Vocal Music Teacher Enjoys Freshman Year at Shawnee High School


Music lover and singer Blake Watson joined the staff at Shawnee High School as a new vocal music teacher this year and has enjoyed his first semester so far.

“It’s amazing being an educator in (Shawnee Public Schools). The teachers and administration were welcoming and helpful, ”Watson said.

Originally from Claremore, Watson graduated from Claremore High School in 2009.

He was a member of the state choir for six years and state qualifier for four years in tennis.

After high school, Watson attended Oklahoma State University and graduated from teaching vocal music in 2019.

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Blake Watson is the new vocal music teacher at Shawnee High School.

“I was a member of the Oklahoma State Concert Chorale and Chamber Choir under the direction of Dr. Z. Randall Stroope. I sang in the opera program at OSU for two years,” he said. declared.

He explained that he wanted to be a music teacher for as long as he can remember.

“Both of my parents were teachers and my dad was a choir director in Oklahoma for 46 years, so it’s family,” Watson said.

For Watson, the best part of being a music teacher is showing and teaching students your passion for music.

“Music is part of our lives every day, even when you don’t mean it,” he said. “You can find music in nature, in a quiet classroom, and in noisy stadiums. I love the wide variety of music that we have. “

While he enjoys his job, Watson explained that it is not without challenges as it can be difficult to encourage students to volunteer to work to their full potential.

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The educator hopes to have a positive impact on his students and help them discover the joy of music.

“I want them to be able to enjoy the music or the choir and feel welcome in my classroom,” Watson said.

In the future, Watson would like his choirs to compete in state, regional and national competitions and bring prizes to SHS.

The first choir concert of 2021 is Thursday, October 21 at the Performing Arts and Athletic Center starting at 7 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.

Elisabeth Slay is a reporter for the Shawnee News-Star. She can be reached at (405) 214-3926 or [email protected]. Support the work of Shawnee News-Star journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at news-star.com/subscribe.

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