Choir School principal accepts new challenges

Intermountain Catholic

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Christina Vierra-McGill begins her new role as principal of the Madeleine Choir School with excitement and 15 years of experience. IC photo by Christine Young

by Tim Bell, intern

SALT LAKE CITY — This fall the Madeline Choir School’s halls will fill with students – some of them just beginning their search for knowledge, others continuing their quest. Many of the returning faces through their previous hard work have earned the right to advance to the next grade level, Christina Vierra-McGill has also earned the right to advance in her career.

She will take over the operation of the Madeline Choir School as the new principal. The out-going principal, Bill Hambleton, has overseen the school for the last two years. He left the school to seek a high school setting.

Vierra-McGill grew up in Salt Lake City. She attended J.E. Cosgriff Memorial School and Judge Memorial Catholic High School. She attended the University of San Diego, a small Catholic College. She returned to school in May 2006 to earn a Master’s Degree in educational leadership and policy from the University of Utah.

Vierra-McGill has spent 15 years working in the educational field, and the last five at the Madeline Choir School.

"I joined the school when they added the second grade," said Vierra-McGill. "Last year I worked as a part-time third grade teacher and as a part-time assistant principal."

The Madeleine Choir School began as an after school program teaching children about music. It was founded by Gregory Glen, director of liturgy and music at the Cathedral of the Madeline. In 1996 the after school program grew to become a school focussing on Catholic education and liturgical music. It is based on the model made famous by the traditional European choir schools.

The Madeline Choir School is kindergarten through eighth grade, and has 222 students enrolled. In the first year of Vierra-McGill’s principalship, she said she will seek to provide stability for the school.

"The school is young and growing, and as it grows I want to make sure we continue to provide the same level of education we have always provided. I would also like to create equity for the school. That way we can provide scholarships and financial assistance for anyone who needs it."

Vierra-McGill would like to achieve the school’s goal with their capital campaign. The campaign is trying to raise $6 million to restore the historical Rowland Hall-St. Marks campus, which was bought in 2002. The buildings are 150 years old and need to be restored

"I want to remain true to the school’s mission and vision, which is teaching students to be life-long learners and engage them in our culture,’ she said. "The school’s music program plays a central role in fulfilling this mission.

"Everyone in the school studies music," said Vierra-McGill. "In the fifth grade we arrange students into choirs. If they are unfit or do not want to be in one we place them in a colloquium program."

"The colloquium program is a humanities program that each year focuses on a theme such as the Holocaust or Italy," she said. "By the end of the year the students have a good grasp of a specific part of our culture. The colloquium program takes a trip every two years as part of their education.

Vierra-McGill said the choir students are taught liturgical music as well as traditional secular musical pieces. By understanding these traditions, the students learn about a single specific part of our culture. Each year the choir has a schedule of performances. Their season starts in November and ends in May.

The choir tours nationally once every two years. In 2008-2009 the choir will take an international trip to Spain to preform in Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville.

Despite the differences between the choir program and the colloquium programs, both programs serve the Cathedral of the Madeleine. The choir serves through their weekly performances and the students of the colloquium program serve as altar servers, ushers, and help organize the Masses.

Despite the challenges of meeting the needs of the students, parents, and faculty, I want to improve our programs for students with disabilities while meeting the needs of the really gifted."