A Nebraska vocal music teacher who was honored by his peers twice in the past year credits Central Community College with helping him set his sights on a career in music education.

Michael Morris

Michael Morris was named Nebraska Music Teacher of the Year by the Nebraska Music Educators Association in November 2005 and in May 2006 received the Doane Alumni Educator of the Year Award during graduation ceremonies at Doane College in Crete.

Morris said he wasn’t sure what kind of career he wanted when he graduated from Columbus High School in 1974, so he decided to attend Central Community College-Columbus to explore his options.

 “I wasn’t going to commit to a four-year college until I knew what I wanted to do,” Morris said.

He had been active in the Columbus school band and choir programs, including three years as drum major for the high school band and service as band president. He continued to participate in music at the Columbus Campus, where he was in the Chorale and Cantari vocal ensembles active on the campus at the time, as well as College Chorus, College Band and the campus jazz band.

Morris said he hadn’t considered a career in music but his experience with Chorale and Cantari started heading him in that direction.

 “I really looked forward to it every time we went on tour. I enjoyed performing at all of the different high schools we went to throughout the year,” Morris said. “I started getting a little better focus on my abilities and talents.”
After graduating from the Columbus Campus in 1976, Morris transferred to Doane College in Crete where he completed a bachelor’s degree in music education in 1978.

“I was very well prepared to continue my education,” Morris said, adding that Doane College accepted all 66 semester-hours of credit he completed at the Columbus Campus.

Since then, Morris has had an active and distinguished career as a music educator, having taught in Norfolk and David City and, for the last 22 years, at Crete Public Schools, where he is vocal music instructor for about 300 students in grades 6-12.

Other music activities have contributed to a busy schedule for Morris, who directed the state FFA Honor Choir for 11 years, was choral director for the Nebraska Ambassadors of Music European tour, directed the choir at the Crete United Church of Christ, and has done music clinics for schools and conferences across Nebraska. He also has been on the executive board for the Nebraska Choral Directors Association and was president of the Crete Sertoma Club.

In addition, Morris currently is enjoying performing with his sons, Scott and David, as a member of the Wheezetones, a Lincoln-based classic rock band.
Scott is a Doane College graduate in his second year as Plattsmouth Middle School band director. David is a senior at Doane, majoring in computer systems technology but also performing in five music ensembles.

Columbus Campus vocal instructor John Putnam (now retired) was a big influence on his decision to purse a career as a music educator, Morris said.
 “I enjoyed his teaching style and knowledge base. I learned a ton from him and still do,” Morris said, noting that Putnam comes to Crete three times every year to work with Morris’ students.

Reflecting on his experience at the Columbus Campus, Morris said, “It was a great place to discover myself. It was a great bargain, compared to the cost of a four-year college, for finding out what I truly wanted to do.”