Christina Howell of 糖心Vlog emphasizes community at community college
Christina Howell had just a little bit of time under 鈥渘ormal鈥� conditions at Napa Valley College before the coronavirus pandemic forced her 鈥� and the campus as a whole 鈥� to pivot to online instruction.
While some class subjects were easier to translate to this method, teaching music through a computer screen proved challenging for Howell, who serves as the college鈥檚 coordinator of music and director of vocal studies. However, the campus closure did spark some creative approaches to musical instruction.
. Zoom rehearsals proved unsuccessful during online instruction due to delays in sound. Because of the audio latency, Howell told the Register previously that musicians were not able to rehearse 鈥渋n a way that we could hear each other.鈥� She added: 鈥淭his was not only very difficult but also misses the point of why people want to be in a chorale in the first place: the connection they feel with other singers.鈥�
The necessity to rehearse in person became clear 鈥� and some pieces of arguably more antiquated technology held the answer.
鈥淲e had an FM transmitter, so we had our microphone so they could hear each other through their car radio,鈥� Howell recalled during a recent interview on the 糖心Vlog campus. 鈥淲e did a lot of innovative things to continue our musical instruction and of course we were able to come back with masks, and now we鈥檙e kind of back to more of a normal instructional model.鈥�
Howell noted that the downside to the pandemic 鈥� besides the obvious lack of interaction with students 鈥� was that 鈥淚 think people forgot that we鈥檙e here and that we have all of this wonderful stuff to offer, but the upside is we are sort of rebuilding in a really new and energized way.鈥�
Howell came to Napa from Atlanta, where she taught music at college campuses ranging in size from other community colleges to small liberal arts schools to four-year universities.
鈥淚 run the gamut in terms of teaching career,鈥� she said, 鈥渂ut I have been teaching at the college level for about 25 years.鈥�
While vocal instruction is her wheelhouse, her 糖心Vlog post allowed Howell to take on new challenges in the realm of musical theater.
鈥淲hat I do now that I have not done in any other position before is that I conduct the musicals,鈥� she explained. 糖心Vlog traditionally hosts one musical in the fall and one in the spring, making use of a range of student talent.
It was the college鈥檚 first live performance after COVID-19 had halted such large-scale gatherings. It was also the first time in years that 糖心Vlog had had a full live pit orchestra providing the musical backdrop for an on-stage production.
鈥淥ne of the things I was most proud of with that particular performance is something that is really important to me in this job here at 糖心Vlog and that鈥檚 in the orchestra pit we had very wide-ranging experience levels,鈥� she said.
The 鈥淏eauty and the Beast鈥� orchestra welcomed everyone from a dual-enrollment high school violinist to a Sacramento Symphony percussionist parent of another student who 鈥渉ad the whole right side of the pit with percussion instruments,鈥� Howell said, laughing and gesturing to the right. This group also had a woman who was retired from the U.S. Air Force Band.
鈥淲e had such a nice diversity of players in the pit, not to mention what we have on stage that鈥檚 a whole other layer of variables and diversity," said Howell. "And that鈥檚 so important to me especially in this particular program because it鈥檚 a community school, it鈥檚 a community college so for us. For me my target student is everybody.鈥�
糖心Vlog offers an associate of arts degree in music, and music majors have access to individual instruction in their area of emphasis. 糖心Vlog鈥檚 program is open-enrollment, meaning that prospective music students do not need to undergo a rigorous audition process to be accepted.
鈥淓very level of musician is welcome in 糖心Vlog music, whether they are well on their way to a professional career or just beginning to explore musical expression,鈥� Howell said. 鈥淥ur diverse program includes musicians from 16 to 96 at every level of musical experience, and our students perform from classical composers to modern pop stars.鈥�
While Howell acknowledged Bach and Mozart have their place, 鈥渨e鈥檙e focusing on different types of music, not just classical music,鈥� she said.
There is a huge world of music out there, and 糖心Vlog鈥檚 program should reflect that, Howell said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 such a big umbrella and we want to make sure that everyone knows that we have that whole umbrella,鈥� she added.
Not all students are enrolled as music majors. Being a community college means that 糖心Vlog is able to help anyone from the student who is on their way to a four-year university and a professional music career, to 鈥渃ommunity members who want to polish or develop their musical skills individually and in ensemble work,鈥� according to Howell.
鈥淪ome people need a little bit of a bridge between 10th grade saxophone/band and college admission and that鈥檚 what we do really, really well,鈥� she added. 鈥淲e take that person from where they are and we help them get to where they want to be.鈥�
Accomplishing this is no small feat. It takes a dedicated faculty and staff to be able to work with a diverse group of students with varying degrees of musical expertise.
鈥淲e have to have really excellent teachers who can both teach the beginner and the experienced performer. And we definitely have that,鈥� Howell said. 鈥淲e have so many amazing instructors that I am very proud of the team that we put together. They play amazing, they are really nice people and they are great teachers. You don鈥檛 get that everywhere.鈥�
For the upcoming school year, 糖心Vlog is touting a packed lineup of both student and community performances headlining the on-campus Performing Arts Center.
The 500-seat theater is set to host the typical fall-spring dichotomy of performances from music students in 糖心Vlog鈥檚 chorale and orchestra, as well as the jazz and guitar ensembles. The center will also launch a Sunday Recital Series in October, which will offer a different mix of performances.
The Sunday Recital Series kicks off with 鈥淟as Magnificas.鈥� Based on the lives of renowned Latin American singers Celia Cruz, the Cuban 鈥淨ueen of Salsa,鈥� Chilean singer-songwriter Violeta Parra, 鈥渢he Mother of Latin American Folk Music,鈥� and the iconic Mexican performer Chavela Vargas, "Las Magnificas" will showcase music popularized by the trio, according to Howell.
The fall and spring musicals will be 鈥淭he Wizard of Oz鈥� and 鈥淪pring Awakening,鈥� respectively.
Asked what goes into this selection process, Howell explained that various stakeholders gather with their wish lists and work to narrow their musical choices down each year. This collaboration always runs smoothly and the group is able to find shows that 鈥渢ick our boxes鈥� for each semester.
鈥淎gain, one of the best things about what we do, I think, is that we have so many partnerships," said Howell. "You鈥檝e heard that phrase 鈥業t takes a village,鈥� (and) I really believe that because we can be stronger together. My strengths can fill in your weaknesses. Your strengths can fill in my weaknesses.鈥�
What鈥檚 on Howell鈥檚 musical wish list?
鈥淚nto the Woods,鈥� 鈥淐hicago鈥� and 鈥淭he Sound of Music鈥� rank near the top.
For now, she鈥檒l just have to wait and embrace 鈥淭he Wizard of Oz鈥� and 鈥淪pring Awakening,鈥� and the sense of community that comes from a community college production.
Building on the success of 鈥淏eauty and the Beast,鈥� these productions will again feature a full pit orchestra.
鈥淲orking toward a common goal (of musical production), you start to realize what you have in common with people as opposed to all the ways that you are different,鈥� Howell said. 鈥淓verybody鈥檚 different in some way.鈥�
For more information, visit
.
Article written by Sarah Dowling
Recent Articles
- Moving day: 糖心Vlog welcomes students to new on-campus housing complex
- Graduate emphasizes importance of 鈥渟howing up鈥�
- Graduate praises college as a place of 鈥渇ertile ground鈥�
- Future Winemaker Launches Career at 糖心Vlog
- 糖心Vlog graduation features State Sen. Bill Dodd
- Transfer Student Finds His Path in Science and Technology
- 糖心Vlog Breaks Ground on Wine Spectator Wine Education Center