JoAnn South Ottley (B. 1935): Her Life and Contributions as a Teaching Artist to Vocal Music Education Item Type text; Electronic Dissertation Authors Nokes, Connie D. Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction, presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 07/10/2021 09:56:12 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/630160 JOANN SOUTH OTTLEY (b. 1935): HER LIFE AND CONTRIBUTIONS AS A TEACHING ARTIST TO VOCAL MUSIC EDUCATION by Connie Devivic Nokes __________________________ Copyright © Connie Devivic Nokes 2018 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the FRED FOX SCHOOL OF MUSIC In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2018 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Dissertation Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Connie Devivic Nokes, titled JoAnn South Ottley: Her Life and Contributions as a Teaching Artist to Vocal Music Education and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. ______________________________________________________Date:_____________________________________________________________________ __ _ 04/20/2018 Shelly Cooper ______________________________________________________Date:__________________________________________ 04/20/2018 Dawn Corso _______________________________________________________________________________________ _____ ______BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBDate:Date 04/20/2018 Donald Hamann ______________________________________________________Date:_______________________________________Date:e 04/20/201804/204/2 Barbara McKean Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate’s submission of the final copies of the dissertation to the Graduate College. ,KHUHE\FHUWLI\WKDW,KDYHUHDGWKLVGLVVHUDWLRQSUHSDUHGXQGHUP\GLUHFWLRQDQGUHFRPPHQG WKDWLWEHDFFHSWHGDVIXOILOOLQJWKHGLVVHUWDWLRQUHTXLUHPHQW ______________________________________________________Date: 04/20/2018 Shelly Cooper, Dissertation Director 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that an accurate acknowledgement of the source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED: Connie Devivic Nokes 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My thanks to the Ottley family for their patience and gift of time during this project, and for trusting me to tell the story of this remarkable woman with love as well as candor. There have been many obstacles throughout this journey, and I could not have continued were not for those who have served on my committee. Thank you, Dr. Don Hamann, for going “above and beyond” to assist with this document. Thank you Dr. Tami Draves and Dr. Bobbi McKean, for your time, expertise, and encouragement. Thank you Dr. Dawn Corso for joining my committee and providing suggestions without having previously met me. I will never be able to adequately express my thanks to the head of my committee, Dr. Shelly Cooper. My first class with her was in a Spring Semester long before I ever imagined becoming a doctoral student in music education. She generously and masterfully edited the first history I wrote throughout the following summer. Shelly, you are the best editor I have ever encountered. You are an amazing teacher, scholar, and human being. I will never forget your help when I lost my voice to a yet undiagnosed brain tumor, and couldn’t sing to complete my DMA in Vocal Performance. You welcomed me to the Music Education PhD program, guided me through the application process, helped me secure a GTA position, provided moral support when the brain tumor was removed, encouraged me when I faltered, advocated for me, and celebrated every victory, no matter how small (Go, Connie, go!). You represent all that is good about education, and have shown me many times why the ancient Greeks equated education with joy. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 5 DEDICATION To my children, their spouses, and my grandchildren who love and accept me not just as mother or grandmother, but as myself. For David, who believed in me and encouraged me through the day-to-day reality of bringing this project to fruition. To my mother, who loves unconditionally in a world that has not always loved her back, and taught me to do the same. To my grandmothers, who embodied femininity and power without a hint of paradox and never allowed me to be less than who I am. To my siblings, who are some of the best people I know. To Bill, my “bridge over troubled water.” To JoAnn Ottley, who has courageously carried a torch into the darkness, lighting the way for me and many others. This is her story. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES………………………………………………………….…………..14 ABSTRACT………………………………………………………….…………………..16 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION...……………………….………..…………..……18 CHAPTER TWO: GENEALOGY….……………..………………….……………..…..25 JoAnn’s Maternal Grandparents.…..……………………………………………….25 JoAnn’s Mother...…...…....……..…………………………………..…………….28 Paternal Ancestry and Musical Roots...….......................................................……29 JoAnn’s Paternal Grandparents and Father..….…………………………………..30 East Meets South—JoAnn’s Parents...............………...………………………….33 CHAPTER THREE: EARLY CHILDHOOD.……………………………….………….36 Young Family Struggles.…….....………...…..….……………………………….36 A Home of their Own…...…………...…………………..……………………….36 Pre-School Years.........………...……………………..……........………...…..….40 Educational Beginnings.……………………………………………………...…..40 The Most Important Gift...…..……………………………..........………...…..….40 CHAPTER FOUR: BLOSSOMING—CHILDHOOD TO MARRIAGE....………….....46 Family Dynamics..….……........………...…..….………………………………..46 Developing Pianist……….………………………………………………………48 Introduction to Classical Music….……...…………..…….....………...…..….…48 Junior High………..…….….…..…………….…………………………………..50 7 Page Family Life.……………………..…………….…………........………...…..….…53 First Voice Lessons.……………………..…………...…….....………...…..….…56 West High School.…….………………..….….…………………………………..58 Leaving Navajo Street.……………………..………………....………...…..….…60 Edgehill Ward.……….…...….....………...…..….………………………………..62 High School Opportunities..............…………………………………..….….……64 College Girl……….……………………..…………………....………...…..….…68 A Little Romance….…………………..………...……...….....………...…..….…69 Working Girl……………………..……….……………….….…………………..71 Performance Opportunities….…………………..…………....………...…..….…73 The Blind Date that Almost Wasn’t….…………………..….….…………….…..74 Absolutely the One for Her…….….……………………..….….…………….…..76 CHAPTER FIVE: BALANCING ACT…….…………...……………………………….79 The Engagement.……...………….....…...…..….………………………………..79 Wedding Day………….…………..……….……………………………………..84 Honeymoon…………...…….....………...…..….………………………………..88 Beginning Life Together……………………..…………………………………..90 Provo Singing Opportunities…….………………...……........………...…..….…94 Military Call and Separation……………………..…….….....………...…..….…95 Military Wife….……………………..…………...…….….....………...…..….…97 Baby and New Beginnings………………....………...……………………..…..103 8 Page CHAPTER SIX: BUILDING FOUNDATIONS…………...………………......……..108 JoAnn’s Continuing Education……………….……...…….....……...…..….…108 Young Family Life..………….………………….……………………………..111 Fulbright Scholarships……….……………………....….....………...…..….…112 Fulbright Language Training….…………………..…………….……………..114 Settling in Köln……………….….……………...........................……...…..….116 Fulbright Studies: Josef Metternich…….……………….…….….....…..…..…120 Fulbright Studies: Performances……….….……………………….…………..126 Fulbright Studies: Classes…………….……………….......................…..….…127 Culture Shock…………………….……….……………..…….….......……..…131 Life Changes……………………..……….…………….…….….....………..…138 Oregon, Music Studies and a Baby Girl………………….……………………..142 Unlettered University Instructor…...……………………….…….....………..…144 Emerging Vocal Pedagogy…………………….………………………………..146 Tabernacle Choir—Return and Revelation…………………..……...........….…148 Opera for Her Students………………………………….……….....…….…..…150 World Blown Apart…………………………..………….……….....………..…152 CHAPTER SEVEN: CONCENTRIC CIRCLES IN VOICE AND LIFE……………...154 Sudden Fame………………………………………..…….....………...….….…155 Abravanel’s Influence……………………….…………...……………………..157 Balancing Career and Family……………………..…….....………...…....….…159 9 Page Performance Choices…….……………………...…..…….....………...….….…162 Tabernacle Choir Vocal Coach……….……………….………….........………..164 The Roberta Peters Challenge..……….……………….………….........………..169 Unwelcome Judgement…………….………………...….....………...…....….…171 Expanding Services as Vocal Coach………….………………...……...….….…172 Overburdened and Overwhelmed……………..………….………….....………..174 Difficult Choices Toward Balance…………….………………...…...…....….…177 Building the Kingdom……………………….…………..……...……...….….…183 Ongoing Solo Vocal Performance Career……….……………………...…….…187 Setting Personal and Professional Boundaries……….……………...…….….…189 Developing Philosophies as Pedagogue and Performer……….………………...191