Story by: William Hayes
This euphonium player is UNC Junior Corey Sheppard, a music education student at UNC Chapel Hill. He’s practicing a piece for the tuba studio, as he is required to take private lessons on top of his rigorous, 15-18 credit hour a semester course-load.
“The classes are kind of closing behind me and that-that may not completely be true, but I know like there’s a sense of urgency for us to complete our classes and get out of here.”
Sheppard learned the program wasn’t accepting new students last Spring as it couldn’t support low class sizes with only 4 to 7 students. Some students were left unable to apply.
“We were always a small program in a medium-sized department.”
The program’s coordinator, Evan Feldman, says the program will graduate its remaining students. Feldman also hopes the program can return in the future.
“We’re still looking for ways, largely in partnership with, you know, other colleges in the system who might have a similar issue in terms of enrollment.”
For alumni now teaching middle school students who want to follow their footsteps, it’s awkward news to break.
“And there’s this little part of me that’s “Well, there’s this little thing that the music ed degree is kind of pausing.’”
Madi Marks is a recent program graduate now directing band at Apex Middle School. The program allowed students to graduate with a music degree and a license to teach music. Marks says people can still be music teachers from UNC, but you’d need to find a post-graduate program to achieve the further license.
She hopes the lack of a program won’t impact prospective music educators in a state already struggling to retain educators.
“So I definitely still encourage people to go to UNC because it’s UNC like it is a very good school and that there are other ways to be able to get that licensure.”
However, some veteran teachers worry about the future of music education as a career, and its potential impact on future students.
This is Michael Jenkins rehearsing with his award winning band. He’s the band director and dean of instruction at Hillsborough’s Eno River Academy. He says there isn’t enough appreciation for the arts, especially music.
“Elective classes, especially music classes, you know, get the short end of the stick in terms you know, you know, whatever the case may be, scheduling or you know, things that just seem like make makes the job harder.”
Jenkins says more needs to be done to support teachers. Sheppard agrees, saying that learning music has a powerful impact.
“I think music education and education in general is very, very important. I think even if you don’t intend to teach, just taking some of those classes will give you a whole new perspective.”
Sheppard is planning on teaching middle school band to share his passion with students once he graduates. This is W. H. Hayes reporting.
