Tennessee Musician - Vol. 67 No. 2

world. Gregory herself performs as a vocalist,
and when the opportunity allows,
Gregory can be found performing in community
theater productions. We asked
about how remaining active as a performer
inspires her artistry as a musician and
educator.
TNM: As a musician and educator,
what kind of activities do you engage
in that inspires and nurtures your
artistry?
BDG: I still do some singing, not as much
church choir as I would like, but when I
have the opportunity, I do solo in church.
One of the things that I really love is community
theater. I was able to perform with
Graduate. Nichols would go on to win
a Grammy Award, four Emmy Awards,
and nine Tony Awards. Nichols recently
passed away in November of 2014.
TNM: What is it about the work of
directors Susan Stroman and Mike
Nichols that make them among your
favorite? Where do you draw inspiration
from their productions?
BDG: For Stroman, she does a lot of
Broadway revivals, and in particular she
received a Tony Award for her revival of
Oklahoma, which is an old, old show. I saw
this production, and I was amazed at how
fresh her work was with a piece that was so
old. I immediately loved her approach. She
you hope your students will take
away from your teaching and program
when they graduate?
BDG: Just one thing—a love for music.
TNM: If there is one piece of advice
or words of wisdom for aspiring
teachers, what would they be?
BDG: Keep your eye on the ball! With
all of the additional paperwork, evaluations,
PLCs, etc., it can be overwhelming.
Remember why you got into teaching
music in the first place . . . keep that in the
forefront of your mind every day. Nothing
else is as important as your personal connection
with your students on a daily basis.
It’s easy to let that “peripheral” stuff take
Remember why you got into
teaching music in the first
place. Keep that in the forefront
of your mind every day. Nothing
else is as important as your
personal connection with your
students on a daily basis.
— Brenda Dent Gregory
the Stones River Theater Company in a
production of Jekyll and Hyde. I had the
opportunity to perform in that show with
some former students from my days at
Oakland High School, which was a lot of
fun. I think it’s important to not only be on
our side of the art, but also the student side
of the art as well. I think that sometimes we
forget what it’s like to be in their shoes. I remember
taking all sorts of notes when I was
in the production. I took notes about the rehearsal
processes that a director would use.
I even took notes about things to avoid as a
director.
We asked Brenda Gregory about any
additional sources of inspiration as an
artist, musician, and educator. She mentioned
the creative work and output of
Susan Stroman, an American theatre director,
choreographer, film director, and
performer. Stroman is a five-time Tony
Award winner: four for Best Choreography
and one as Best Director of a Musical
for The Producers. She also mentioned
the work of Mike Nichols, an American
film and theatre director, producer, actor,
and comedian who won the Academy
Award for Best Director for the film The
SIEGEL HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR STUDENTS selected for a special performance of Disney’s Tarzan at the
NAfME Inservice Conference.
brought a modern and fresh approach to
her productions. I’ve heard she’s an incredible
person to work with…..just one of those
“forces of nature” kind of ladies. That’s
what I love about her. Mike Nichols is kind
of a man after my own heart. He’s just one
of those old school directors who doesn’t
take any gruff. He’s one of those rough directors
who is perfectionistic, not wanting
to accept anything except the artist’s best
work. I can relate to him in that regard. I
have a little bit of that personality myself.
That’s what I like about him.
Gregory is truly the epitome of a great
music educator. Even to this day, she finds
ways of remaining inspired, culturally literate,
and intellectually engaged in music
and the performing arts. She continues
to share her love of music and teaching
with her students, and her artistry can
be felt through the generations of her
former students.
TNM: What is the one thing that
all your energy and focus. Don’t let it . . . it’s
about the kids.
Brenda Dent Gregory, truly an icon of
music education in the State of Tennessee.
Her work stands as a testament to
putting students first. Her work pays homage
to the legacies of her teachers of the
past and to those who have had the fortune
to cross paths with her and to inspire
her. Brenda Dent Gregory . . . her work as
a music educator speaks for itself.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The feature article, “Profiles in
Excellence” will be an ongoing series that
highlights the work being done by Tennessee
Music Education Association
members. Highlights of these recorded interviews
will be archived for future generations
to access as a part of a special TMEA
oral history project and will be made
available as a future podcast for download
at tnmea.org.
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | 17