Michelle M

 I began my music career in Private education and performance. I graduated from Newton High School in Newton Kansas where I was a member of Les Chantes (the all girls intermediate choral group), Railairs, and Coraleers (coed intermediate choral groups) as well as Band, orcastra and handbell choir. I was also involved in musical theater at the school as well as in the community. I also performed my freshman year in college at Bethel College while obtaining my Associates Degree.

I began private vocal lessons at 8 years old and was trained in classical vocals and opearetics for 10 years.

I began performing at 8 years of age in the Bethel college youth choir achieving my first solo that year. I was a part of the choir untill I was 12. At 13 our church had no highschool aged choir so I joined the adult choir and sung with them until I was 16. In highschool I was a featured soloist in choral performances a total of 8 times. I also compeeted in regional and state music competitions acheiving excelent ratings all four years of eligibility, I also performed in 4 musicals including "Calamity Jane" and "Oklahoma". I was also hired to sing at a plethera of weddings and funerals all over the state of Kansas and was briefly as backup singer in a rock band in the Wichita Market. In College I performed with the choir Handel's Messiah as well as a solo performance in the musical "110 in the shade". After a 6 year hiatis from music I joined the choir at Temple Baptist Church (a southern mega church in Mississippi) and performed every Sunday for 6 years soloing several times as well as performing in Christmas, Easter, and Patriotic Cantatas. Once I moved back to Kansas I used my experience in the south to join, maintain and eventually take over the music department (Childrens as well as adult) of Immanuel Baptist Church. I have been performing almost every Sunday as a part of a worship team and presenting multiple special music performances for the last 15 years and will conitiue to do so as long as the opportunities present thamselves.

I never imagined that I would be a teacher but I actually started teaching and directing music in highschool. I took over as the director of a junior high hand bell choir and led them for two years which culminated in a trip to the National Hanbell Ringers Associations National Convention and Concert in Cape Geradeau, Missouri. I then stepped away from music after my Freshman year in College and didn't even dream of teaching until my oldest son was in Kindergarten. At that time my church children's choir director had left and had asked me to takeover to maintain the program. I lead that choir for nine years doing concerts and musicals as well as lead music for the children's VBS ministry for eight years. I was also asked to take over as the adult choir director and led that program for three years. Then in 2006 the teacher who was doubling as the music director for Newton Bible Christian School moved out of state and I took over as their music director, leading choir and building a hand chimes program over the course of seven years. When my oldest son moved to high school I joined the faculity at Life Preparatory Academy and am starting my fifth year there teaching choral music, hand chimes and theatre.