The Glenda Files: Online Edition

In grad school, I frequently wrote personal journal entries about my experiences with my voice teacher. I also began printing copies of our correspondence and putting them in what I called my "Glenda File". Yesterday, when I found out that she had died, for a second I thought that it was really time to close the Glenda Files.  But then I realized that I will never be time to close the files.  She will continue to be a presence in my life because of the things I learned from her.  So today, The Glenda Files move to my blog.  I won't be sharing previous entries, but I think it will be good for me to write about the things I have learned.  

The Glenda Files:  Online Edition--Entry 1.  
Yesterday shortly after I heard the news, I was helping a student to find a new song.  We were singing "Only Hope" and I got to the line that says, "At the top of my lungs I'm giving it back," and I had to fight back the tears.  Everyday in my teaching, I am giving it back and paying it forward.  Glenda lives on in every lesson that each of her students teach.  

This was my Facebook post yesterday:

When I first started grad school, I would sit in the library and listen to classical singers while I did my homework. It was a great way to multi-task. But there was one singer whose performances drew me in so much that I stopped everything else to listen. 
She was my teacher, my mentor, and my friend. I am a better singer, teacher, and person because of her influence. Glenda Maurice will be greatly missed.

The Glenda Files Entry #2

Just to be clear, the very first thing I shared about Glenda was her amazing performance of Befreit.  So hopefully she will forgive the reference to a pop song in the last entry and this entry that is musical theatre.

I shared this with Glenda at her retirement party.  It really does describe us.  Our relationship had it's ups and downs and was far from perfect, but she changed me.  And I'm better for it.