John Proft

When I was in high school in Houston, TX, I was obsessed with the TMEA All-State process. My choir directors were unrelentingly competitive and made every single student in their choir audition for the Region choir. The focus was always on having more All-Staters than any other choir. I swallowed the Kool-Aid fully. I wanted to dominate. I made the Texas All-State choir 3 times. I thought I’d won music.

Fast forward some years, some therapy, some yoga, a bachelors in Music Education (UNT), and a Masters in Choral Conducting (SMU), and I’ve realized how silly I was thinking these contests were all there was, or that anyone’s identity (or musicianship for that matter) can be summed up in a ranking after a 2-minute audition. What I know now, after the humbling years of being a music major and the exhilarating and inspiring years of being a freelance professional singer, is that competition in music is absolutely absurd. Also, it can be an incredible tool to learn about yourself, to make friends, and to sharpen your skills as well as your nerves!

I’m currently a private voice teacher at Westlake High School in Austin, TX and a working singer with local pro-groups and a few national ones. I love teaching music because it is beautiful and fun, but also for the relationships it builds, the way it teaches us to listen acutely, and its unique ability to teach us both self-awareness (critique) and self-acceptance simultaneously. I also love that you’re never “done” learning music.

During quarantine I’ve enjoyed my 5th rewatch of the Avatar: The Last Airbender series as well as ample time with my Nintendo Switch. When I’m not noodling on my piano or the Switch, I love doing yoga at Zilker park or finding other beautiful outdoor spots to be socially-distanced and get a sunburn.