• Stephen Dahle, Choir Director and Assistant Marching Band Director

    "I had so many incredible opportunities as a musician in several of the wonderful ensembles at Luther that I couldn't imagine having anywhere else."

Stephen Dahle '13

Gaining Marketable Skills

After graduation, Stephen taught middle and elementary school orchestra for two years in his hometown of Hudson, Wisconsin. “Then a choir director position at New Richmond Middle School became available, where I had student taught,” he said. “I was interested in the prospect of having a program of my own, and being employed full time.”

Stephen feels Luther prepared him well for the first steps in his profession. “With all of the education and methods courses I had to take to teach both choral and instrumental music, I'm confident in managing my time and being flexible,” he says. “All of those courses provided me with multiple scenarios that might arise when I entered the field. I'm glad I had so many in-classroom opportunities during my time at Luther.”

He appreciates that he’s already had experience teaching in two fields of education that while different, have some similarities. “Being able to make a quick switch from orchestral education to choral was something I never imagined myself doing when I was a student at Luther,” he says. “Having those credentials, however, has made me marketable and able to find lots of employment, education, and performance opportunities.”

Music Faculty and Opportunities Make a Difference

Stephen knows that the professors and ensemble conductors at Luther are passionate about what they do. “They love sharing their love of music and reaching out to each student, helping them reach their potential as a musician,” he says. “I had so many incredible opportunities as a musician in several of the wonderful ensembles at Luther that I couldn't imagine having anywhere else. A lot of my closest friends, who I'm still friends with today, were in those ensembles with me as well.”

I chose Luther because my dad graduated from Luther, as did one of my high school choir directors. Both are incredibly talented musicians and spoke highly of the school.

—Stephen Dahle