Excited to join Jenison HS music department!

I was offered and accepted a position with Jenison High School choirs. I will be accompanying their morning classes under Grant Carmichael!

I'm so excited to be in this role. I find accompaniments vastly satisfying. I had this position waaay back in 1987-88 at Jenison. The director then was Les Rowsey. Over the years, I have accompanied various church and school groups, including Greenville Middle School.

I found out about the position at the beginning of the summer from a friend who works at Jenison. I immediately applied and waited to hear about interviewing. Finally, I received notice that interviews would be on August 1st. I would have dropped anything to make this interview. Well, almost anything. Since my #3 son got married to #2 wife that day, and I had the Mother-of-the-groom/Groom dance, I had to decline the interview. I suggested several alternative days/times, but Jenison had only August 1st dedicated to the panel of interviewers. I was disappointed, But, life goes on.

Fast forward to August 28, and I am getting ready for a wonderful 5 day weekend up North, when I receive an email from Mr. Carmichael saying that the position has opened back up! Am I interested? Yes! He sent a couple scores over, which I looked at, listened to recordings on YouTube at The Piano Cottage that afternoon. Friday morning, I drove up North, and I came back Tuesday after Labor Day.

Wednesday I went to Jenison, played those pieces, some sight-reading (piece of cake), and answered a bunch of questions. I must have had all the right answers, because I start Monday! So thrilled to get into this position. I know that I will be an asset to them, and this fills a part of my heart that absolutely loves accompaniment and all that is involved in supporting music directors. 

As my dad, John Dunsmore (may his memory be joyful), was a band and choir director, I spent many happy years collecting memories of working with him. I would assist in librarian duties for his band music: copying, filing, sorting. I accompanied his Middle School students for local Solo and Ensemble at Wayland Union School (1974-1980). I sang in his church choirs: Wayland United Methodist Church, and later: Wyoming Seventh-Day Adventist Church. I loved his life so much, I pursued my own Music Education Degree.

Over 3 decades and 3 colleges, (and  1 marriage, 11 children, 25 years homeschooling, Massage school, substitute teaching, divorce, and innumerable private and public music positions) I managed to earn Bachelors of Music Education in 2018. Although I did only a couple short time jobs with school music programs (I will say the pandemic had a role in that outcome) I have applied what I learned every day with my private music students. 

And now, another chapter begins at Jenison High School. 

I love my life.