Tanya Boler is mostly known as one of East Central Community College’s outstanding faculty members.
But the Prospect community resident’s musical talents will soon take center stage when she is recognized as the College’s Humanities Instructor the Year.
In recognition of the honor, Boler will present “Poetry of Loss and Longing in Rural Gospel Music,” Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009, on the Decatur campus. The special program, held in conjunction with Arts and Humanities Month, begins at 7 p.m. in the Vickers Fine Arts Center auditorium.
During the presentation, Boler plans to discuss three major influences in rural gospel music and the elements of poetry that run the songs. Family members will join her for the performance.
She explains how she decided on the topic for her program.
“I have noticed in the last two years that people seem to be enjoying our traditional music much more than some of the contemporary music, and I started to wonder why,” she said. “I realized that, as our world started to spin out of control, people started to return to things that were familiar, comforting and stable. Rural gospel music provides that comfort. The old songs help us know that others long before us experienced loss and longed for comfort and stability as we do.”
Boler, a recipient of teaching honors on the high school and college levels, said she has always enjoyed music.
“I started singing in church before I could read because all children are encouraged to sing and play music in our church,” she explained. “I took piano lessons for most of my childhood, and I started playing in church in my early teens. My husband (Ricky) and I have sung together for 25 years. We have just started playing some bluegrass gospel since our children started singing and playing with us.”
Tanya, who plays acoustic bass in addition to piano, said her husband and other family members, son Corey Boler (drums, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, electric bass), daughter Aislin Boler (fiddle), Emily Graham (alto sax) and Russ Thrash (drums, electric guitar, mandolin) will join her for the presentation. Ricky plays tenor saxophone, electric bass and acoustic guitar.
She said each message of “Poetry of Loss and Longing in Rural Gospel Music” is presented by an accompanying song. The program begins with “A Rock as A Symbol of Security” with songs, I Found the Rock of Ages and He Hideth My Soul, followed by “Roads/Highways As A Symbol of Life’s Journey” (Wayfaring Stranger, Way Down Deep); “Mountains/Valleys As Symbols of Struggle and Victory (King Jesus, Rough Side of the Mountain); “Light As A Symbol of Hope (Wait for the Light to Shine); “Rivers As A Symbol of Change” (Skyful of Angels and Stand by the River); and “A City As A Symbol of the Unknown” (I’ll Fly Away, John Saw, Address Change Notification).
Boler, who joined the ECCC English faculty in August 2002, is a 2004 recipient of the annual Lamplighter Award, which recognizes the state’s outstanding community and junior college instructors. She was also named Academic Instructor of the Year in 2008.
She previously taught English at Philadelphia High School and Union High School, where her honors include selection as STAR Teacher, Good Apple Teacher of the Year and Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.
Boler is also a former adjunct instructor at ECCC.
She is a member of White Plains Assembly of God where she serves as church pianist and children’s music director.
She also holds membership in the Mississippi Council of Teachers for English and the National Council of Teachers of English.
A graduate of Union High School and ECCC, Boler received bachelor and master’s degrees in English from Mississippi State University.
Boler’s program is sponsored by The Mississippi Humanities Council and ECCC.
A reception in the Fine Arts lobby follows the presentation.