Be the Change - Susan Tevis, Chico

Susan Tevis glows when she discusses music. She has a magical smile and exudes a warm and caring persona that makes her special in the eyes of her students and their parents. Along with her daughter and another Chico State student, Tevis founded Children's Choir of Chico in 2001, and is the choir's conductor and artistic director. There were seven children at the first rehearsal, and today the choir boasts 90 members, from preschool age to adults. CCOC has served more than 1,000 members and performs for numerous organizations and community events each year.

Tevis was born in Pennsylvania, and moved to the Bay Area as a child with her parents and four siblings. She came from a musical family, and began piano lessons at age six. Tevis began singing in the school choir in fourth grade, and in junior high she decided she wanted to become a music teacher.

She and her husband Royce were high school sweethearts, and attended Chico State together as music majors. She has a B.A. and an M.A. in piano pedagogy and music education. She and Royce have three children, all of whom are musically inclined. "We didn't push them," she says. "They were just always around music."

Tevis taught her first choir at Faith Lutheran Church, where she still conducts, and her first paid position out of school was teaching beginning instruments to elementary students. "I taught a long time before I discovered the Kodály philosophy," she says. She discovered Kodály in Louisiana after observing music instructor Lamar Robinson, whom Tevis considers a mentor. The Kodály Method is a music education approach developed in Hungary during the twentieth century, and was inspired by composer Zoltán Kodály's child-centered teaching philosophies.
After seeing Robinson, Tevis decided she wanted to learn more about Kodály. The tools used are child-centered," she explains. "Hand signs, rhythmic syllables: these are all natural for children." Kodály uses lots of folk music, which is fun for children and teaches diversity and respect for other cultures. Tevis explains the importance of valuing folk and great art music, and giving children access to it. "Children love great music," Tevis says. "Whatever we plant in children stays there forever, so it had better be really good stuff."

Constant learning keeps Tevis motivated. She received a Kodály Certificate from McNeese University in Louisiana, and completed advance studies there and at the Kodály Pedagogical Institute in Kecskemet, Hungary. She has been an adjunct faculty member at McNeese and the Kodály Institute at Capital University, where she taught summer courses for music educators. Last summer, she joined the faculty at Wichita State University's Kodály Certification Program. She also founded the Classroom Music Project at Citrus Elementary School in Chico, which provided field studies opportunities for CSU, Chico music majors.

Tevis believes in "music for a lifetime," and says that music can feed lifelong learning. She acknowledges that music helps enhance academics, but adds "That's not why I teach it. It's not just a brain activity, but a heart and soul activity."

Parent Claudia Ortiz says, "Susan Tevis has a strong passion for music, a trait that she seems to transfer to her students almost magically. I feel very fortunate to have my son in the Children's Choir of Chico, and he enjoys singing all the time."

"I have been a choir parent for three years now and have loved seeing the enrichment Susan Tevis and CCOC has brought into our children's lives," says Lori Rice. "My daughters have self-confidence, public speaking abilities, and courage. They have learned the importance of working together, the importance of volunteering, and so much more." Rice also says Tevis has inspired her and her husband to be more active in their community, and they have volunteered many hours to CCOC in hopes that it will be there for others to enjoy in the years to come.

One of Tevis' philosophies: "Always meet your students where they are, care about them for who they are, and you can take them to great places."

Author Desiree Gonzalez sang in the choir in junior high and was told she had a good "blending voice."

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