By Katie Palmer
Photo via via Google Images
Skagit Valley College and its students hold pride in the music program, with various classes being available in many different areas of music. However, that has changed with COVID-19. The music program has taken a very large hit.
I spoke with Diane Johnson, the department chair of the music program. She’s the only full-time faculty, and it’s been that way since she came to Skagit Valley College in 1998. This is her 23rd year at SVC. When asked about her she feels about the music program right now, Johnson commented, “I love the music program, but right now it’s mainly just me hanging out in my office.” Johnson currently teaches almost all the classes, and does advising for the music major students, along with the task of keeping all the music equipment in order. Johnson expanded that she’s currently working on getting the music students back on campus during the fall, along with the choir, as they’re currently only able to meet on zoom.
Johnson went on to explain how much of a hit the music program took last year. “Well we were severely impacted by the budget cuts last year, they cut 73,000 dollars out of my budget. And so I lost a faculty member. Actually, an associate faculty member that was basically working full time. She taught all the theory classes and I taught all the other history classes, and so then (with the faculty member’s leave) I had to pick up all the theory classes. I do have, because of the music major, I do have some faculty majors who teach private lessons, but most of them are zooming in, and most of them just teach out of their own studios they don’t really see them on campus or anything, and then Vince Fejeran, he teaches a few classes, but overall it’s been kinda lonely. Musicians are social creatures, we don’t like to be stuck in a box. You know, we like to hang out and make noise.”
Johnson expanded that the hardest part of being online was not being able to rehearse together. “the symphonies and the community band all those organizations that need to rehearse together, I mean they’re all finding ways to still try and create music, I mean the choir, we rehearse all quarter.” Johnson mentioned that they’re currently working on a couple songs for the graduation ceremony
Johnson commented on her plans for the music program next fall. “I’m going to meet with the dean to get a piano teacher for piano classes, since I don’t play piano, y’know I’m a singer, so me teaching it wouldn’t be very good. I’m really hoping we can get it sorted out.” Johnson expanded that they didn’t offer this class last fall, as beginning piano and the online format didn’t seem like it would mix very well. “We have a room with 23 pianos in it, and so even with social distancing I can fit 11 students in that room and that’s what I’m trying to work out, really figuring out what the schedule will look like.” Johnson expanded on her plans for meeting on campus in the fall quarter, saying students would likely meet once a week on the keyboards, and then do the rest online.
Johnson elaborated on her plans, stating that she’s very excited for a mariachi program that will be starting at SVC next fall, with the mariachi instructor from the Mount Vernon high school.
Johnson went on to expand on her feelings of how the students have been affected by the music program. “I just want to say I really appreciate the students who have hung in there, because this is everybody, the students have hung in there, having to adjust to online learning, because not everybody likes online classes, right? A lot of people avoid them. So not being able to avoid them has been a challenge, and I just appreciate all the SVC students so much for being willing to go there and work with faculty as we’re trying to figure out how to adapt, and how to be the best teachers we can be in this situation, and I feel like the students have been very supportive, and I hope you students have been supported by the faculty, you know it’s that old ‘We’re all in this together, let’s make the most of it’. That’s what’s been nice to see from my vantage point in my little corner of the world here, new students who have been here and now graduating, we’ve had 6 students graduating this year, all spread out in the universities they’re going to. It’s nice to see people can still move through their programs and get their degree goals.”
The Skagit Valley College music program has been severely impacted by COVID-19, but things are looking up for this fall, with all the music teachers, and especially Diane Johnson, working their hardest to get it back to normal. Music interested students, watch out for the new mariachi, and the hopeful return of the piano classes this upcoming fall, it’s looking to be a bright, song-filled quarter.
