Teaching more than music through Music Education
Pursuing a music degree requires artistic talent and skills in math, science, languages and artistic expression. Hear from alumni and future teachers how their musical education at VCSU prepared them for success in the classroom and beyond.
Tedi Dimmer remembers the day her life’s trajectory changed. The clarinet player from West Fargo, N.D., was sitting in band when she had an epiphany.“That day it hit me,” Dimmer said. “I want to keep coming to band every day. I love this that much.”Dimmer set her course to pursue musical training and become a music educator.
Now, as a junior at Valley City State University, she is taking courses in theory, mastering multiple instruments and preparing to join Vikings in the field making music in classrooms across the nation. We caught up with a few music educators to see how they think their time at VCSU prepared them for the classroom and why they think music is one of the most important areas of a well-rounded educational experience.
Skills for all ages

VCSU alumni John Monilaws, ’87, taught music for 31 years. In that time he worked with groups on countless performances, and brought a group to perform in California for Disneyland’s 50th anniversary parade.
Beyond the performances, Monilaws said music helped him teach many important life lessons
including how to dress professionally to starting a conversation with a stranger.
“We would perform at the veteran’s home and each student had to go say hello to a resident,” he explained. “It’s not about going to the veteran’s home, it wasn’t about performing, but it’s about learning to visit with an older generation. Those skills are still helping my students today.”
This approach was something he learned at VCSU through Associate Professor of music Gloria Peterson. Monilaws, a trombone player, was also a tenor in the Valley Troubadours which was led by Peterson at that time.
“She was one of the best professors I ever had,” Monilaws said. As a student, Monilaws was required to call an alumni every quarter and ask them questions for a questionnaire. The cross-generational approach to music education made it a valuable and memorable experience.
“There are many ways for music to open doors for communication,” Monilaws said. “Music is something you can do together and build confidence and skills.”
Now, Monilaws is retired from teaching, conducts The Valley Troubadours and works for a music company introducing instruments to young musicians and supporting music educators across the eastern part of North Dakota.
Although the role is different, the thrill is the same.
“When a student puts a horn up and gets their first sound, and their eyes get big, I don’t know if it’s the grandpa in me, but that’s really special to me,” he explained. “It builds self-esteem right away.”
Learning how to learn

Like Monilaws, Brian Bubach, ’97, studied music at VCSU. Although he didn’t start as a music major, a professor encouraged him to switch his major and join others in Foss hall. He quickly realized he had some important courses to master and skills to hone to catch up with other music majors who declared as freshmen.
“Pretty much everybody in the music department was better than I was and that has been a core tenant of my teaching philosophy,” Bubach said. “I believe that everyone I came across teaching was better at music than I was, but most didn’t realize it yet.” Bubach graduated and taught music in Maddock, N.D., served as a school administrator and eventually joined the North Dakota High School Activities Association. As an associate director, Bubach leads official contests for music, debate, plays, speech and tennis.
While musical competitions do not get the same television coverage as athletic counterparts, they are still a huge part of many high school experiences.
“Overall, general participation numbers in schools is around the 10,000 mark,” Bubach said. “There are 171 member schools participating in 32 regional and state music festivals in North Dakota alone. In those events, there are 244 secondary music education teachers bringing students to perform.”
Students practice for months to master difficult pieces and techniques.
“When you take kids to music festivals, it is real-time learning in citizenship, communication and problem-solving,” Bubach said. Students must work together to fix things, manage deadlines or find solutions, for example, if something critical was forgotten.
Bubach is committed to the idea that music education broadens individuals’ overall ability to learn.
“We go to school to learn important things like reading and math, but I honestly believe the most important thing we go to school for is to learn how to learn,” he said. “Music is
a language. Good music instruction broadens your learning capacity. It increases your ability to learn how to learn.”
Teaching skills and musical expression
Like Bubach, Eric Bergstedt, ’05, wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his career when he landed at Valley City State. Bergstedt had always participated in music and thought it might be the key for his success.

Bubach encouraged him to switch his major and join others in Foss hall. He quickly realized he had some important courses to master and skills to hone to catch up with other music majors who declared as freshmen.
“Pretty much everybody in the music department was better than I was and that has been a core tenant of my teaching philosophy,” Bubach said. “I believe that everyone I came across teaching was better
When he came to Valley City State he jumped into musical groups including concert choir, hand bells, band, university singers and participated in several musicals.
After graduation he landed a job in Enderlin and still teaches music there today.
“I came in as the program was moving in the right direction,” he explained. As a program develops, so do the bright moments.
Bergstedt recalled a particular large group music contest with his students. “That day, they were all getting into the song we were singing. Thee kids were so excited about what they had done and the music they performed,” he said.
“It’s a group expression, which is so unique,” he said. “Bringing that expression to the wider community through support of music education means a great deal.”
That support helps a music program teach musical concepts, artistic expression and many other real-world skills like practicing, meeting deadlines, performing in public and working as a team.
Having conversations in the community and with administrators about the importance of music education can help sustain programs, Bergstedt said.
“So many decisions can impact music education. Scheduling, the school calendar and other little things can have a major impact on a music program,” Bergstedt said. “Stakeholders
and community members can have conversations with leaders about the value of music education.
Music is critical for an education and Bergstedt said it has to be a continuing focus for schools.
“Music is daily. Some of what we do is a daily job of reminding people in your school why what you do is important,” he said.
A rigorous, ideal group project
Tedi Dimmer started her music studies at VCSU in Foss Hall like her predecessors.

Foss Hall was taken down as part of flood mitigation efforts after the new Center for the Arts opened in the spring of 2022. From the state- of-the-art performance hall, to specially designed practice rooms, the entire building is designed to help students study and perform music of the highest quality. Dimmer said the new facilities also allow for students to gather in a much brighter and comfortable way.
“I feel like our community has bonded even more in this new building,” she said. “Band is such a community builder. The people I come to school with every day are my best friends. We sit and make music together every day for an hour or two. It’s the most ideal group project you could think of because we all want to be here and contribute. We all want to do our best every day.”
Dimmer was a high school and college student when the pandemic affected music programs everywhere. She recalls how hard it was to hear other members of the band when everyone was sitting six feet apart.
With that experience clearly in the review mirror, Dimmer said one of the best things about the new facility is the fact that there are always friends around.
“We enjoy each others company and at all times of the day I find people down in the lobby or upstairs to talk with,” she said. “We really have a family feeling here.”
Dimmer has been taking theory classes and mastering different musical instruments from strings to brass, woodwinds and percussion, and developing her skills as a teacher.
“You go to math and can learn formulas or English and build sentences but music teaches you how to meet people,” she said. “You build a sense of community in large ensembles and you are all working for a common goal. Every moving part has to fit just right.”
Incredible experiences
“There are so many opportunities in the Music Department at Valley City State,” Director of Bands and Professor of Music Jerrold Heide said. “We have a 21st century approach that trains students if they are interested in being a performer, audio production specialist or a music educator.”
In addition to the curriculum, the physical space in the new Center for the Arts has enhanced the student experience, he said. The building was designed to help students develop their craft. The choir hall, performance hall and practice rooms make it easier than ever before for students to work closely with faculty in developing their musical skills.
Faculty, Heide said, are committed to helping students become the best educators, performers and leaders possible. “As director of bands, I get the opportunity to help build future music educators and develop their leadership capabilities, but also to teach them to inspire others through instrumental music,” Heide said. “I get to watch students grow from freshmen to seniors and help them to develop as they start their own careers. It is an incredible experience.”