MADISON — “When a music teacher changes, so often does the curriculum also change,” said Marco Melendez, the director of music at St. Maria Goretti Parish and School (SMG) in Madison. “Students don’t get that continuity of education like they would in a math class.”
Melendez, who has been directing the music at SMG since 2020 and served as artistic director of the Milwaukee Children’s Choir from 2012 to 2018, said he wants to help Catholic schools in the Diocese of Madison stay consistent by offering an in-school music program that will guarantee sustainability and continuity regardless of who is teaching the curriculum.
“This is a program where we are able to help facilitate a sustainable music education based off of vocally centered music education with the primary objective of teaching musical literacy,” he said. “We are able to guarantee that year to year regardless of who is actually physically in the room with the students at the time.”
He’s done this once before in Milwaukee and now he wants to do it again.
“I decided to go out to area funders and write some grant proposals so that we could, in turn, hire people that would work for Milwaukee’s children’s choir, utilizing our supplies [and] our curriculum,” he said. “So I basically mimicked that program here in Madison, and I spoke with Michael Lancaster, the superintendent for Catholic schools, and got his blessing on our program.”
The program
The curriculum they are using is called Voice for Life published by the Royal School of Church Music. All materials for teaching are provided by SMG’s music ministry.
Schools must provide a classroom specifically devoted to music, administrative support, and classroom teacher attendance.
The first Catholic school to sign up for the program this year is St. John the Evangelist in Spring Green.
Allison Stroud, the principal at St. John, said she and the entire school “are very excited to be the first school to collaborate with St. Maria Goretti [School].”
St. John School hired Alivia Schmidt-Sanders to administer the program two days a week. In the meantime, Schmidt-Sanders has also been hired at SMG as the assistant director of music for music education. She will be teaching at SMG approximately three to four days a week, dividing her time between the two schools and taking meticulous notes.
“If Alivia is ill one day, I can easily go out there, and simply pick up exactly where she left off,” said Melendez. “We know from year to year, every single thing that every class has been doing, what they have been learning, and we can continue that education year to year.”
This also provides the schools with other opportunities that perhaps may not have been previously available. He is looking toward inviting the students at Spring Green to join the students from SMG to the Madison Symphony Orchestra review concerts.
“So there are a number of other things that are going on that can influence the kids’ education in a very positive way that they probably would not have had the opportunity simply because of the limited amount of time that would be available to an individual teacher,” said Melendez.
A new music teacher
Schmidt-Sanders expressed excitement about working for the two schools and being a part of the program Melendez is offering through SMG.
“What really led me to want to join Marco in this endeavor is that I really have a heart for providing music to everyone,” she said. “I really believe that music is a part of life and everybody deserves to have the tools that they need to engage and enjoy music throughout the rest of their lives.”
This is Schmidt-Sanders’ first year formally teaching music. She graduated from Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis., in 2021 with a degree in music education as well as Spanish education. After completing her degree, she enrolled in the Mercy Volunteer Corps and spent a year working at St. Peter’s School, a K through eight Catholic school in San Francisco.
While in San Francisco, she joined RCIA and formally entered the Catholic Church this past Easter.
“I grew up just a non-denominational Christian and have always had a really deep seated faith and deep relationship with Jesus,” she said. “So I’m really learning a lot about the Catholic faith still. It is a never-ending lifelong journey. But what I’ve learned so far is that the Catholic faith, in regards to sacred music, is it really helps connect to tradition, into the rich culture that the Catholic Church has had through the centuries. And one thing that I’ve experienced through sacred music is just this feeling of universality. I love to see that tradition come alive.”
Both SMG and St. John School are happy to welcome Schmidt-Sanders into their community.
“We welcome Ms. Schmidt-Sanders with open arms and are eager to have her join the St. John’s family,” said the principal.
Both Schmidt-Sanders and Melendez are hopeful and eager for the program to expand to other Catholic schools in the Diocese of Madison during the new few years.
For more information on the program, contact St. Maria Goretti Parish Director of Music Marco Melendez at 608-268-2976 or email Music@StMariaGoretti.org