Growing up in North Dakota, music was always a big presence in Jennifer Donelson’s life. From choir to band, she was involved in almost every musical performance activity she could find.
Donelson has been an assistant professor for five years in the Division of Performing and Visual Arts in the Farquhar School of Arts and Sciences.
At the age of 10, Donelson starting playing piano. Even though this is a bit late for most kids to start, Donelson said that her mom was wise to know that she would have never practiced if she had picked up the instrument at a younger age.
“I started getting very serious about playing and I would practice two to four hours a day. I played in a lot of festivals in high school and even won a couple competitions,” said Donelson.
When Donelson started college at North Dakota State University, she was a chemistry major and music minor, and never intended to make music her career. It was while walking to lunch with one of her friends that she realized her true calling.
“We were just talking and he said ‘you know, I think I am going to switch to music as my major’ and I said ‘me too’,” said Donelson.
At first, Donelson was scared to call her mom and tell her about studying music. Her mom wasn’t initially convinced, but got on board later. “I just realized that I didn’t want to sit in a lab for the rest of my life and deal with beakers and Bunsen burners,” said Donelson.
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in vocal music education with a piano emphasis, Donelson started applying for master’s programs in music and decided to attend the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. At that point, she was still not sure what her ultimate career goal would be, but was confident with her options.
“I kind of went into the degree thinking I can do a bunch of different things and one of them is become a college professor,” said Donelson.
To receive her music degree, Donelson worked as a teaching assistant. The position allowed her to find excitement, not just in music, but in planning and arranging concerts and chorale performances. She put on a concert full of musical styles she adored, including chorale, solo, and instrumental music.
While earning her doctorate, also at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, she started her own choir, which sang once a month for a Latin mass composed of music majors, grad students, musical faculty and other people who sang in professional choirs. Donelson said that she learned a lot from this environment, from organizing the performing venues to making sure that everything was prepared for the final performances.
“When you bring all of these things together to make something that is a cohesive whole and has a really great idea and presentation, it helps other get involved and interested in the performance,” said Donelson. “To see so many people come to these performances, it was exciting and I realized I really like planning these sorts of events.”
After receiving her master’s and doctorate degrees in piano performance and pedagogy, Donelson moved to Florida to teach at NSU. She said that the atmosphere here is different from the Midwest, but it has allowed her to work with a diverse group of people in a way she had never experienced.
“I liked coming to NSU because it is a small department and I get to teach a lot of different things, and it is really exciting for me to have input every single day on things that can help students find their own potential,” said Donelson.
Now, by picking challenging chorale pieces and arranging performances on and off campus, Donelson teaches her students to understand and appreciate many styles of music and different types of performance experiences.
For those students interested in pursuing a career in music, Donelson says they should follow their passions and have an open mind.
Donelson said, “Music adds something to your education. You grow as a person, as a colleague and in your knowledge of different types of ideas. If you’re willing to put the hard work and be creative in pursuing what you are passionate about, then succeeding in a musical career is possible.”
