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Singing in a choir requires a delicate balance of skills.

One voice becomes part of a larger ensemble; one artist’s creative spirit thrives only through collaboration, teamwork and humility. It’s an art form that demands a fusion of individual talent and selflessness for the sake of the greater musical good.

For Nathan George (BME, choral)—who will graduate from the ��������’s College of Music on May 8 as our Outstanding Graduating Senior—the choir’s blend of creativity and community was always a draw. And the teachers who brought that dynamic were always an inspiration.

“I started choir in middle school. I loved performing with my friends and I think that was the main thing—the community of performance,” recalls George who grew up in the Broomfield/Thornton area, finding direction in the choir and the theatre that would ultimately steer his path to CU Boulder—thanks in part to influential teachers like Karen Stacks at Legacy High School.��

“I felt empowered by a lot of my teachers and I wanted to do the same—provide students something they can enjoy, give them a way to gain confidence, learn intangibles, learn how to be a good person.”

George found a direct route to these aspirations when he was a high school senior looking over the College of Music’s course catalog for music education majors. The catalog described courses with targeted specialties and conveyed a pedagogical approach that fit George’s budding passion for music, theatre and—above all—education.

“Becoming a Music Teacher, Teaching Choral Music, Choral Literature—those classes stood out. I had never seen such specific classes geared toward choral education,” shares George.

While George will receive a music education degree with an emphasis in choral music and a minor in theatre, he’s quick to point out how his journey as a Music Buff opened his eyes to myriad facets of music education. He fully leveraged the College of Music’s wide-ranging programs and opportunities for engagement—from working with the CU Boulder Middle School Ensembles (MSE) program and Middle School Summer Music Academy (SMA) to his role as president of the CU Boulder chapter of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and serving as a student ambassador for the College of Music since his sophomore year.

In addition to his time in the classroom with dedicated and invested faculty members like Associate Professor of Voice Andrew Garland and Associate Professor of Music Education Leila Heil, George’s involvement with these programs offered real-world, practical experiences. In the MSE and SMA programs, he conducted an orchestra and focused on violin/cello sectionals. Through NAfME, George served as choral representative; organized gratitude initiatives for faculty, staff and students; and even organized a fundraiser for University Hill Elementary School—an effort that generated $1,100 for new equipment for Kimberly Alspaugh-Humecky’s students. “I think that’s what I’m most proud of, getting to organize that fundraiser and make that difference,” he notes.

George also organized a holiday concert that featured musicians from CU Boulder and the broader community performing works by the late composer George Lynn which led to the opportunity to organize a performance for the St. Anthony North Holiday Gala.

Four years after first scanning the College of Music’s music education curriculum, George has completed an education that, in some ways, represents the complex, nuanced dynamics of a choir: His journey has been equal parts individual skill and community engagement. He’s shown a commitment to expanding his own artistic abilities, even as he’s worked for the benefit of the broader world around him—an achievement and an approach ideally suited to a teaching career.

Adds George, who’s also a Chancellor’s Recognition Awardee, graduating with a 4.0 GPA: “I’m very grateful. It’s really an honor to be named Outstanding Senior—there are a lot of incredible, talented people here.”

Congratulations and best wishes to Nathan George and ALL our fantastic graduates in the Class of 2025!