JENN RICHARDS is the choir director for Madison High School and Middle School. She has a passion for music and enjoys seeing her students realize the various benefits that singing provides.
JENN RICHARDS is the choir director for Madison High School and Middle School. She has a passion for music and enjoys seeing her students realize the various benefits that singing provides.
For two decades, Jenn Richards has been the choir director for both Madison High School and Middle School. Throughout this time, she has shared her love for music with each student that entered her classroom, helping to give them the confidence to express themselves through vocal performance.
“I love the kids,” Richards said, “and I love seeing their eyes light up when they get it.” Across her two schools and four choirs, Richards works to highlight the magic of singing, instilling in her students the idea that anyone can do it as long as they’re willing to try.
Whether it’s one of her choirs creating their first harmonies or new students reading their first sheet music, Richards feels a sense of elation any time her students achieve something they thought they couldn’t do. “They get so proud of themselves and so in awe of themselves because they did it,” Richards added. “I didn’t do it, they did it.”
Richards was born in Sioux Falls yet grew up in Wichita, Kanas. However, her roots to Madison have always been present via her mother and her family, who all call the area home. Richards spent a year at Wichita State University yet felt that it wasn’t a proper fit, leading her mother to suggest moving to Madison to live with her grandmother and attend Dakota State University.
During this time, Richards was torn between her two passions: math and music, yet she ultimately decided the latter was the superior choice. “I was highly involved with music my whole life,” she stated.
At DSU, Richards pursued a degree in music education, gaining the opportunity to learn from some of the most respected members of Madison’s music community like Denny and Barb Hegg as well as Bob King. She graduated in 1993.
Richards spent the next few years teaching in Dell Rapids before taking seven years off to stay home with her two children. She then taught private voice lessons, worked part-time at the Madison Christian School, and even served a stint as the director of the Madison MasterSingers. In 2003, both of her children had started school, leading Richards to apply for her current position.
“I can’t believe it’s been 20 years; it’s really strange to think about,” Richards commented. “I’m now teaching the children of my students from when I first started.”
The connections Richards has crafted through her career, along with her family history, have tied her to Madison in a special way. “I’ve always felt at home in Madison,” she added. “I like the connection to the community.”
At Madison Central, Richards stays busy with three choirs at the high school level as well as an 8th grade choir with 40 students currently enrolled. She also teaches nine-week “cruise classes” for sixth and seventh graders.
In their first year in middle school, students have the option to take Richard’s “Music Mania” class, which serves as an introductory music course. In seventh grade, students can broaden their musical horizons through learning the ukulele.
For Richards, the ability to know the children from a young age plays a vital role in the development of her program. She explained that meeting them early on allows her to develop a safe and welcoming environment where students can feel comfortable exploring the world of music without fear of failing. “I try to give them the right tools to succeed,” she added.
Richards’ high school choir is divided into three sections: treble choir, mixed choir and the audition-based jazz choir Madvoices. Across the treble and mixed choirs, Richards works with nearly 100 students to prepare them for their three yearly concerts. Madvoices is capped at 16 and comes with its own concert as well as additional performances throughout the community.
In all her choirs, Richards emphasizes the various benefits that singing provides. She added that singing has been proven to lower stress levels and assist with breathing as well as giving students the chance to form their own musical community. “We’re creating something together that no one person can do alone,” she said, “and I think that human connection is a huge benefit of being in choir.”
Along with the positive reception from students, Richards described the choir’s community feedback as “outstanding”, saying that they have been immensely supportive since the very beginning. “This community has always stepped up and helped out whenever needed.”
