The time is 4:35pm, and Bowie choir director, Aaron Bourgeois, has finished his time at school and begins to head out. He is looking at his music, meticulously preparing himself for the performance. Except this time, Bourgeois will not be the one with the baton, instead performing himself after receiving a new opportunity. 

Bourgeois joined Bowie as it’s choir director in 2019 after graduating Louisiana State University with a double major in Vocal Music Education and Vocal performance. In the few years he has been with the Choir, he has become popular with his students and has led many of them to perfect UiL scores and joining state choir. Bourgeois, however, must juggle his responsibilities as a teacher with his newfound responsibility of being a member of the in town, professional choir, Inversion.

Bourgeois first took opportunities to sing publicly at places such as churches, where he would become acquainted with pre established members of Inversion. 

“The vocal world tends to be a small world,” Bourgeois said. “These people that were in town when they were looking for bases, and they remembered me because I worked with them in the past and they kind of just sent my name forward.”

As a member of the inversion choir, Bourgeois is able to bring his experience to his classroom in a number of ways. As a singer and director, being a part of a group brings conversation and growth.

“I love seeing other directors work,” Bourgeois said. “They might do a warm up and you think to yourself about how you need to do that one day, or they may have some sort of approach to doing something, so every single director I can visit is really cool.”

Being a part of a Choir again brings Bourgeois back to another perspective of the choir experience. As the sense of familiarity strikes Bourgeois, it reminds him of how his duties as a director should be accomplished.

 “It was so nice to be on the other side and experience what it feels like to be in a choir since I haven’t done this in like three years,” Bourgeois said. “It’s interesting because it gives you that perspective of the students. They are the ones that I am working for, so I want to make sure that whatever I’m doing in the classroom, I understand their perspective as much as possible.”

Like a student focusing on multiple classes, Bourgeois also is forced to balance these two different commitments. One must take priority over the other, however, at the end of the day, it is all choir.

“First and foremost, I consider myself a teacher, rather than a musician,” Bourgeois said.  “It is very interesting when you do a little bit of performing as a teacher because it still takes precedence. I think it’s always a balance and I would like to, as a teacher, but I would like to continue to work on my musicianship.”