A Passion for Quality Music Education

Justin Wilder ’14 is on a remarkable journey. Just a few years into his professional life, he’s gone from teaching vocal music in the relatively small New Glarus, Wis. school district, to Choir Director for Middleton High School in Middleton, Wis., a school with more than 2,000 students. In the past year alone, Wilder has taken students to perform in San Francisco for spring break, staged and directed the school’s spring musical “Big Fish,” and directed students at two performances this summer at the renowned Concerts on the Square at the state capitol.

“There are so many aspects to my education at Edgewood College that have helped me in my career and my success as an educator,” Wilder said. “From day one, the School of Education put potential teachers in classrooms around the Madison area to begin getting real world experience as teachers. The fantastic faculty are there for moments of triumph and for those moments where you just need to process a rough experience—which is universal to all teachers because we all have bad days.”

Wilder says two faculty members in the Music Department stand out in particular.

“Julie Dunbar and Beatriz Aguilar went above and beyond to help me in my first job,” Wilder said. “They would visit not only to observe but to mentor. This is what sets Edgewood College apart from the rest. The care and compassion they offer to their students both during their training and years after are a testament to their passion for quality music education.”
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