Feature Friday: Mrs. Kohne

“A teacher’s impact is infinite, but that is also true for a bad one.” This is one of the quotes Mrs. Kohne keeps in mind while teaching her students music skills that will last them a lifetime. Not only does Mrs. Kohne teach Guitar Ensemble at the high school, but she also teaches 7th grade General Music and 8th grade Music Appreciation. She has taught in the North Hills School District for 30 years.
     Mrs. Kohne’s love for music goes back to when she was a kid and started with playing the piano and the drums. She began playing guitar in 8th grade. Originally, Mrs. Kohne went to college to study music therapy until she realized her passion for teaching. A huge showcase of Mrs. Kohne’s teaching ability is the Guitar Ensemble Recital which take place biannually in the winter and spring. The concerts have been going on for 15 years and were actually started by Mrs. Kohne. The work and preparation that goes into the guitar recitals show the commitment Mrs. Kohne has to her students and to North Hills music as a whole. Mrs. Kohne says that her main goal is to teach students good form when playing guitar. She also cares about meeting the needs of all of her students whether that be giving students the help they need based on their skill level or choosing music her students enjoy to play in concerts. Mrs. Kohne’s teaching and care combined with the talent of the performers creates an amazing concert experience for both her students and an audience.
Teaching the amount of students Mrs. Kohne does to play such an intricate instrument seems like an impossible task, but she does an incredible job at it. She says that it is important to be clear and concise when giving instruction and that some days are better than others. She emphasizes that it is okay to not know everything, but it’s not okay not to try. Mrs. Kohne speaks about how grateful she is for her teachers in the past for pushing her to show her full potential. She implements these life experiences into her own teaching by making people realize that they can achieve things they never thought they could.

Mrs. Kohne’s music favorites! (Direct responses from Mrs. Kohne!):

Favorite songs as a kid:

“I have so many songs that I loved growing. up This is a very tough question and I narrowed my list down significantly….”

Rhinestone Cowboy by Glenn Campbell

“The very first song I ever really remember hearing on the radio. I loved this song…. (I was probably 5 years old)”

Surfin Safari by The Beach Boys 

“We had a station wagon with an 8 – track player. My Mom and Dad always played the album “Beach Boys Endless Summer”. I loved all of the songs, but one that really stuck with me was “Surfin’ Safari” (10 years old-ish)”

The Closer You Get by Alabama

“This was my very first Concert at the old Civic Arena downtown.  I was in 8th or 9th Grade. AWESOME!”

Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes 

“MTV changed everything! It was so much fun to watch videos and listen to music. I always loved the song “Bette Davis Eyes”by Kim Carnes, she has a really gritty voice that is perfect for the song – Total 80’s sound too… (Junior High)”

Tiny Dancer by Elton John 

“I started really listening to Elton John in High SchooI. I bought the tape “Elton John Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra”. The Version of “Tiny Dancer” was fantastic. I just got my driver’s license – I remember driving around listening to this album! (High School)”

Favorite song right at this moment:

Dreams by Van Halen

Songs that made Mrs. Kohne love drumming:

Tom Sawyer by Rush and When the Levee Breaks by Led Zeppelin

Songs Mrs. Kohne would one day love to play in guitar ensemble. 

O Sacred Head Now Wounded by Johann Sebastian Bach and Little Martha by Duane Allman

Songs Mrs. Kohne thinks more people should listen to: 

What the World Needs Now is Love by Dionne Warwick 

“Jackie DeShannon’s version is great too”

Reach For Tomorrow Ella Fitzgerald

Songs that never get old: 

All Blues by Miles Davis 

“If I had to pick just one record to listen to for the rest of my life it would be “Kind of Blue” and I really love this song from the record.”

The Pretender by Jackson Browne