Vocal Resident Takes On New Challenges And Revels About Students

By Luke Deming

Being a proud member of the SVSU Music Department is something that vocal Artist-in-Residence Julie Meyer doesn’t have to work at.  But that doesn’t mean it was easy to make a career adjustment back in 2002 when she took on the position. 

“The decision was somewhat difficult for me.  I already had a private studio of more than 30 singers and knew that I could retain only a handful if I took on the additional SVSU teaching load,” Meyer said.  “However, I certainly welcomed the new challenge.”

Meyer, a soprano singer and pianist, is enlightened to consider herself a member of a Music Department that has a very good reputation. This reputation is evident with the clear improvement of voice students since the artist-in-residence position was created.

“I believe that the number and ability level of singers attending SVSU has risen noticeably. In fact, we often find ourselves having to search for additional adjunct faculty in order to handle the number of voice majors and minors.”

Before 2002, her teaching career at SVSU was sporadic.  She started teaching voice in 1976 as an adjunct and left a few years later to work on her doctorate.  She came back and occasionally taught in the late 1990s.

Now an artist-in-residence, Meyer gives hourly private lessons to voice majors, teaches two studio voice classes per semester and jury or recital preparation. Her classes range from a beginning voice class and vocal pedagogy classes to a special diction class. But Meyer doesn’t just teach her students, she also tries to give them unique experiences.

“I have brought in many talented artists for master classes with the students, and each year I take interested students to the state National Association of Teachers of Singing fall adjudications, where they have received a number of first, second and third place awards,” Meyer said.

In March 2008, Meyer performed in and helped direct the SVSU Muse and Brunch: High Tea on the High Seas—A Salute to Gilbert.  The SVSU Muse and Brunch has been an annual show for the Music Department and the 2005 SVSU Muse and Brunch: A Taste of Opera made the Saginaw News Top Ten List of area performances for the year 2005—a special memory for Meyer. 

Accolades and awards aren’t what Meyer takes the most pride in. Meyer’s greatest gratification comes from seeing her students’ improvement—students she considers a blessing to teach.

“I take my greatest pride in my students, their growth and their accomplishments,” Meyer said. “The students are wonderful.”

Meyer attributes the Music Department’s success to the support and commitment from Dr. Donald Bachand and Dr. Mary Hedberg, the past and present Deans of the College of Arts and Behavioral Sciences. 

Meyer acknowledges President Eric Gilbertson’s encouragement has been vital too.  The community of support and the Music Department’s dedication to its students has allowed the department to set itself apart.

“I feel the SVSU music department is always looking for ways to improve, to provide the best instruction possible to its students, and to meet the highest academic standards and certifications,” Meyer said.

Meyer has performed with the SVSU choirs, and with the Three Sopranos. She has also been in opera productions, the Saginaw Symphony, Eddy Band, Germania Choir and Orchestra, the Bay City Choral, Saginaw Choral Society, Midland Music Society, and in Pit and Balcony and Bay City Player theatrical productions.

Meyer will be performing with her daughter, Sarah, and the Saginaw Choral Society in Yuletide for the Young at Heart at the Temple Theatre. The Christmas concert takes place December 13.