You may have seen him leading hand motions to your children’s favorite worship songs during chapel or conducting a choir of children singing in Hebrew or Latin. He always has a smile on his face, a pep in his step, and he brings a level of joy, love and professionalism to teaching children music that you would be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.

His name is Kevin Pierce and he teaches Elementary Music at our Lower School. In addition to his responsibilities in the classroom, Kevin also conducts Brook Hill’s award-winning Cadet Singers and leads chapel at the Lower School.

This summer, we sat down with Kevin to hear a little more about his story and his passion for teaching music. Here’s your chance to get to know him.

How did you get into music?

According to my mother, I’ve always heard music differently.  She will tell you that, when I was a youngster, I’d sit in the back seat of the car humming along with the 80’s songs on radio.  What was unusual was which part of the music I’d latch onto in those moments, often a bassline, strange synthesized harmony, or quirky drumbeat.  While I didn’t participate in any extra musical activities, I was undeniably impressed at the band recruitment demonstration from the middle school that I saw in the 5^th grade. Joining the band in the 6^th grade seemed a natural step that would carry me into college and beyond.

Since beginning my freshman year of college, I have surrounded myself with as many musical outlets as time would permit.  I soon found myself teaching as much as performing voluntarily and professionally throughout my tenure.  My official music education career began teaching band in Pittsburg, TX.  I was in organizer, conductor, and recruiter for the beginning band as well as assistant to the HS and JH bands.  By the grace of God and many years as a church children’s choir director, I am now starting my third year as an elementary music teacher here at Brook Hill.

How do you view your role as the director and teacher?

Music is one of those universal concepts that cover language, mathematics, science, and expression.  You can learn as much from the art of music as you can learn about it.  My role as teacher/director is facilitator of a positive relationship between the student and the grand idea of music.  I hope to instill a lifelong love and understanding of how and why music is such an awesome gift from God.

What role do you see music and singing playing in the development of children?

There are many scientific studies that demonstrate how listen to, thinking about, and performing music stimulates more areas in the brain than nearly any other activity.  While this is exciting, I think music’s true benefit is less cerebral.  Music is an expression of the soul.  It can express the most triumphal joy in one instance and the most devastating despair in another.  It can be used to praise God, lament loss, or simply celebrate a fleeting moment in life.  Regardless how it is used, a child’s understanding of music can aid there use of it.

What do you love about teaching music/directing Choir?

I love to watch the self-conscious and the shy begin to come out of their shell through music.  I love to hear the reactions of parents and family when a student does something entirely out of their comfort zone with music.  I know at that moment, the student is changed for the better.

What have you enjoyed most about being at Brook Hill?

Brook Hill is an answered prayer.  I prayed many nights for a place where I could combine my three greatest loves: God, teaching, and music, into a career.  Brook Hill was His answer.

Who is eligible to be in the Cadet Singers and how can students become a part of it?

The Cadet Singers is an auditioned elementary choir consisting of 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th grade students.  The audition is held with in the first few weeks of the new school year and membership lasts until the student leaves the Lower School.

Can you tell us a little about your goals for the Cadet Singers? What are you hoping to accomplish with these students, and how do you go about doing it?

First, the primary goal of the Cadet Singers is to instill the concepts of high-quality choral singing into its members.  With this in mind, repertoire is selected to educate and challenge the singers.  These goals are accomplished by encouraging consistent singing habits as well as introducing a variety of musical styles and languages.  Since I began directing the Cadet Singers, we have sung in simple unison, partner song, and two-part harmony in English, Latin, Hebrew, French, Italian, and Czechoslovakian.

My hopes for the ensemble are to continue to grow our numbers and maintain the high level of choral singing for which the group is known.  This fall, the group has been invited to sing with the Tyler Civic Chorale on their fall concert October 17^th at First Presbyterian Church.  My long term ambition is to present the Cadet Singers as one of the honored groups to be selected for the Texas Music Educators Association Convention in San Antonio.

Can you share a couple memories you have of the Cadet Singers from this past year?

The singers were very skeptical when I told them they’d be singing in French and Hebrew for their spring concert.  After a couple of weeks of study at home, not only were they able to sing the words, some of them were able to pronounce the words better than me!

As I was preparing for my wedding near the end of the year, more than a few members of the group volunteered the choir for special music at the ceremony.  In fact they were a little upset when they found out that they weren’t going to be able to be there at all. Bless their hearts!

What accomplishments/major performances have the cadet singers done this past year?

• The 2014 Cadet Singer Christmas Dinner and Concert with special guest Joe Nichols was a huge success.
• The Cadet Singers spring nursing home tour shared the Lord, love, and music with four Tyler nursing facilities, including a surprise performance for my very own Grandmother.
• The Cadet Singers traveled to Canton, TX for the 2015 SoundPost music festival, returning with the highest ratings from each judge, and leaving behind fond musical memories for administrators, judges, and families alike. Their “Superior” trophy is displayed in the music room.