Welcome to the St. Joseph School Music Website
When asked, "When is the best time to begin the musical education of a child?" Zoltan Kodaly replied, "Nine months before the birth of the child's mother."
My name is Mr. Lovelace. I'm the music teacher here at St. Joseph School. Given the importance of Kodaly's Philosophy in my own musical education, I suppose I should trace my own music education back to my parents' families. The households where my parents grew up were ones that were filled with music. Both families had a piano, and all the siblings took piano lessons. My parents each were the oldest in their respective families. Neither was the "best" musician in the family, but both loved music. Among their brothers and sisters, I had one uncle who was a great violinist, an aunt that was an accomplished dancer, and another aunt that was a fine pianist and singer.
My father was a technical trainer in the U. S. Air Force. A communications/radar/electronics specialist. In 1963, Air Training Command was permanently located at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver. And although my family traveled a lot prior to 1963, I don't remember ever living anywhere before Colorado. One of my earliest recollections was of the day that our "new" family piano arrived. (I was probably three or four.) It was an old upright grand that had been an electric player piano in a bar somewhere. It had been gutted long before we owned it, so it was no longer a "player." My dad told me once that the instrument cost a mere $25.00. And Dad also supplied a case of "refreshment" for the Airmen who helped him haul it to our house.
Dad's favorite song, which he played from memory, was, "Whispering." He didn't play too often. Mom hardly ever touched the piano--they'd gotten it for us kids. And they'd gotten it because they thought families should a have piano in the house.
None of us kids took "lessons" for quite a few years, but with the help of some old beginner books that had belonged to our parents, my brothers and sister and I got the hang of reading notes on the treble clef. And, every month, when the Misselettes at our parish church expired, we always brought an old copy home so we could sing and play church songs. I guess it's safe to say that I got my love of music (and my love of Church music, in particular) from my parents.
My earliest music lessons were on guitar, and I began my music ministry in church at age nine. (Beginning in 4th grade, I played with a guitar group (of students) for all-school Masses at St. Pius X School every First Friday. By 6th grade, I was the leader of the group. In high school, At Regis Jesuit High School, in Denver, I was a member of a quartet that played music for all the weekly masses at school.
Before college, I learned to play most fretted stringed instruments, piano, and violin. During college, I began studying harp. My undergraduate degree is in Elementary Education. I spent 12 years between 1982 and 1995 as a regular classroom teacher, (with one year off for a Masters in Music.) Between 1995 and 2006 I made my entire living as a full-time harp teacher/performer. I became the music teacher at St. Joseph School in 2006. I spend Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at St. Joseph School, and the rest of the week I teach harp lessons throughout East Tennessee. (For more information pertaining specifically to the harp, please visit my personal website: www.williamlovelaceharp.com)
I discovered the Kodaly Concept of Music Education while teaching in Southwestern Colorado and attended Holy Names College in Oakland, CA, (1988-1989) to earn a degree entirely focused on this approach to music education. My approach to teaching at St. Joseph School is based on the study and research that I did at Holy Names College. (Please see "Course Overview.")
My name is Mr. Lovelace. I'm the music teacher here at St. Joseph School. Given the importance of Kodaly's Philosophy in my own musical education, I suppose I should trace my own music education back to my parents' families. The households where my parents grew up were ones that were filled with music. Both families had a piano, and all the siblings took piano lessons. My parents each were the oldest in their respective families. Neither was the "best" musician in the family, but both loved music. Among their brothers and sisters, I had one uncle who was a great violinist, an aunt that was an accomplished dancer, and another aunt that was a fine pianist and singer.
My father was a technical trainer in the U. S. Air Force. A communications/radar/electronics specialist. In 1963, Air Training Command was permanently located at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver. And although my family traveled a lot prior to 1963, I don't remember ever living anywhere before Colorado. One of my earliest recollections was of the day that our "new" family piano arrived. (I was probably three or four.) It was an old upright grand that had been an electric player piano in a bar somewhere. It had been gutted long before we owned it, so it was no longer a "player." My dad told me once that the instrument cost a mere $25.00. And Dad also supplied a case of "refreshment" for the Airmen who helped him haul it to our house.
Dad's favorite song, which he played from memory, was, "Whispering." He didn't play too often. Mom hardly ever touched the piano--they'd gotten it for us kids. And they'd gotten it because they thought families should a have piano in the house.
None of us kids took "lessons" for quite a few years, but with the help of some old beginner books that had belonged to our parents, my brothers and sister and I got the hang of reading notes on the treble clef. And, every month, when the Misselettes at our parish church expired, we always brought an old copy home so we could sing and play church songs. I guess it's safe to say that I got my love of music (and my love of Church music, in particular) from my parents.
My earliest music lessons were on guitar, and I began my music ministry in church at age nine. (Beginning in 4th grade, I played with a guitar group (of students) for all-school Masses at St. Pius X School every First Friday. By 6th grade, I was the leader of the group. In high school, At Regis Jesuit High School, in Denver, I was a member of a quartet that played music for all the weekly masses at school.
Before college, I learned to play most fretted stringed instruments, piano, and violin. During college, I began studying harp. My undergraduate degree is in Elementary Education. I spent 12 years between 1982 and 1995 as a regular classroom teacher, (with one year off for a Masters in Music.) Between 1995 and 2006 I made my entire living as a full-time harp teacher/performer. I became the music teacher at St. Joseph School in 2006. I spend Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at St. Joseph School, and the rest of the week I teach harp lessons throughout East Tennessee. (For more information pertaining specifically to the harp, please visit my personal website: www.williamlovelaceharp.com)
I discovered the Kodaly Concept of Music Education while teaching in Southwestern Colorado and attended Holy Names College in Oakland, CA, (1988-1989) to earn a degree entirely focused on this approach to music education. My approach to teaching at St. Joseph School is based on the study and research that I did at Holy Names College. (Please see "Course Overview.")