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Music is an important component to providing a child with a well-rounded education. Studying music helps children build musical skill, develop social and emotional learning, and explore artistic expression. In turn, when students utilize that artistic expression, they often find and develop a unique voice. 

At Michigan State University, the Music Education Area in the College of Music nurtures the same experience in music students passionate about teaching. Core knowledge and skills are provided while allowing college students to innovate, explore individual interests, and develop their voices as educators.

MSU Music Education graduates go on to become music teachers in K-12 classrooms, and MSU is a national leader in this field. The positive influence of Spartan music teachers can be felt across the country. 

Shannon Moore, for example, is a K-12 Music and Band Teacher at Pellston Public Schools in northern Michigan. Inspired by Stevie Nicks and the Fleetwood Mac song “Landslide,” the Ohio native followed her dreams to Michigan State and auditioned for the College of Music in 2015. During her studies, Moore was involved in the women’s music service fraternity Sigma Alpha Iota and the band service fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi. She also taught at a number of high school band camps during that time. 

Following student teaching and graduation in December 2019, Moore landed a long-term substitute position. After being cut short by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the educator then took a position in Pellston. Moore credits her growing career to fruitful relationships with those she worked with and learned alongside, and the ability to adapt, and credits the amount of time she was able to spend in music classrooms as the most helpful preparation. 

“I’m definitely someone who learns best by doing, so the fact that I was able to start gaining teaching experience as early as my sophomore year was incredibly helpful,” Moore said. 

One important lesson from Moore’s undergraduate career that has also traversed into her classroom is the idea that music is a universal connector. 

“I learned that everyone is musical and can make music. It just looks different in different individuals,” she said. “The ways that I make and interact with music are different from both my peers at MSU, as well as my colleagues at school, and certainly amongst my students. That doesn’t make any way of making music less important or less valuable. It’s just unique to that person.”

Seeing students connect with music in meaningful ways and experiencing joy the same way Moore did as a student is precisely why she was led to this career. 

“I’m watching students of all ages fall in love with music through so many different ways, and because they’re falling in love with making music, they’re putting in the work to be good at it,” she said. “It seems like there isn’t anything my students can’t do. It’s all so amazing.”

Karissa Longo graduated from MSU in 2017 and now works as an elementary music teacher in Seattle Public Schools. She said that studying at MSU shifted her career goals. After interning at the Community Music School in East Lansing and working with students from early childhood through 80+ years old, Longo realized music education is vast. She also credits the amount of time she was able to spend in classrooms during her formative student years as the key to success as a teacher now.

“MSU did a great job of expanding my view of what music education can be,” Longo said. “I think the two best ways to learn how to teach are by watching amazing, skillful teachers teach and by actually getting out there and teaching yourself. We were given plenty of opportunities to do both of those things.” 

Longo said MSU taught her the value of learning how to be flexible in the classroom. It is a lesson she uses today in her role. 

“I think learning how to come into the classroom with a well-thought-out plan but also being able to teach on your feet, respond to what’s happening with your students, and take things in a different direction if necessary is so essential,” she said. 

MSU Assistant Professor of Music Education Ryan Shaw is also an MSU alum who has been on faculty in the college since 2018. He said he feels blessed to work toward preparing future music teachers. 

“Our goals are to equip them with the knowledge and skills to be positive forces in kids’ lives, which is always a challenge, given the monumental task of teaching day-in day-out,” Shaw said. “They come to MSU with a lot of passion, so we do our best to use our own experiences as teachers to set them up for success.”

Hearing and seeing the work his students are doing with their individual students and classrooms is gratifying for Shaw and the rest of the Music Education faculty. Even the smaller, daily tasks that don’t always warrant recognition or awards are important.

“Our graduates are working really hard and having a lot of success.That success is the obvious things like a well-publicized concert or trip, but it’s also the behind the scenes, ‘unsung hero’ kind of stuff, too,” Shaw said. “Helping a seven-year-old find their singing voice; teaching trumpet lessons before school; moving instruments and chairs; being a good human and good member of the school community. We’re proud of the MSU Music Education alums for all of that and more.”