After 30 years of directing, teaching, and supporting students from all over campus, Choral Director J. Brent McCartney is retiring.
When I began my high school career, there wasn’t much that I had anticipated connecting with in high school. I’d assumed that the next 4 years would be just that: another 4 years. The first 2 classes did nothing more than meet my expectations. They were credits that I had to earn to graduate, and I would sink into an unending routine of boredom. Then, I stepped into the choir room.
There he was, sitting at the piano. There were students surrounding him, listening to him play. Those who weren’t were hugging each other and smiling, talking about how happy they were to be back in this room.
Being entirely new, I could do nothing but observe until it was time to sing. I heard him loudly play a single chord and say, “Find Do!”
All at once, each student found their spots on the risers and sang the same note in tune. He then raised his arms to signal us to rise half a step from our original key. We all listened, and if there wasn’t a chord being sung, the room was silent.
We sang lots of warm-ups, none of which I was familiar with, and we joked when one of our sections would mess up or when he would stop to tell us a story.
Single-handedly, Mr. McCartney created a judgment-free space where all students could laugh and learn simultaneously. With new music on the piano almost every month, students were challenged and excited to read every measure.
“This is my first year at Azle, and McCartney made my senior year very memorable,” Senior Melani Hudgeons said. “He pushed me to join Varsity Chorale, and now his class is the one that I always look forward to. He brought back my love for singing.”
After speaking with Chorale leaders, Senior Co-President Emma Black said that she has never had a classroom experience like the one she has had in Chorale.
“His energy and commitment to the program are amazing,” Senior Chorale Co-President Emma Black said. “He makes sure each person feels comfortable with the notes being sung and the environment they are in.”
I am constantly inspired by his passion for what he loves, his kindness towards people who are unfamiliar with his space and music, and his patience when it comes to teaching people who learn in different ways. I couldn’t be more grateful for my time with Mr. Mac. He has truly changed my life.
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!
