DMA February News: Former DMA student update

Denise Henkels started her musical life at the age of 5 on piano although like many kids, she started singing shortly after learning to speak.  Listening to her mother, a former professional singer and pianist, sing nursery rhymes to her every night.   In elementary school Denise started getting parts in musicals.  In 4th grade she began studying the flute. She then started studying voice which eventually led her to her first professional singing part at the Walnut Street Theater at the age of 13.  During her high school years Denise added a bit of guitar to her tool chest. (Her guitar teacher, Ken Harmer was also a DMA student starting in 4th grade and is now a music teacher in the Cheltenham School District).
After many great experiences at North Penn High School, including musicals, band, flute ensemble, choir, jazz vespers vocal ensemble, District Choir, and directing, Denise was accepted to the Westminster Choir College in Princeton NJ which she attended as a Musical Theater/Voice major.  After a year at Westminster she decided to make a change in direction and major in Music Education at West Chester University.  Upon graduating we were fortunate to have Denise here at DMA as a vocal and piano instructor for a while until her journey took her back to Westchester where she taught music at Henderson High School.  Since then, she transferred to East Bradford Elementary School teaching music full time.  Denise is still very involved in musicals in the Westchester School system.  This past week she not only directed the vocalists in Henderson High’s production of Cinderella, she also played flute, alto flute, and piccolo in the orchestra pit.
I guess the point of this article is to just give a glimpse into how rich one’s life can become with the gift of music and how many more lives can receive the same gift from a little 5 year old girl.