What's Up in Your Life?
Sarah Adams, BMA ‘08
Lyndsy Adamson's Music Therapy Internship Experience
Nasim Assadian, BMU ‘07
Karen Clark-Lauzon, BMA ’76, B Ed ‘77
Lindsay Croxall, BFA music theatre ‘03
Margaret Deneau (née Thuring), BMU ‘04
Maureen Harris, BMA ’97, M Ed '06
Tamara Leszner, BMT ‘08 and Mark Rovet, BMU ‘07
Dr. Derek Knight-Messenger '73
Sheri Nast-McAuley BMT '95
Chantelle Mayville - Belgium Opera Experience
Neil McAuley BMA '98, B Ed. '05
Denise McGuire, BMT ’98
Kathi Poupard, BMU '74
Amy Rivard, BFA Music Theatre ‘98
Mark Rocheleau, BMU ‘83
Megann Smith, BMU ‘09
Sarah Adams, BMA ‘08
I'm currently living in Toronto, Ontario; and I'm studying Psychology at York University. Yes, I got caught in the three-month strike. I'm also working at York as an Accessibility Assistant, and doing some advocacy work for people with disabilities. Classes were extended here (sigh), exams began May 22.
My Internship Experience, by Lyndsy Adamson
“It’s minus 30 outside? Is that possible?” The walk to my music therapy internship in a coat that felt like a ten pound duvet was a far cry from the stroll to campus in balmy Windsor.At Montreal’s MAB-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre I learned the meaning of ‘client focused’. Think about your pre-kindergarten years; did they include daily trips to rehabilitation, yearly tests and long medical procedures? The more I learned about the children’s experiences, the more my compassion and awareness grew. Meeting with caregivers showed me the impact of test scores, diagnoses and re-evaluations in the client’s life. Seeing parents and children live with uncertain futures was the reality beyond the classroom.
Yet these children would persevere! Laughing and smiling through therapies and making new friends. The Mackay team’s experience and knowledge was incredible, they had the relentless ability to provide amazing services. I learned so much from so many people.
My path of self development was surprising. Originally, I thought I would master my craft right away! Slowly I dropped perfectionism and learned to experience the moment with the client and trust the music. I also dropped the keys to the music therapy room down the elevator shaft (but that’s another story).
By the end I made some great friends. I took opportunities to play, learn and teach in ways I never imagined. In Montreal , a friend told me ‘creativity is about making choices’. In my career I am improvising with ideas as they come. Although I miss speaking French et la belle province, I have returned to Windsor excited to bring more music therapy into this community.
Nasim Assadian, BMU ‘07
I finished my teacher's college last year and moved to Toronto. Currently I am working with Peel district school board and teaching music to elementary students in a small school in Mississauga area. I am engaged and getting married this August. He is also a Windsor alumna (not music).
Karen Clark-Lauzon, BMA ’76, B Ed ‘77
I haven't kept in touch with anyone at the School of Music since I graduated in 1976. And soon I'll be retiring! So I'll try to stick to the main events in my life… Hired by the former Essex County School Board to teach music in Sept. 1977 until my date of retirement which was June 2009. I taught band and choir at 5 area schools. During the past 10 years, I have been assigned to Junior and Intermediate homeroom classes. And I've also taught Visual Art, which I will be pursuing in my retirement. Married to Rob Lauzon, MBA Windsor 1999. We live in LaSalle, ON.
Lindsay Croxall, BFA music theatre ‘03
Lindsay is enjoying her second season with the Stratford Festival. This season she plays Minnie in West Side Story and Gymnasia in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.Last season, Lindsay played Elsa, the genuine flapper/sausage girl, in Cabaret. Credits since graduating from the University of Windsor’s BFA music theatre program in 2003 include being an original cast member of We Will Rock You (Mirvish), where she had the thrill of a lifetime performing live onstage with Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen; two seasons at Canada's Wonderland, where she received an international award as Best Female Performer (Big E! Entertainment); and most recently, performing in the “sillylicious” pantomime, Cinderella (Ross Petty Productions). She considers herself very lucky to have travelled to over 75 countries entertaining on several world cruising ships.
Margaret Deneau (née Thuring), BMU ‘04
Margaret lives in Windsor; she married in 2006 and had a baby in Aug. 2007 - Sienna Lara Deneau (will be 2 this summer!). She started a home-based business in spring 2008 "Sweetheart Diapers & More" - selling cloth diapers and is teaching piano lessons out of her home and doing some accompanying.
Maureen Harris, BMA ’97, M Ed '06
Maureen Harris has made music so much fun for her students that she was honoured with a national award at the annual conference of the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers' Associations last month. Maureen was on or five recipients of the first annual Hugheen Ferguson award. Congratulations!
Tamara Leszner, BMT ‘08 and Mark Rovet, BMU ‘07
Tamara Leszner and Mark Rovet married on June 14, 2009 in Toronto. The newlyweds met at the School of Music! Mark graduated in 2007 and Tamara graduated in 2008 (music therapy internship from 2007-2008). She owns Tamara's Piano Studio and Music Therapy Services in Thornhill, ON.Website: www.tamaraspianostudio.com
Dr. Derek Knight-Messenger '73
The most important news for my wife Linda and I, is that our son Stephen has just completed his first year of study in Music Therapy at Windsor. Naturally, I am especially delighted because he is now attending the very same School of Music which helped me to prepare for a rewarding and fulfilling career in Education. Also I have very fond memories of meeting Linda, a fellow student who was to become my wife, and the mother of our two sons, Andrew and Stephen. Andrew is presently a Graduate Student.
I started off in 1974 as a Music Teacher. Later, a background in music and language helped to qualify me for an exciting career as a Braille Specialist.
Today, after teaching several years past my official retirement date, I am now really retired. At last I have some time for my favourite interests; playing piano and sometimes my bagpipes; painting in watercolours; taking long walks, and writing illustrated short stories and articles for certain magazines.
My warmest regards to all students, former students, faculty and staff of the School of Music, Windsor!
Sheri Nast-McAuley BMT '95
Kindermusic Instructor with Kindermusic Celebrations; also the Office Administrator, Prime Electrical Services and Prime Lighting Design, in Windsor ON. Married to Neil McAuley BMA '98, BEd. '05.
Chantelle Mayville - Belgium Opera Experience
Exciting news came earlier this year when I was informed that I had been accepted to attend the Elardo Young Artist program being held in Brugge, Belgium from July 5 to August 3 this summer. Auditions for this program were held in New York, Chicago, Boston, Belgium, Antwerp, and Brussels. From these cities, 100 select singers, actors and dancers were chosen to participate in fully staged performances of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro”, Mark Adamo’s “Little Women”, and Mury Yeston’s “Nine”.I jumped at the opportunity to study in Europe with world class conductors, stage directors, and vocal instructors from the Metropolitan Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Theatre Royal de la Monnaire, and St Louis Opera Theater, to name a few. Each day I will have vocal lessons, dance, theatrical, linguistic training, managerial workshops as well as have the opportunity to perform in the spectacular Stadsschouwburg Theatre in Brugge, Belgium.
If asked what my future has in store, my near-term goal is to attain a Master of Vocal or Opera performance degree, perhaps participate in Opera in some capacity and eventually bring back my vocal knowledge and experience to the Windsor area teaching and performing.
Neil McAuley BMA '98, B Ed. '05
Neil is a Music Teacher with the Greater Essex County District School Board. He teaches at Oakwood and General Brock Schools in Windsor, ON. This past year he taught music to grades 1-8 -- Instrumental, vocal and traditional program at Oakwood. Brock's program consists of African Hand Drumming, Orff, and Boomwhacker percussion in addition to vocal music. Neil is married to Sheri Nast-McAuley BMT '95.
Denise McGuire, BMT ’98
Since graduating in 1998, I've lived in a couple of different cities, got married (2001), had a little girl (2001) and tried different jobs. First, I completed my music therapy internship and worked as a music therapist in the Veterans' Program at the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre in Regina, SK. Then, I moved to Hamilton, where I worked as an Activity Coordinator for a Retirement Home. After volunteering in Hamilton's Hospital for Sick Children, I started thinking about using my music therapy background to work with children in the education field and decided to go to teacher's college. I attended OISE at U of T (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education) and graduated in 2002 with my B.Ed. I originally thought I wanted to teach high school music, but the practice teaching experiences convinced me to apply to teach at the elementary level. I taught for 2 years in a French school and still wasn't satisfied. The opportunity came for me to teach Music and I jumped at the chance! At last, I found a superb match that met my personal and professional goals! Now, I teach primary music (at Victoria Public School), with a focus on enhancing literacy through music education. On top of that wonderful job, I'm the flute instructor at the Walkerville Centre for the Creative Arts! I wake up every morning raring to go and thankful that I can contribute to students' education in music and culture. It's amazing that I get paid to do this every day!!!
Kathi Poupard, BMU '74, B Ed '75
Kathi's eldest daughter Jennifer Poupard was married this summer. Jen graduated in 2001 with an Honours B.A. in Canadian Studies. She also has a B.Ed. from Western. She and James Bieniek married on July 11, 2009 in Wasaga Beach. Amy Rivard, BFA Music Theatre ‘98
The most recent news in my life, is that I will be performing the Canadian National Anthem at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The event will be aired on the TNT network and there will be over 100,000 people at the event. I will be onstage with the US. Army Chorus (who will sing the US Anthem) and Kid Rock is the Grand Marshall. For more info, you can go to http://www.mispeedway.com/
On another note, I recently received my green card and will be moving to New York. www.amyrivard.com
On another note, I recently received my green card and will be moving to New York. www.amyrivard.com
Mark Rocheleau, BMU ‘83
Mark Rocheleau has retired from the Canadian Forces and has founded the Ottawa Wind Ensemble, which he continues to direct in the Nation's Capital.Megann Smith, BMU ‘09
I'm moving to North Bay with Geoff. We were married Aug 8th in London. I start teacher's college at Nipissing in the fall. That's me in a nut shell for now.
Connect with Music
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