Today we’d like to introduce you to Beverly Everett.
Hi Beverly, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Music has been the thread that has woven the pieces of my life together. And God has called me to the paths and places to study and share that music. From piano lessons at age 6 in my hometown of Waxahachie, TX, to pipe organ study and conducting at Baylor University and the University of Iowa, the Aspen Music Festival, and other festivals around the world, to my positions in organ and conducting in Bismarck and Bemidji. I have been blessed. I am a person of deep faith; I love animals and my work with dogs at the Humane Society; I am a Cancer Survivor; I am an athlete, a partner, and an enthusiastic auntie. My story is still unfolding.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
While becoming an orchestra conductor is difficult for anyone, it is especially challenging for women. Even in 2022, it is still very much a male-dominated field. When I came through school and other learning opportunities, I had wonderful mentors, yet the concept of what made a maestro, what made a leader, was challenging even for them to know how to help me. I feel very blessed to be able to do what I love in my communities. Another challenge came from a health challenge in late 2018/2019. In December of 2018, following a routine mammogram, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was considered Stage 1, but the size of the tumor (about the size of a walnut) made it a terrifying journey of decisions about treatments and procedures. Following a partial mastectomy in early January 2019, I underwent a month of radiation. I never stopped working during that whole time and only missed one rehearsal. That same year, I also trained for and completed Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, MN. But I was in a great amount of pain physically and emotionally from the treatment. Some of that healing will take a lifetime, but again, I feel fortunate and blessed. I know the prayers of many and the extraordinary medical care I received brought me through.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have been a musician for as long as I can remember, and also, for as long as I can remember, I seemed to have an inner knowing about the place music would take in my life. It is a calling. After beginning piano lessons at age 6, I began taking organ lessons at my church at age 12. This became my passion, and I went to Baylor University to major in Organ Performance, studying with the renowned Dr. Joyce Jones. While at Baylor, I had opportunities to also learn about symphony orchestras and became drawn to that arena. I stayed at Baylor to receive a Masters’s Degree in Orchestral Conducting and then went to the University of Iowa, where I completed my Doctorate. For a long time, I felt torn between the two fields of organ and conducting. But now, I feel they are fused beautifully in my life. I have been an Adjunct Professor of organs for the past seven years. And I am beginning this past year, also of Conducting at the University of Mary in Bismarck. I am also the Parish Organist at Corpus Christi Church in Bismarck and teach organ at the Bismarck Catholic Diocese. I think what sets me apart from many in my field is that I view my role as a Music Director as a Servant Leader. My goal is to help the orchestras sound their best, not to make myself look good. And in my teaching, my goal is the same. To help each student be the best version of themselves. I am proudest that I have stayed with my orchestras for a long time and helped create beautiful opportunities for those communities to experience great music.
Can you talk to us about happiness and what makes you happy?
About three years ago, I became connected to the Central Dakota Humane Society in Mandan, ND. CDHS is a no-kill animal shelter for dogs and cats. In September of 2019, I became an official “Volunteer Dog Walker.” I feel like CDHS is where I found another passion and where I found deep friendships with humans and furry friends alike. This past Spring, I was deeply honored to have been named “Volunteer of the Year.” I have always loved animals and owned cats, partly because my music schedule tends to be unpredictable and busy. But through my time at CDHS. I have a knack for helping some of the most troubled dogs and some of the biggest and strongest ones. Another passion of mine outside of music is running, swimming, and other fitness activities. Being relatively fit and strong, I can physically control the dogs and help some really anxious and troubled ones become calmer. The dogs made such an impression on me that last year I wrote a book about them – a children’s book called “Hallway of Hope: The Story of Some Very Special Shelter Pups.” I also have another book in the works about shelter dogs, which will be out by the beginning of November 2022. I am always learning, always pushing myself to overcome fears and reach the animals on a deeper level. The reward is when you see a dog turn around for the better in its behavior and ultimately get adopted.
Pricing:
- Hallway of Hope – available on Amazon.com; a portion of proceeds goes to Central Dakota Humane Society.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.beverlyeverett.org
- Instagram: Beverly Everett
- Facebook: Beverly Everett
