The “Senior Spotlight” series honors graduating fine arts majors for their contributions to the Gustavus community.
Audrey Powell is a senior music education major from Rosemount, Minn. She will be student teaching in the fall before pursuing a career as an elementary school band director. Adjunct Instructor of Horn Melissa Morey says Audrey’s ability to juggle life in both the instrumental and choral sphere has been notable. “Her leadership, humor, and presence will be sorely missed, by me and by all of us in the horn studio,” she says. “Wherever her journey takes her she will make positive impacts in the world!”
We asked Audrey to give us a little insight into her time at Gustavus and how she’s “staying musical” while living at home.
What will you miss most about music at Gustavus?
AP: The things that I will miss most about music at Gustavus is the tours that I’ve gone on with the band and with choir. These tours are an awesome opportunity to make music and share it with others, be able to bond as an ensemble, get to know other individuals better, and get to know amazing different people along the way. Between the tour guides, host families, other directors and other students you get to meet, the experience is truly one of a kind and the memories you create on those tours are unforgettable.
What’s a favorite memory you have from your time in music here?
AP: One of my favorite memories that I have from my time in music at Gustavus is the Music Capitals of Europe tour that I took with the Gustavus Choir. It was the trip of a lifetime. The historical significance of some of the places we were able to visit and to be able to sing in some of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world was an incredible experience.
How are you continuing your music in your new surroundings?
AP: I am continuing music in my new surroundings by listening to a lot of music, wind music, choir music, as well as continuing to practice the music of Mozart and Faure as I would have if we were still in school. One thing I have been doing a lot more of is listening to TED Talks on other musicians and teachers. I really enjoy hearing about the impact of music on their life and their experience with music and how it’s similar or different from my own!
What has it been like for you to “be musical” at home?
AP: One thing that has been difficult about being musical at home is the lack of community. At school, the majority of the time I spend making music is in GWO, The Gustavus Choir, and with the other french horn players. While the time I get to spend on lesson repertoire is much more productive because I can practice at a time that makes the most sense for me, I miss being beside my peers and making music in the rehearsal spaces at Gustavus. The experience that you get being in a Gustavus ensemble is unmatched and is one of the things I will miss most about the institution.
What professor has made the biggest impact on you and why?
AP: The professor that has made the biggest impact on my time at Gustavus is my horn lesson/horn studio professor Melissa Morey. She is not only an instructor but is also a role model, support system and cheerleader for all of us in the horn studio. In the studio the focus is that you grow as a horn player, but also as an individual, and the community that she creates with all the horns at Gustavus is the community I hope to replicate in my future ensembles as well.