Finding Harmony With Music and Language

Honours Arts French, with Music minor

Tessa is a second year Arts student specializing in French Teaching with a Music minor. She enjoys learning languages and her dream is to become a French immersion teacher. At the same time music has always been an integral part of her life, which she hopes to incorporate into her teaching. At Conrad Grebel University College she seized the opportunity to take part in various University of Waterloo Music courses, Voice Studio, Chamber Choir—both in-person and virtually—and is currently a member of the Chapel Choir.

Tessa found that music and French have an intertwined relationship. In her French classes, she learned about different aspects of French culture, including music. In her music classes, students discussed French composers, and in her voice lessons, Tessa has been coached on how to sing in the French language. This helped Tessa understand how to apply the connections between her programs into her future goals.

After graduation, Tessa hopes to teach various subjects in an elementary French immersion school. Specifically, she hopes to teach the subject of music so she can combine and share her knowledge of the two subjects she is most passionate about. She said, “even if I’m not a designated music teacher, I plan to use music in the classroom. I think that singing and listening to songs in French is a great way to learn the language.”

Music means a lot to Tessa. It helps her socially, mentally, and academically. “For me, music has been a way to connect and form friendships with many different people. It is also a way for me to express myself, and playing instruments or singing helps me to de-stress. Learning about music has also been a great way for me to learn about cultures different from my own.”

Living at Grebel has given Tessa far more than she ever imagined: a family and home, countless opportunities to learn and grow, and experiences to last a lifetime. Her favourite part is how the University College is centered on community. “Professors make a real effort to get to know their students, and through Grebel courses, living in residence, and associating with Grebel, I have had the opportunity to connect with a lot of people!”