Today we’d like to introduce you to Chad McClellan.
Hi Chad, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
While attending West Orange High School, I became inspired by my choir teacher Jeff Redding to pursue a career in teaching music. From there, I attended Rollins College where I studied music and education.
About five years ago, a dear friend of mine told me some wise words he heard from his pastor: “We can’t save the world ourselves, but we can do our best to put a little bit more good into it.” I really took that mentality to heart and started thinking of ways that I could apply that to my life. I started off small by adopting a Chihuahua I named Pickles from a pet rescue. After that, I became a Big Brother with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Florida. Then, helping people, especially under-resourced students, became my life.
I took a job working at A Gift For Music (AGFM), a program of A Gift For Teaching that provides tuition-free music education to under-served students in Orlando. I have also conducted choirs for Boys and Girls Club, the Legacy Chorale retirement community choir, and the outreach choir for the Orlando Choral Society that performs at assisted living facilities.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road, but I am thankful for the bumps along the way, including the bumps I put there myself.
I lost my job after the recession in 2008 and it took me a long time to recover from that, which was especially difficult as I was going to school at the same time.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I currently have a few different jobs that I do, but they are all focused around music. If I were known for anything, it’d be music, especially singing.
I work as a program manager for A Gift For Music, a non-profit organization that provides tuition-free music education to Orlando’s under-resourced students.
I work as a church choir director.
I conduct a retirement community choir.
I have been on the board of directors as Board Chair and other roles for the Orlando Choral Society on and off for 14 years.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
If you would like to support A Gift For Music in making music education accessible to all Orlando students, you can make a donation at agiftformusic.org/donate.
Contact Info:
- Email: ncmcclellan@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chadmcclellan/
