to provide for her kids.
My mother, Mary Ann Knopps. She was the ultimate "Wonder Woman" -- strong, fearless, and one that never backed down from anything or anyone. She continually looked a challenge in the eye and gave it a wink before she prevailed.
Imogen Heap. An extraordinary musician whose art, creativity, courage and kindness has served as inspiration in many ways.
Sarah Viens was my trumpet professor when I did my undergrad at UO. She cared about each and every one of her students and made sure they saw in themselves what she saw in them. She pushed me to grow as a musician and person more than anyone else in my life. I have an amazing career now and it is thanks to her. On top of being an incredible influence, and an incredible teacher, Sarah is also one of the best trumpeters I’ve ever known and flawlessly champions herself as a successful, capable, and talented brass musician, in a field largely dominated by men.
Dr. Catherine Rand is an exceptionally strong woman band director who leads fiercely with determination and conducts with an unparalleled emotional passion. She has shown me incredible kindness and encouragement in this profession and I am forever in awe of her.
My mother, my wife, and my step daughters. Also many of my colleagues in teaching. Straightforward, strong, resilient, no nonsense, fun to be around, passionate, uncompromising, trustworthy, independent, supportive.
I bet she doesn't even know about how much of an impact she made on me. I had a sweet friend in my undergraduate studies named Elizabeth. Every time I think about her, I think about her softness, warmth, her unconditional love, and her laughter. She never judged, she laughed with a head-back-full-of-joy laugh, and she loved her friends fiercely. I have had so many beautiful examples of extraordinary women who have made an impact on my life. Elizabeth was so special because when I was in her presence, I felt empowered and loved. I knew that was the kind of woman I wanted to strive to be forever.
On my fathers side, there is a line of strong women that survived wars, escaped prison camps, and made their way to the states through incredible hardship so that their future generations could have a better life. I have never met any of them beyond my grandmother, but their grit, survival skills, and ultimate attitude of striving towards a better world even though it was not guaranteed still blows my mind today. The sheer believe and hope that they had inspires me to try to stay hopeful through any hardship and puts my work into perspective. Like I said, I have a responsibility to make sure that their hard work was not done in vain.
My wife and my mother. My wife for her integrity and kindness, my mother for her high standards and work ethic.
I have two people in my life that have allowed me to prosper and soar; my mom and my master's professor, Dr. Carolyn Barber. They have both picked me up more times than I can count and they love me more than I loved myself at times. I wouldn't be alive without them and I owe them everything.
My new orchestra colleague - she has reignited my passion for teaching, reminded me what it looks like to be both caring and extremely demanding, and brings fire and passion to the work place EVERY SINGLE DAY. She fights hard against external forces that have long made her feel othered in the workplace as a woman on the podium, and she stands taller than the rest for overcoming it. I'm inspired and pushed daily to be better by being her colleague. I can't imagine work without her tenacity and leadership every day!!
I have started and stopped writing this a half dozen times, and I've restarted now again in the hopes that something profound and joyous and feminist will burst forth, but each time I've been unsuccessful. I am not a woman, but I am a brother to two incredible sisters. I am a son to a caring mother, and in a handful of months I will be a husband to a loving wife. I have grandmothers, sisters in law, and aunts. I have cousins, colleagues, and friends that are all women. I have been coached by women and taught by women. I have leaned on the women in my life for support when I need it, and I have been honored to be the one supporting the women in my life when they need it. How could I possibly pick just one when I am so lucky to have so many extraordinary women in my life? How could I even begin to quantify what makes her extraordinary? Or bring to words what a huge impact she's made on me? The task is clearly impossible for the small mind of this young band director. I would have to invent a new language to describe it properly, or maybe a machine that could solve a number of equations to quantify it, or perhaps compose a piece of music that might sing it straight to the listeners heart... Or maybe, I don't have to do any of that because a woman has already done it, and she's done it better than I could.
My principal/boss. She is so supportive of me and anything I need. She works to find a solution to everything. She holds a high standard while still being caring and compassionate. She is highly professional and kind.
My mother, April. She selflessly sacrificed literally everything for me and my brother. I have never met anyone who worked as hard as she did to provide for her kids.
My mother, Mary Ann Knopps. She was the ultimate "Wonder Woman" -- strong, fearless, and one that never backed down from anything or anyone. She continually looked a challenge in the eye and gave it a wink before she prevailed.
