麻豆果冻传媒

麻豆果冻传媒 music students say donor-funded travel opportunities are life-changing

麻豆果冻传媒鈥檚 School of Music is offering additional student travel opportunities to festivals, symphonies, auditions and symposiums, thanks to a generous gift from a Tech alumna.

Kathy Whitaker (`80 civil engineering) and her husband, Everett, recently made a gift to Tech鈥檚 School of Music to fund value-added experiences for students.

鈥淚t鈥檚 so important for musicians to hear live music,鈥� said Jennifer Shank, dean of the College of Fine Arts. 鈥淲e do a good job of bringing musicians here, but taking students to hear a top-notch orchestra is a big deal.鈥�  

Colin Hill, director of the School of Music, added, 鈥淎ny time students attend national symposiums, it validates what they are doing and inspires and invigorates them. It鈥檚 unlike anything else.鈥�

Whitaker鈥檚 gift has allowed the School of Music to send students to the International Clarinet Association鈥檚 ClarinetFest in Denver, Colo.; the Frederick L. Hemke Saxophone Institute in Sidney, Maine; the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Indianapolis, Ind., the Knoxville Symphony to hear William Leathers perform the 鈥淎rutiunian Trumpet Concerto鈥� and the Nashville Symphony to hear Joseph Alessi perform the 鈥淐hick Corea Trombone Concerto,鈥� just to name a few.

When Hannah Eitzen, a senior music education major, received an invitation to audition for the United States Air Force Concert and Ceremonial Band in Washington, D.C., Whitaker鈥檚 gift helped fund her travel.

鈥淎n opportunity like that, before you graduate from college, never comes along,鈥� Shank said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge honor to even be invited to audition.鈥�

Eitzen says it can be difficult to navigate the financial aspect of professional development opportunities outside of school, and she is grateful for Whitaker鈥檚 support.

鈥淧reparing for this audition was a huge catalyst for musical and personal growth and taught me so much about the military band audition process and how my mind and body react in a high-pressure audition,鈥� Eitzen said. 鈥淚鈥檓 incredibly grateful for the support of 麻豆果冻传媒 music faculty and people like Ms. Whitaker who help make experiences like mine possible.鈥�

Part of Whitaker鈥檚 gift is intended for outreach, and the School of Music plans to present concerts at local middle and high schools. Shank and Hill say they hope to visit Morgan鈥檚 County鈥檚 Petros-Joyner School, which doesn鈥檛 have a band or music program of any kind, and Tech鈥檚 drum line plans to host a two-hour session at Algood Elementary School.

Whitaker says the purpose of these outreach opportunities is twofold: One, introduce music programs to middle and high school students who don鈥檛 have access to music education and two, give Tech students the opportunity to play for an audience.

鈥淭his helps Tech students give back to other communities, and that鈥檚 a real benefit,鈥� Whitaker said. 鈥淣ot only do I think it prepares students to be better world citizens, but it also teaches them what it鈥檚 like to help other people.鈥�

Hill added, 鈥淲e do things in our bubble but to be successful, we need an audience. This is practice for our students. They get to stand in front of a room and explain what they do. Students work really, really hard in the practice room. When they get on stage and perform, it鈥檚 validation for their hard work.鈥�

While Whitaker majored in engineering 鈥� not music 鈥� at Tech and enjoyed a successful career as an engineer for Tennessee Valley Authority and the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) Inc., she has always had a love for music and credits her father, who played guitar, for inspiring her. Whitaker plays clarinet in Chattanooga鈥檚 community band.

鈥淚鈥檝e never been an exceptional musician, but I love it,鈥� Whitaker said. 鈥淚 love the sense that when I go into music rehearsals, there鈥檚 a community. I鈥檓 part of a group. You can set aside what鈥檚 happening outside of the band room. It also gives me a connection to my dad.鈥�

Whitaker, now retired, says she is focused on giving back.

鈥淚 absolutely loved Tech,鈥� Whitaker said. 鈥淚 loved being a female engineer here. I feel gratitude for what Tech gave me: a great education that allowed me to have a wonderful career.鈥�

Students have used the words 鈥渢ransformative鈥� and 鈥渓ife-changing鈥� to describe the travel experiences Whitaker helped fund.

鈥淢ost of our students receive some type of financial aid, so being able to go on these trips is not in their finances,鈥� Shank said. 鈥淢ost of our students have never been past the Mississippi River. Some have never been on an airplane. Kathy Whitaker鈥檚 gift has absolutely changed how we can help our students have a bigger, better experience. Our students are so appreciative. They have so much joy. And they are certainly aware that it takes people like Kathy to make this happen.鈥�