MOUNT VERNON — Soon, for the first time in over 20 years, the name Lawson won’t be associated with the orchestras of the Mount Vernon School system. Charles Lawson retired from the schools four years ago, and now his wife Joyce Lawson, who succeeded him as director of the high school orchestra, is retiring.
Her final concert directing the elementary and high school orchestras will be Wednesday, featuring music of Tchaikovsky and Holst, as well as the popular title cue from the soundtrack for “Pirates of the Caribbean.”
Although Lawson has several things she wants to do with her time after retirement, she’s certain what she wants to do first.
“Sleep for about a week,” she said.
Lawson hopes to find the time to play the violin more, perhaps by getting involved in regional orchestras. She might also take on private students if she has the time. She also looks forward to doing some work on the house.
The Lawsons came to the area from Lima, where Joyce had a middle school orchestra and four elementary schools for five years. She stayed at home the first couple of years her husband worked at Mount Vernon, then began doing substitute teaching in the area. She was hired half-time in 1984 to run the elementary school string orchestra and to assist with the middle school and high school orchestras. She became full time in 1997.
She took over the elementary and high school ensembles full time when her husband retired in 2004. Kristine Stalis directs the middle school string orchestra, and both women share teaching the elementary school music classes. After Lawson’s retirement, a new teacher will be sought to fill that post, while Stalis remains at her preferred position at the middle school.
Directing the two groups gives Lawson an unusual perspective.
“I think one of my favorite things is as the kids grow up, I have at least have of them that I started in fourth grade,” Lawson said. “Then I see them as high school kids. I can still visualize them as little fourth- and fifth-graders in elementary school.”
She said she enjoys seeing how music grows to become important for students, something which lasts the rest of their lives, whether they take on music as a vocation or treasure it as an avocation.
The trickiest part of the job, according to Lawson, is shifting back and forth between young children and high schoolers.
“That’s the hardest part of the job, because you have to change personalities,” Lawson said.
She said that one must be lighter and goofier with the younger students and not expect them to be as accomplished as older, more experienced children.
The big change Lawson has seen over the years is that children and parents are both becoming busier than they used to be. She said there is less commitment at home to learning and practicing music. As a result, Mount Vernon Schools changed the middle school orchestra program from meeting three days per week to meeting five days per week, to allow young players more time to work with their instruments.
The adjustment into retirement will be a big one, and Lawson will miss working with students.
“I’m sure I’ll miss their energy and enthusiasm, and their spontaneity,” Lawson said.
But she added that her passion was the importance of the arts and that she is thankful and proud that the Mount Vernon administration has supported that goal.
“I see evidence that that’s going to continue,” Lawson said.
The concert featuring elementary, middle school and high school orchestras will take place Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the R.R. Hodges Chapel/Auditorium at the Mount Vernon Nazarene University. Lawson will be directing the Elementary String Orchestra and High School Symphony Orchestra, while the Middle School String Orchestra will be directed by Kristine Stalis. Tickets will be available at the door.
