“Angela is a passionate visionary who has the ability to articulate, set and attain high goals or a greater cause. It has been a pleasure working with her to bring the Paramount Records history of Grafton, WI to the forefront.”
–Michael “Hawkeye” Herman, Musician/Owner of Topaz Productions
“Embracing the Legacy of the Blues/From South to the North” published in the Blues Festival Guide in 2006
by Angie Mack
The video below says it all. Shannon and I go way back from when she was in grade school at a small private school in Saukville, WI.
Shannon wanted to learn how to play the piano. “Young Shannon” seemed extremely eager to play……more than most of the other students I have met. Taking her lead and capturing that moment of her intrigue with the piano, I started teaching her piano theory and before we knew it, she was improvising and playing. She caught on very quickly and practiced often on her own initiative.
Shannon and I parted ways, as most teachers and students do. However, we were able to connect again when she got older (as a lot of my former students and I do).
She began sharing some of her original compositions with me. I was struck by how raw they were. She played piano with such a fierceness that I hadn’t seen in any other female other than myself. All that I can say is authentic passion. WOW!
I love empowering young people to express themselves! It’s a skill that ends up sticking with them for the rest of their lives!
One of my favorite things to teach is songwriting and composing. Why just PLAY a song when you can CREATE the song?
by Angie Mack
published March 7, 2016
I was Tina’s music teacher waaaaay back when she was a comical, animated, loud, active and highly intelligent grade school girl with big fluffy hair.
At the time, I was the music teacher at Ozaukee Christian School.
Tina and I began private voice lessons when she was in, maybe, fourth grade. We worked on the same musical theatre singing book that I work on with elementary students to this day!! I seem to recall that her favorite song to sing was “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid because of all of the acting that can be done in that song. Yes, she LOVED being dramatic. That’s for sure!
I could clearly see that Tina loved the arts and that she was a natural leader. A passion of mine is to develop leaders.
I chose “young Tina” to be a leader in several of the productions and chapel sessions that I led. Later, I would ask Tina to become Assistant Director in the Schoolhouse Rock show that I was directing at the North Shore Academy of the Arts. I believe I also asked her to lead out and teach choreography in some other productions. I was the audition judge and music director for Aladdin when she was cast as the comical bird Iago. Tina was a very funny child (and pre-teen, and teen). I always loved her sense of humor.
Yes, Tina and I go way back.
Last I heard, I believe she is now student teaching at an arts high school. And last year, she was the leading lady Mary Poppins!
Tina, if you are reading this now, I give you three adjectives: SUCCESSFUL, INFLUENTIAL and COMICAL. Now go and unpack those adjectives!
Ozaukee Talent