Introduction

Hi all!

My name is Noel Streacker. I am currently a graduate student at Northern Illinois University studying Percussion Pedagogy and Special Education. To explain why I am doing this, first some background.

That's me!

I was always fond of music growing up. My mother was in fact a musician herself and would play piano as my four brothers and I would fall asleep. Little did she know that one of her children would fall deeply in love and fascinated with music.

Unfortunately, I put off learning music for a very long time. I was taught briefly by my mom at a very young age but I didn't keep going because I wanted to be cool like my brothers. It wasn't until my senior year of high school that I started taking music seriously. I started re learning piano and being more involved in the arts at my high school. I graduated and knew I needed to be involved in music. With that in mind I went to College of Dupage where my second semester I met Michael Folker, a wonderful chicagoland percussionist and educator whom I deeply admire. For some reason he believed in me and quickly started educating me. From there it was a whirlwind so I think I am going to go into bullet points to hit the highlights

• Played my first solo snare piece for an audience
• Drank coffee before it and learned to NEVER do that again.
• Played my first percussion ensemble concert.
• Got asked a day before the ensemble concert to play my snare solo (A Minute of News by Eugene Novotnoy for those wondering)
• Played my snare solo for the concert.
• Mr. Folker announced his retirement
• Spent a week PANICKING, thinking what I would do since Mr. Folker was all I knew in the world of classical percussion.
• Eventually I decided I would casually transfer to Wheaton College Conservatory of Music. Citing "it doesn't matter where I get my undergrad degree from" not realizing that Wheaton College Conservatory of Music is actually pretty prestigeous. 
• Put together an audition over the course of 2 months.
• Performed my auditon in LATE June.
• Got accepted at the end of July.
• Began studying under Kathleen Kastner and Michael Folker

Quick side note, Dr. Kastner is one of the most badass percussion teachers I have ever had the privilege to work with. She cares so deeply about the growth of her students beyond there technical capabilities and into there development as people as well. She is incredible, and if you don't know her.... that's a shame. She is extremely thoughtful in regards to Pedagogy and is constantly challenging herself to grow as an educator and a human being.

Back in.

• Took three years of my undergrad to dive as deep as I could into marimba, timpani, snare, and all the accessories.
• Declared my major to be Pedagogy
• Along the way made some incredible friends whome I love dearly.
• Meet my, now, wife!
• SOMEHOW won a concerto competition with Eric Ewazen's Concerto for Marimba and String Orchestra Mvt. 1.
• The previous point needs to be sat on for a while because me... a person who just started learning about this whole new world of music..... won a concerto competition only three years into playing said instrument...
• After declaring my major to be Pedagogy, I begain working with Dr. Beth Bauer.
• Beth Bauer started a program called Beethoven's Buddies which is all about teaching individuals with disabilities music.
• Was involved in a class called special education and music that changed many of my perspectives.
• Begain teaching students for my major.
• Did an independent Study my senior year with Dr. Beth Bauer and wrote a 15 page paper (she wouldn't let me write more....) entitled Down Beats for Down Syndrome where this passion for working with the disabilities community really kicked off. 
• Took over teaching a class at Wheaton College Community School of the Arts called Beethoven's Buddies Clementis Colorful Chimes Class. (BB Chimes)
• BB Chimes is a group class for individuals with disabilities to learn music and to perform as an ensemble.
• Revamped the Curriculum of the class to emphasize learning music and playing together.
• Began truly pondering this idea of teaching people with disabilities percussion. (will go into all of that later)
• Graduated from Wheaton College!
• Got Married!!!!
• Auditioned for NIU School of Music in 2018 as a performance major, but did not make it in.
• Continued teaching for BB Chimes and developing the curriculum.
• Worked in Specialty Coffee for two and a half years. 
• Auditioned for NIU School of Music again in 2019 as a Individualized Study focusing on Percussion Pedagogy and Special Needs, and was accepted in.
• Currently studying to recieve a Masters of Music Individualized Study of Percussion Pedagogy and Special Needs.

And now here we are. Of course a lot more happened. but these are the highlights of how I have gotten to this point. I want to dive into a lot of these points because they really help frame why I am doing what I am doing.

But, for now. That's all. Stay tuned for more about Disabilities and Music

Noel