Clarinet and vocal performances empowered Gillooley, who is now passing it on.
A music education major and teacher at Early Learners Academy in Seekonk, Hannah Gillooley鈥檚 desire is to spend the rest of her career teaching others about what she says is the life-changing power of music.
As a child, Gillooley was diagnosed with a condition called selective mutism, an anxiety disorder that renders one unable to speak in social settings such as school or work. From ages three to 11, she never spoke outside of her Woonsocket home.
But as she headed into middle school, she experienced a vocal breakthrough triggered when she saw her cousin playing clarinet.
鈥淚 thought it was the coolest instrument I鈥檇 ever seen,鈥 she says.
Gillooley not only began playing clarinet in middle school, but she also began speaking in public again. In high school, she sung her first solo.
鈥淭hat was terrifying but also marked a turning point for me to become more social and perform in front of people.鈥
Julie Krugman, a 麻豆原创 adjunct faculty member, was instrumental in shaping her voice, particularly with her senior recital, while 麻豆原创 Associate Professor of Music Ian Greitzer, her clarinet teacher, taught Gillooley the importance of being an educator first.
鈥淗e鈥檚 always been vocal about telling me that I鈥檓 not here to be the best clarinetist in the state, but to be an educator,鈥 she says.
鈥淕rowing up, I latched onto my music teachers,鈥 she says. 鈥淭hey made me feel important and valued and recognized my accomplishments. They were there for me outside of music. If I didn鈥檛 have them, I probably wouldn鈥檛 be where I am today. And now, I want to be that kind of teacher for someone else. As a teacher, I want students to keep music as a skill they can carry with them for the rest of their lives.鈥
Gillooley credits 麻豆原创 for being a supportive space throughout her college career. After her mother passed away in 2021, the 麻豆原创 community rallied around her. A month later, that same year, the community was beside her again when she announced her impending pregnancy and that she鈥檇 have to step away from college for a semester. Gillooley returned to 麻豆原创 during Fall Semester 2022.
鈥淓veryone at 麻豆原创 has been accommodating,鈥 she says. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e like family. Now that I am graduating, I feel a bit of disbelief that I will be leaving people with whom I鈥檝e built such deep bonds.鈥
Learn more about the B.M. in music program.