Abe Okie joined the WolfPack team this year as Middle School and Upper School chorus director. Before arriving at Whitefield, he gained seven years of experience as worship director for St. Paul's Presbyterian Church in Atlanta and an additional six years of experience as choir director and music teacher at Woodstock School, a Christian boarding school in the Indian Himalayas. Mr. Okie has obtained a B.S. in management from the Georgia Institute of Technology, a B.A. in music education from Georgia State University, and a M.A. in psychology of music from the University of Sheffield.
Read more about his personal musical background and philosophy below:
I came to music education rather late in life, after dabbling in cover bands and over-earnest songwriting in my youth and young adulthood. After graduating from Georgia Tech and finding a corporate existence uninspiring, I took the opportunity to fill in as the worship director at my church. This opportunity led to further formal training in music and, before long, a degree in choral music education from Georgia State University.
Now after six years teaching music in India, I am excited to be back in Atlanta, which is home to me in many ways. It is where I was educated, employed, and married and where my wife and I own a home. And I’m excited to be teaching music to Whitefield students. I’m still getting to know them, but so far I see—and hear—great potential in them.
While I was in India, I had the opportunity to pursue a unique Master of Arts program through the University of Sheffield - psychology of music in education. This a relatively young, but growing, field of study, and the recent literature has been fascinating. There is a growing body of evidence showing the benefits of musical activity.
By “musical activity,” I mean the act of making music rather than passively consuming it. Fortunately, children have opportunities to make all sorts of music together at Whitefield. Studies tell us that students involved in music instruction are better adjusted socially and emotionally, they perform better academically and on standardized tests, and they may well be physically healthier. One fascinating study of adult choral singers found that in rehearsal, the singers’ pulses began to align with each other. In other words, singing together literally causes many hearts to beat together as one.
The implications for us as a Christian learning community are profound. Unity, cooperation, teamwork, and a Christ-like love for each other are all part of what we strive for as educators. Each is helped by the simple act of singing together. I teach my students the basic rudiments of music theory, notation, and terminology. But those are all tools in the service of a larger goal of helping children reach their potential as expressive musicians, successful students, and as creative members of society. I consider it nothing but a privilege to be a part of this process.