As she prepares to step into a well‑earned retirement, we had the opportunity to sit down with Ann Medellin, one of Vancouver Public Schools’ most beloved educators—a legendary music teacher, mentor, and force of inspiration for generations of students. Over nearly four decades, she has shaped thousands of lives through music, mentorship, and an unwavering commitment to young people.

In recent years, the Foundation has worked with Ann to bring the community together through the Strings Extravaganza concerts—an inspiring program that showcases student talent alongside professional musicians. Ann generously donates a portion of the concert proceeds back to the Foundation each year.

In this Q&A, she reflects on her journey, the moments that defined her career, and the enduring power of music in education and in life.

Q: Do you remember your very first day of teaching?

A: My first day of teaching was in 1988. I was 22, incredibly nervous, and far from home in Dallas, Texas. I grew up in Longmont, Colorado, which was laid back and culturally diverse, so teaching in the very affluent Highland Park Independent School District, where I even taught Ross Perot Jr.’s kids, was a big shift. On the first day, students called me “ma’am,” and I thought they were being smart with me. I was really homesick. I had taken the job somewhat randomly, encouraged by my dad – the school was across from Southern Methodist University, where he had been the first Hispanic football player.

Q: What made you want to become a music teacher?

A: At first, I wanted to be a performer, not a teacher. That changed in college when I needed money and my professor asked if I’d teach guitar in the university’s String Project. I said yes, I’d been a classical guitarist since fourth grade, and it felt like a good fit. My students were these quirky high schoolers into rock and roll, and I loved it. That experience launched my path into teaching.

Q: What has kept you passionate about teaching music all these years?

A:  My passion has been sustained by strong support at home, especially my husband, who’s been incredibly patient with the long hours this work requires. I’ve always seen teaching not as a job, but as a calling: shaping lives, supporting kids, and building community. Over 39 years, my students and colleagues have continually inspired me and deepened my love for this work.

Q: What’s one moment in your career you’ll never forget?

A: There are so many moments, but one that stays with me is a student I had in 5th grade who showed a natural gift for teaching. She soaked up everything, learning multiple instruments, helping me teach, and even organizing my music library. One day, she accidentally called me “Mom,” which both touched and surprised me. Years later, I had the honor of hiring her as a colleague at Vancouver School of Arts and Academics. Watching her grow into an incredible educator and continue building the program has been deeply meaningful, and I’m proud to have played a small part in her journey.

Q: How would your students describe you?

A: My students would probably describe me as a bit of a tough but fair teacher, but also loving, nurturing, and very supportive. They walk into my classroom feeling welcome, challenged, and inspired, knowing it’s a place to find a friend and be heard. They know they can come to me with anything and that I’ll listen. They’d also say I’m super talented, a strong player, and kind of “cool.” At the same time, I confuse them: I play violin in a professional orchestra, but I’m also on four soccer teams, love to read, hike everywhere, and raise border collies. They’d probably joke that I have an apartment at school because I’m always there, before school, at lunch, and after, helping kids and being available.

Q: Any “signature” phrases or classroom habits we’ll always remember?

A: Yes, my signature phrase has been with me since day one: “Loozen, Zee, Tension, On, Zee, Bow!” Every student learns it right from the start. It becomes our shared reminder in the classroom and something they carry with them long after they leave.

Q: What advice would you give to new teachers?

A: First, remember you’re in this work because you’re on a mission to support and shape the lives of young people. You really can make a difference in your classroom, your school, and your community.

It’s hard work, and no one fully prepares you for the amount of planning, paperwork, and testing demands that happen outside of class time. But when you’re with students, be fully present; that’s where trust and real connection are built, and it pays off.

Use your summers intentionally. Take a workshop, learn something new, and stay connected to ideas and colleagues; don’t just disconnect completely. At the same time, you have to recharge so you can keep showing up fully during the school year.

Q: What are you most proud of when you look back on your career?

A: I’m most proud that I’ve stayed in this work for so long while building a full life outside of it, raising two children, having a strong marriage, training and raising border collies, maintaining friendships, and finding my own version of work/life balance. My husband might say I don’t really sit still; I feel most grounded when everything is handled, emails answered, grades done, family calls made, music edited, violin practiced, and yes, even mowing the lawn and weeding the garden.

Over the years, I’ve made a few moves: 26 years at Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, time at Discovery Middle School and Thomas Jefferson Middle School, about five years in administration, and now I’m finishing at Jason Lee Middle School and Gaiser Middle School on a high note. I genuinely love where I am right now.

What I’m most proud of is my steadiness and grit. I’ve kept going, kept growing, and never given up on the work. I share that with my students all the time: even people like Yo-Yo Ma and Michael Phelps faced failure, but what mattered was persistence, reflection, and great mentors. I’ve even been called a “Warm Demander,” and I think that fits. I hold high expectations, but I stay deeply committed to my students.

Q: What are you looking forward to most in retirement?

A: I’m looking forward to playing my violin even better and having more time to focus on performing. I recently took an audition at age 61, where most people are three times younger, and I did really well, making it into the second round. I plan to continue playing with ensembles like the Oregon Ballet Theatre Orchestra, Portland Opera, Vancouver Symphony, and Orchestra Nova Northwest, and possibly join the Juneau Symphony and Anchorage Symphony Orchestra next year.

I’m also excited to be more actively involved with my nonprofit, House of Scordatura, where we create short animated films of Oregon stories paired with music and narration. On the personal side, I’m looking forward to training my border collies for agility trials for the first time.

I also want to do more consulting with orchestra programs as an adjudicator and coach, and most of all, I’m excited to say “yes” to midweek travel, hiking on weekdays, and taking advantage of off-peak time with friends. One thing I know for sure, I won’t be napping.

Q: Is there a performance or concert that stands out as unforgettable?

A: One unforgettable performance was a Madrigal Dinner and Performance at Discovery Middle School. My choir colleague and I created a full medieval-style performance with students in costume as lords and ladies, royal trumpets, court musicians, and more. We even served a full meal, and it was truly a community effort; our husbands and even my building administrator all helped in the kitchen. There was no technology involved, just creativity, teamwork, and imagination.

At the end of the night, the four of us sat on the edge of the stage and just took a deep breath of gratitude. I remember saying, “Let’s go out, I’m hungry!” while everyone else was completely exhausted. I was also pregnant at the time, and my colleague joked that I couldn’t have the baby until after the concert. Well, I had my son the very next morning. I even called her from the hospital to tell her he was officially “on time,” he just waited until after the performance, just like I asked.

Q: What’s your favorite piece you’ve ever taught or conducted—and why?

A:  One of my favorite pieces I’ve ever conducted was Wawshishijay. It was originally premiered by the Kronos Quartet and was especially meaningful because of Portland icon Obo Addy. Obo came to Vancouver School of Arts and Academics to work directly with my string and choir students, and we were later invited to perform at the All-Northwest Music Conference. I wanted to highlight homegrown, living composers, so this piece became central to our program.

Obo and his band joined us, including dancers, and we even created culturally appropriate costumes. One of my colleagues brought in his drum students, and they performed with us as well. It was the first time I truly understood the talking drum in context.

We also performed a student arrangement of Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix and a piece by Norman Leyden, associate conductor of the Oregon Symphony, who also worked directly with my students. That whole experience, collaborating with living composers, diverse instruments, dancers, and professionals, was a true highlight of my career and an unforgettable moment of connection for my students.

In addition to that project, I had the incredible opportunity to take students into Gino Vannelli’s recording studio in Troutdale, where we recorded one of his pieces for an album. We spent hours in the studio, and it was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience I was able to offer my students.

That whole span of work, collaborating with living composers, professional artists, dancers, and recording studios, was a true highlight of my career and an unforgettable gift for my students.

Q: How have you seen music impact your students beyond the classroom?

A: In 39 years of teaching, I’ve worked with over 8,000 students, and I’ve seen music shape their lives in powerful ways beyond the classroom. I have former students on Broadway, in major orchestras across the U.S. and Europe, and others who are teachers, business owners, private instructors, dancers, medical professionals, and more. Many tell me that music helped shape their confidence, discipline, mindset, and ability to dream and commit.

I’ve also had students whose lives ended far too early, and that is deeply painful. Still, I hold onto the belief that I reached them at a meaningful point in their lives and that, in some way, music and our time together mattered.

Q: How would your students describe you?

A: My students are a little confused by me, they think I’m always 35, but I clearly have silver hair. They’d describe me as cool, demanding, fun, creative, and a strong musician. They know they can count on me; I’m always available and responsive, whether it’s emails, lunch, before school, or after school. I jump at every opportunity where students are the focus. I’m high energy, and I show up fully for them.

Q: What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in music education over the years?

A:  The biggest changes I’ve seen in music education involve technology, shifting school priorities, and the growing number of elective options that can pull students away from taking a full year of music in middle or high school. There are simply too many choices at the start of secondary school, and too often music becomes optional rather than essential.

That’s unfortunate, because research consistently shows how powerful music programs are for students. Every child should experience a comprehensive music education at some point in their secondary years, in band, orchestra, or choir.

Music builds far more than performance skills. It develops leadership, confidence, creativity, communication, collaboration, and even a sense of community—skills students need now more than ever. I’m not against technology; it’s here to stay, but I do believe strongly in what the research continues to show: music matters for all students.

Q: What advice would you give to young musicians?

A:  If music is your passion—whether it’s performing or teaching, go all in. It’s not easy work, and you will make mistakes, but that’s part of the process. Reflect, learn from them, and keep moving forward. Know when to say yes, and sometimes when to say no, but stay open to growth.

There’s an opportunity for learning in everything we do. Stay committed, stay curious, read, and keep asking questions. If you can, attend workshops, concerts, camps, take lessons, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Most of all, it’s okay to explore new paths. Music may not be your only destination, but it may be what helps you discover where you’re meant to go next.

Q: Will music still be part of your life in this next chapter?

A:  Absolutely, I plan to keep playing until I’m at least 80. I had a stand partner in the Oregon Ballet Theatre Orchestra whom I admired deeply; we played together for over 20 years. She was one of the hardest-working musicians I’ve ever known – disciplined, prepared, full of grit, and also one of the kindest people. I hope to carry that same spirit. She eventually knew when it was time to step back from full professional playing; she retired from the OBT Orchestra around 80 years old. She continues in a string trio at a less intense level while still playing at a high standard.

That experience really shaped how I think about musicianship—you never really “retire” from music. I don’t see myself ever not playing. My husband is a violinist with the Oregon Symphony, so we also get to play together in special moments. It will be fun growing older together with our violins still in hand.

Q: One last message for your students and colleagues?

A: Continue to be passionate about what you do. This work is hard if you’re not passionate; it becomes just a job. My 39 years have flown by. I’ve had moments of doubt, times when I wondered if I was making a difference, but I never left. Instead, I kept learning, stayed connected to colleagues, and reconnected with why I was called to this work.

My mom always told me I would not make a good teacher because I hated babysitting and was an impatient child. I guess I proved her wrong. Before she passed away, she was able to witness some very proud moments in my career, and I know she would be proud of my commitment to education.

The stories, the lives I’ve touched, and the music we’ve made together have all been worth it. Over nearly 40 years, I’ve also learned to be flexible through enormous change, technology, budget cuts, and shifting priorities that sometimes threaten access to music education altogether.

So my message is: be a disciple for this work. Advocate for it, promote it, and keep an open mind. It is deeply rewarding, and truly the best work I’ve ever known. I’m ready to fly and try new things, but I’ll always be available to help when asked.

Ann and her students will be performing at our Bright Futures Luncheon on May 13—don’t miss this special performance!