Community college increases its commitment to music education

The last time I took a final exam was in 1988.

Back then, as our dear readers will remember, we had no cell phones or “Internet.” But the test I’m taking this week at Flathead Valley Community College won’t involve technology at all; just my voice.

Students in Nicole Sanford’s vocal jazz class performed our final work Tuesday night in the FVCC theatre in a session of several ensemble songs and solo works. The performance is part of the college’s Celebrate the Arts week, which features exhibitions and activities in the music, art and theatre departments. 

 It was also our final exam, so to speak.

Going “back to college” has been a fun and rewarding experience. I joined Sanford’s jazz class partly because it was one of the last genres of voice training and music that I’d not explored. I’ve done Gregorian chant, Italian art song, sacred music and classical. But I think more than the music, making music with people younger than half my age has been a blast. I love the energy of the college kids, and it’s matched by Sanford’s enthusiasm for teaching.

Sanford recently was named the college’s full-time music director. It’s a position that the college has not had since the early 1980s, and it reflects the college’s commitment to expanding its musical repertoire for traditional and nontraditional students.

The college’s music program is designed for students interested in pursuing a minor in music. The curriculums provide students with a jump-start on a music minor at Montana State University-Bozeman and The University of Montana – Missoula, as well as the first year of study for a Bachelor of Arts in Music or Music Education.

The college has a slate of top-notch music instructors, including John Zoltek, Steve Eckels, Craig Naylor, Wai Mizutani and Amy Beth Chisholm.

“I am very excited to be a part of a growing music program,” Sanford said. “The Flathead Valley produces quality high school musicians and FVCC is a perfect transition for graduates. Students have a great opportunity to be a part of the FVCC music program with its top-notch faculty whether they want to obtain a degree in music or just take an ensemble for fun.  More and more students are choosing FVCC and I love watching a quality program grow.”

Until Sanford was hired, Karla West was the music program coordinator the last four years, in addition to her duties as a business instructor at the college.

“It’s going to be really nice to have a fulltime music instructor,” West said. West has been an instructor at the college for 28 years. She said the college will work to build connections in local high schools to encourage students to enroll in its programs. “It’s a constant educating process, working with instructors in high schools, and it takes a fulltime person to do that,” West said. “As time goes on, more people will say ‘I want to be a part of that.’”

But there is also the nontraditional music students that the college hopes to attract. “Music is a lifelong endeavor,” said West, who is currently music director of the King and I production at Whitefish Theatre Company. “There’s no certain age you have to stop.”

As the new program director at FVCC, Sanford said there’s an opportunity to continue to expand the college’s music offerings. “I would love to see the music program take on more courses for music composition, music technology, and music therapy majors or minors,” she said. “As enrollment increases I would love to start a concert choir that the students, faculty, and the community can be a part of.”

After a busy week at FVCC, Sanford will assume the role as soprano soloist with the Glacier Symphony and Chorale in this weekend’s performances of Handel’s Messiah. That’s a switch from teaching jazz vocalists. “I love teaching jazz because it opens a door for expression between the vocalists, the instrumentalists and the audience,” Sanford said. “It’s a conversation. The music is partly planned and partly spontaneous, allowing for individual originality yet responsibility to the group. The ultimate goal is that jazz music is felt rather than played.”