| About Jaye Churchill Jaye Churchill has been a musician all her life, having been raised by parents who were both music teachers. She earned a BA in Vocal Performance from University of Southern Maine, and began a career as a performer, teacher, and choral director. She is best known as founder and director of the eight-year-old Musica de Filia Girlchoir, and for her previous eight years as director of the Boy Singers of Maine. In 2004 she added a women’s choir to the Musica de Filia family. Ms. Churchill serves on the music faculty of the Southern Maine Choral Institute at the University of Southern Maine (since 1998) and is frequently called upon to conduct honors chorus festivals throughout the state of Maine. In 2004 Ms. Churchill received the “Distinguished Choral Directors Award” from the Maine chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. In addition to directing Musica de Filia Girlchoir, Ms. Churchill is the choral director at Waynflete Middle and Upper Schools in Portland, Maine. Jaye Churchill, soprano, is an active performer in the Portland, Maine area, and has appeared in the Portland Symphony Orchestra’s productions of A Little Night Music and Richard Roger’s Anniversary Celebration in 2002. She also performs in musical theatre; most recently she played the role of Eliza Doolittle in the Lyric Music Theatre’s production of My Fair Lady. Ms. Churchill was the Music Director for Lyric’s February, 2005 production of Brigadoon.. Here is the text of an interview with Jaye Churchill, reprinted from Musica de Filia’s November, 2002 Newsletter: Editor (Ed.): Jaye, tell us a little about your personal background. Jaye: I was born in Massachusetts, but moved to Maine when I was 15, so I consider myself a “Mainer.” I graduated from Oxford Hills High School. Then I went to USM for a BA in Vocal Performance, much to my parent’s chagrin; they wanted me to go into music education. I did graduate work at Boston University. Ed: Were you a musician as a youngster? What did you want to be when you grew up? Jaye: I was a musician from day one. It was a house rule that we had to take piano lessons until we were 18! I remember going to Boston with my grandfather, who was also a piano teacher, to get my first piano lesson book. I was five years old, and I still remember running up and down the hard-wood floor there in my Mary Janes. I always wanted to be a musician, but I also wanted to be a vet. When I was in High School, I finally knew that my future would be in music. Ed: What musical influences have shaped you the most? Jaye: First and foremost, my parents and the way they steadily nurtured my music. They encouraged my practicing more than my schoolwork! Then there was driving 1-½ hours on Friday to my piano lessons in Portland with Ocy Downs. She would give me a 2-½ hour lesson for $10.00! When I came back to Maine after working on my masters, I got a job as a music teacher for 200 kids at the Lighthouse Nursery in South Portland. That’s when I found out how much I loved teaching children.” My eight years as Director of Boy Singers of Maine shaped me the most professionally. I didn’t know I was a conductor until then. Ed: Why did you create a girls choir? Jaye: A number of my female voice students wanted to know why there wasn’t a “Girl Singers of Maine’ The Boy Singers didn’t feel that they could tackle an additional choir, so I started one on my own. Ed: What advice would you like to pass along to your students? Jaye: I’ve been giving a lot of advice to high school seniors this year. I tell them, “Your life will constantly evolve. Don’t be so worried about the “title” of your degree. It’s OK if you change your direction during or after college.” I got a degree in vocal performance because I knew I wanted to be in music, but I did not want to teach children. Then, I got that job teaching kids at the Lighthouse and found out how much fun it was. I never, ever, saw myself as a conductor, yet that’s what I’m doing now and I love it. Life just keeps evolving! If you are a younger girl who is interested in a degree or a career in music some day, you need to start taking piano lessons right now! It’s the best thing you can do for yourself. It makes you a strong and independent musician. No matter what instrument you major in, you have to pass a proficiency test in piano to get a music degree, and it is easier to learn when you are young. Lessons don’t have to be geared toward being a classical concert pianist, but piano lessons will really keep all your options open. Home |
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