Footnotes: Text, glorious text!

Text, glorious text! It's the intriguing, special element that makes our art of choral/vocal music truly unique! And isn't the music we choose for our choirs really the textbook for that group or class since it serves as the
foundation for the musical development of our students as well as our vehicle for teaching important musical concepts like sight reading, music history, literature and the pure enjoyment of singing? Then why aren't more choral music budgets funded or in some part supplemented by school district textbook funds? How are you acquiring music for your choirs? Do you have a budget at your school?

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Mary Lynn Lightfoot is the Choral Editor for Heritage Music Press, the educational music division of The Lorenz Corporation in Dayton, Ohio.

In addition to her editorial responsibilities, Mary Lynn has effectively established herself with an active composing career and currently has over 230 published choral compositions, arrangements, and musicals. She has received several awards for her compositions and for conducting.

Mary Lynn received her BME degree from Truman State University (formerly Northeast Missouri State University), Kirksville, where she graduated magna cum laude and was the recipient of the Sigma Alpha Iota Scholarship Award. She taught for a total of eight years in both public and private schools in Missouri and Iowa; has served in varying capacities for both a retail music dealer and a music publisher; served for two years as an Assistant Director for the Mid-America Youth Chorale's Concert Tour of Europe; and for six years served as the Director of Youth Choirs and Assistant Chancel Choir Director at Blue Ridge Presbyterian Church, Raytown, Missouri.