A sneak peak into the life of a passionate conductor: Greg Graf
Mary Margaret Flook, Staff Writer
Music filled the basement as the young boy played his heart out on the piano. Hours of melodies would eventually turn into choirs of harmonies.
Greg Graf is the director of choral activities and assistant professor of music education at North Greenville University. Every song must begin with a note, just as every story has a beginning. Where did Graf’s musical story begin?
Music has been a part of Greg Graf’s life since he was a boy.
Graf said, “I can’t imagine myself doing anything else.”
For Graf, music is not only the thing that he’s good at, but also the thing that he’s always understood. Graf started piano lessons early on, yet he said he did not care for the lessons as much as his simple desire to just play. He said he would find himself playing for hours every night. His parents moved the piano down to the basement where he could play freely.
As he grew older and entered middle and high school, he participated in band and choir. During these years he played piano, bassoon and tenor saxophone. In middle school he wanted to be a bassoonist in a professional orchestra. But he did not like the idea of having to play the bassoon until his cheeks hurt.
Graf said that the desire for choral conducting started in high school as he was a drum major in band. He liked being the lead musician and had a desire to teach others about music. Graf was a student leader in his choir and in various concert bands that he was a part of.
Graf graduated high school and began studying at Bob Jones University as a voice performance major. Graf realized a few years in that he may not be good enough for a career in solo voice. Still, he knew that he wanted his music to involve voice. Graf said he wanted words to be a part of his music making.
Graf then decided to get a masters in choral conducting. He got confirmation through the positive feedback that he received from his professors.
Following his masters in choral conducting, Graft began to share his passion for music with students.
Graf began his teaching career at Mineral Area College in Park Hills Missouri where he would direct two student choral ensembles and a community chorus.
After teaching for seven years at MAC, Graf decided to further his education. At the University of Maryland, Graf received his DMA in conducting. Graf then went on to teach at Del Mar College in Texas, for five years.
As Graf was teaching at Del Mar College in Texas, he said it was a nice place, but he knew it was not a forever place for him and his family. Graf and his wife wanted to be in one of the Carolinas where he said was a great place to raise a family.
During Covid, the Graf family went through a time of growth. Graf said it was season of great passion for God. Out of this passion, he wanted to be among students who were professing believers so that he could talk with them about deeper things as it pertained to their age group. Graf said he had known about NGU for a while, so when the job opportunity opened, he applied. Graf is currently in his second academic year at NGU.
Graf said he wants to pass on his passion for music and the art form of choral singing to the next generation. He said he wants to instill in his students a desire for excellence in music and a desire to strive for high standards in music making.
For Graf, music is something that he’s never gotten tired of.
