SFYCA alum, Maddie Smoot (2017-2018) shares her musical journey
and how SFYCA had such an impact on her desire to become a vocal music educator
Maddie Smoot grew up in Longmont, Colorado and attended her first season with SFYCA in 2017 as a junior in high school. Like many others before her, she was immediately taken with the Academy and subsequently attended for the remainder of her high school years.
Following high school, Maddie headed to Minnesota to attend St. Olaf College and work more closely with Dr. Armstrong and Dr. Hibbard. Four years later she graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Vocal Arts Education and now has a her first teaching job at the Nova Classical Academy in St. Paul, Minnesota.
This past season, SFYCA was fortunate to have Maddie return this time as an Activity Director. Her experience with SFYCA and love of choral music was such an asset as YCA returned to in-person after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
Maddie is planning to return this next season (SFYCA’s 25th Anniversary) as an Activity Director and will also join other SFYCA alumni onstage to perform alongside the 2023 SFYCA participants in a celebratory concert.
Below are answers to some questions we posed to Maddie about her musical journey and experience with SFYCA. Enjoy!
SFYCA Alumni Profile Post #5!
SFYCA celebrates its 25th Anniversary this season! This special occasion will include an alumni reception and featured performances by alumni, alongside the 2023 SFYCA participants. SFYCA Alumni Profiles are one of many ways we will be celebrating SFYCA alumni (over 1800) who are doing amazing things in their careers today. If you are an alum, or know someone who is, please email Education & Operations Coordinator, Barbara Harris at bharris7@uoregon.edu.
1. In your own words, what does SFYCA mean to you? How has it shaped and informed your career?
SFYCA was a transformational experience for me in many ways. My first summer at YCA (2017) was right after my junior year of high school, so I was just starting to think about college and what kind of degree I wanted to pursue. I had seen the St. Olaf campus, but I hadn’t worked with Dr. Hibbard or Dr. Armstrong before, and I also had done choir my whole life, but I hadn’t had the opportunity for such an intense and concentrated experience. After 10 days at Bach Fest, it was clear to me that I wanted to pursue music in some capacity and that I wanted to look at St. Olaf a lot more seriously. SFYCA reminds me every year why I enjoy making music with other people. I’ve met some of my favorite people in the whole world at SFYCA – both as a student and as an Activity Director!
2. What is your favorite memory of SFYCA?
There are too many wonderful memories to pick a favorite, but a couple stand out:
As both a student and Activity Director, Bodysinging with Dr. Hibbard has always been one of my favorite parts of the festival. I have always been drawn to movement, and my first summer at YCA helped me finally feel like I understood how to sing with my whole self and experience music at a deeper level. Therees is a true master of her craft, and her mastery and gentle spirit make for an incredibly peaceful and rejuvenating experience waking up your body and mind for a day of making music. I always find that bodysinging helps me center myself, connect more deeply to the music, and set the tone for my whole day.
The other memory that stands out is the Choral Legacy Concert that happened at this most recent festival. As Activity Directors, we got to participate in the mass choir pieces with YCA, the UO Chamber Choir, the Festival Chorus and our four phenomenal conductors. We also got to hear each group sing a solo set. Without hesitation, I would place this concert in my top 5 all-time musical experiences.
3. Like many other SFYCA musicians, you attended St. Olaf College where Dr. Armstrong runs the Choral Program. What drew you to this college? And what impact did it have on you to continue working with Dr. Armstrong?
As I said in response to the first question, I had St. Olaf on my radar before Bach Fest, but working with Dr. Hibbard and Dr. Armstrong is what really spurred my serious interest. When I went for a fall visit day my senior year of high school, I got to sing with Manitou under Therees’s direction at their rehearsal, listen to the St. Olaf Choir rehearsal, and then Dr. A invited my dad and me to come listen to the mass choir Christmas Festival rehearsal. After an afternoon of experiencing choir at St. Olaf, I was sold, and I will always be grateful for the wonderful music I got to be a part of there.
As a student in both the Manitou Singers and the St. Olaf Choir, I got to participate in Christmas Fest – one of my favorite annual events. I was fortunate to do two tours with the St. Olaf Choir, singing in once in a lifetime venues such as Duke Chapel, The Strathmore, and Carnegie Hall. I also had the pleasure of singing with the St. Olaf Chamber Singers where we did many unique collaborations, including one with a visual artist based in Paris who used our voices as the sound scape for his art exhibit. The wonderful thing about going to St. Olaf was that I not only got to keep working with Dr. A and Therees, I got to work with an all-around incredible music faculty and some of the most talented and kind students I could imagine.
4. You got your degree in vocal music education from St. Olaf. What attracted you to this degree and field?
I didn’t totally land on music education until my sophomore year of college, but by the time I graduated high school I knew that I was interested in music education, music therapy, and possibly church music. What ultimately helped me decide was a combination of a lot of encouragement from my friends, family and professors, and the fact that I had been so impacted by the music teachers in my life. I was lucky to have phenomenal teachers throughout my K-12 experience, and then I was blessed with so many wonderful professors at St. Olaf. These people have made such a difference in my life, and they inspire me every day to be the best teacher I can be for my students.
5. You recently just started a new job. Tell us more about it, and why you chose it.
I am just beginning my first teaching job this fall working with high school choir students and Kindergarten general music students! I am excited for the unique opportunity to work with both of these age groups because I can see both the potential in the kindergarteners and the joy that remains in the high schoolers. The year is off to a great start, and I can’t wait to make a lot of beautiful music with my students!
6. While you are primarily a vocal educator, do you still perform? If so, what groups do you perform with and what musical experiences have you had recently?
I recently joined a choir in the Twin Cities, and I’m excited to begin rehearsals with them as well as continue to look for other opportunities to perform!