Matthew Krage
Submitted photo
Classical MPR's Teacher Feature highlights the lives and work of music teachers throughout Minnesota.
Matthew Krage
Director of Choirs and Director of Theatre
Virginia High School
Virginia, Minn.
What would you say is your primary instrument?
The voice. However, as I gain more experience as a teacher, my piano skills have continued to grow. Not a pianist by any means, but I can fake it pretty well.
Where did you go to college?
Concordia College in Moorhead, MN
What grade level(s) do you teach? What types of music classes do you teach?
I teach 7th-12th grade choir at Virginia High School. The program consists of four ensembles that meet every day. 7th grade choir, 8th grade choir, Varsity Choir — a 9-12 grade non-auditioned ensemble — and A Cappella Choir — a 9-12 grade auditioned ensemble.
What's one of the most memorable moments you've had in the classroom (or had while teaching music)
Two years ago, I was given the task of reviving our musical theatre program, which had not been active for over 15 years. It was a daunting task since we had no costumes, no construction materials for building sets, no props, nothing. Most importantly, there was no culture of musical theatre within the student body. We had to build it all from scratch. Much to my surprise, we had over 100 students who signed up, auditioned and got involved. One day at a time, we began to piece together a show with a bunch of kids who had never been in a musical, let alone seen one, in their life.
One of the most memorable moments of my teaching career, by far, was opening night of that first musical production. Most of the students had never experienced an opening night, and they had no idea what to expect. The audience was sold out, and the students were filled with nervous energy. Seeing them take the stage, after watching them work for months to prepare, was so thrilling. After the weekend of performances, many of the cast members commented on how the musical was the best experience they ever had. Seeing, and hearing, how much that musical impacted their lives is something that will stay with me and remain a highlight of my career.
If you were to help program a day of music at Classical MPR, what would be a piece of music you'd play in the morning? What piece of music would you play in the evening?
For the morning, I would choose I Thank You God For Most This Amazing Day by Eric Whitacre.
For the evening, I would pick Pavel Chesnokov's Salvation is Created.
What is it about these pieces that make them a couple of your favorites?
To me, the opening phrase of the Whitacre perfectly depicts the start of a new day. Regarding the Chesnokov, the first time I heard it was when I was a sophomore in high school. This was the first real piece of choral music I had ever heard, and after listening to it once, I had to have more — I must have listened to that piece a dozen or more times. The recording made by the Dale Warland Singers on their Lux Aurumque album seems to defy reality. The perfection in that recording stops me in my tracks every time, and I'm taken back to that first experience I had with choral music. The blend, tone quality, phrasing, and the pure intonation are all examples of choral music at its finest.
The voice. However, as I gain more experience as a teacher, my piano skills have continued to grow. Not a pianist by any means, but I can fake it pretty well.
Where did you go to college?
Concordia College in Moorhead, MN
What grade level(s) do you teach? What types of music classes do you teach?
I teach 7th-12th grade choir at Virginia High School. The program consists of four ensembles that meet every day. 7th grade choir, 8th grade choir, Varsity Choir — a 9-12 grade non-auditioned ensemble — and A Cappella Choir — a 9-12 grade auditioned ensemble.
What's one of the most memorable moments you've had in the classroom (or had while teaching music)
Two years ago, I was given the task of reviving our musical theatre program, which had not been active for over 15 years. It was a daunting task since we had no costumes, no construction materials for building sets, no props, nothing. Most importantly, there was no culture of musical theatre within the student body. We had to build it all from scratch. Much to my surprise, we had over 100 students who signed up, auditioned and got involved. One day at a time, we began to piece together a show with a bunch of kids who had never been in a musical, let alone seen one, in their life.
One of the most memorable moments of my teaching career, by far, was opening night of that first musical production. Most of the students had never experienced an opening night, and they had no idea what to expect. The audience was sold out, and the students were filled with nervous energy. Seeing them take the stage, after watching them work for months to prepare, was so thrilling. After the weekend of performances, many of the cast members commented on how the musical was the best experience they ever had. Seeing, and hearing, how much that musical impacted their lives is something that will stay with me and remain a highlight of my career.
If you were to help program a day of music at Classical MPR, what would be a piece of music you'd play in the morning? What piece of music would you play in the evening?
For the morning, I would choose I Thank You God For Most This Amazing Day by Eric Whitacre.
For the evening, I would pick Pavel Chesnokov's Salvation is Created.
What is it about these pieces that make them a couple of your favorites?
To me, the opening phrase of the Whitacre perfectly depicts the start of a new day. Regarding the Chesnokov, the first time I heard it was when I was a sophomore in high school. This was the first real piece of choral music I had ever heard, and after listening to it once, I had to have more — I must have listened to that piece a dozen or more times. The recording made by the Dale Warland Singers on their Lux Aurumque album seems to defy reality. The perfection in that recording stops me in my tracks every time, and I'm taken back to that first experience I had with choral music. The blend, tone quality, phrasing, and the pure intonation are all examples of choral music at its finest.
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