With a career spanning 40 years, a former Miss Kentucky pageant winner and Miss USA finalist, Gwen Witten Upchurch has built Sounds of South into a musical empire.
However, she did not always think she would end up here, teaching. Witten said, “I knew I wanted to do music right away, but I said I would never teach.”
Now, as Witten begins to look back through her teaching career, it is evident that teaching was a good fit for her.
Witten knew from the age of nine years old that music was something that she would pursue. Growing up, her house was filled with music, specifically her father’s voice, which would reverberate off the walls of their rural farmhouse, an invitation for someone else to join in on the piano, or to sing the harmony.
She graduated from the University of Louisville with a degree in vocal performance, education and with a touch of disappointment: she had hoped to major in flute performance as well, but the course load would have been too heavy. However, this talent would shine on stage, as she would go on to win Miss Kentucky and become a finalist for Miss America.
“I was lucky enough in 1982 to win the Miss Kentucky pageant, so I went to the Miss America pageant and I won enough money to pay for my master’s degree at IU,” Witten said.
Witten always knew that IU was a place she wanted to be. Soon after she finished her master’s at Indiana University, her husband, Ken Upchurch, landed a job as the band and choral director for Bachelor middle school. Witten and Upchurch would co-teach together, until 1985, when Witten transitioned to her current job, choir director for Bloomington High School South.
“I like to think that I perform every day, that I use my performing degree to teach.”
Witten’s experience both inside and outside of the classroom has made her program into one of the most recognizable and decorated programs not only in the community, but also the state.
In her first year of teaching, Sounds of South placed second at the ISSMA competition. Witten would go on to be a finalist for the ISSMA competition numerous times. Last year marked their 2nd ISSMA state group win. They had 40 students achieve a gold ranking at the state level this past year in the solo category as well.
“My motto is love. Love.”
Witten believes in the power of music to transform the individual into a part of something bigger. Music gives students a space to work together and understand what it means to be a good listener, teammate, and above all, person.
“The kids make it, I love each and every kid that walks in this door.”
Witten has plans to perform Beauty and the Beast for the upcoming fall trimester. Sounds of South has two more performances this year, a concert in the spring and a finale, a performance at the end of the school year.
