Why?
Julianne Fournier holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education (voice) from Westminster Choir College (2020) and a Master of Music Education with an autism concentration from Boston Conservatory at Berklee (2023). Music has been my passion since I was in grade school and I want to be able to pass this on. When I was in the 3rd grade, it was 100 degrees outside so my family was trying to find a place to stay cool as I do not have air conditioning in my house. My Mom had seen an ad in the paper for auditions for Trinity Reparatory Company’s “A Christmas Carol”. Prior to this I had only ever sung in my elementary music class. I sang the song “Silent Night” as it was the only song I knew. A week later I got a call saying I had been cast in the Children’s Choir for the show. This meant that I would have to perform in 23 shows and that I would have rehearsal 5 days a week. I was the youngest person in the show. Through this I met the choir director of the Rhode Island Children’s Chorus and I ended up singing with that choir for 9 years. This helped instill my love of music and in particular choir. When I got to High School I wanted to expand my musical knowledge and I decided to join the marching band and color guard. Marching band and color guard taught me how to listen to music differently and learn to feel music on an emotional level using dance and music together. During my senior year of High School, I had the opportunity to go off campus and work at a local school. At this school I met a student with autism. When I first met this student he would not talk to anybody and would hit and kick. Every day I would go into my internship and I would sing to him. By the end of the school year the student was singing along with me. This was the start of my passion for special education in music. Through my practicum and student teaching experiences in college, I was fortunate enough to work with grades PK- 12 and I got to deepen my love of special education and music in my student teaching. I currently work as a PK-5 music teacher in Massachusetts. In addition, Julianne teaches private voice lessons and music classes through the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education. Through music I have learned a lot about the person I am and I want to continue to use my gift so that I can help the world in my own small way.