SistaStrings – Re/sound – PBS Wisconsin Education

Remembering and Celebrating Through Music

Chauntee and Monique Ross combine their classical training with gospel and other influences to tell stories of their lives today. They connect their own experiences to their ancestors and to the next generation—their young performance students.

Interview

View transcript: English Transcript

Three questions…

Monique says that music heals and connects. Can you think of a time when music helped you deal with something difficult? Or when music helped you learn about someone else? What was the music and why do you think you remember it?

Chauntee describes an especially memorable music experience from her childhood where she went to hear the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra perform. What is a memorable experience you’ve had with music? How did that music make you feel?

Chauntee and Monique reflect on how their lives are much different than those of their ancestors, and the progress that is being made, especially for women and women of color. What do you think is needed to keep making progress? How do you think music can be a part of that progress?

Performance

“Goodbye” – This song was written during a time when Chauntee and Monique were saying goodbye to some people and things in their lives, while also dealing with not feeling seen or heard in the music industry.

View transcript with lyrics: English Transcript

Song

“Goodbye”

Musicians participating in this project have granted permission to PBS Wisconsin Education for their selected songs to be shared. By using this PBS Wisconsin Education website or any of the resources provided to you through the website, you signify your agreement to our Terms of Use.

“I always feel like there is more to dig into when you’re trying to be vulnerable with your music... It's like you and the song, and you're sharing your heart with everyone else, which is a beautiful experience, but there's always room to grow and learn how to do it better. It's exciting, it's a journey.”

— Monique Ross

Project Credits

Producer
Ryan Hendricks

Coordinating Producer
Mia Forslund

Videography
Ryan Hendricks
Ian Glodich
Nia Scott

Editing
Ryan Hendricks

Sound
Inga Foley
Beauxregard Neylon
Curtis Sorensen

Captioning
Vicki Way Kipp

University of Wisconsin-Madison Cultural Linguistic Services

Composition
Chauntee Ross
Monique Ross

Web Design
Charles Barrows
Norman Yuson Cuaño

Web Development
John Vieth
Tim Schneider

Graphic and Motion Design
Ian Glodich
Amanda Roslansky
Scott Stetson

Music Education Content
Kathy Bartling
Darin Menk
Laurie Fellenz

Educator Guide
Katherine Miller
Hadfield School
Waukesha, WI

Project Partner
Wisconsin School Music Association

Executive Producer
Megan Monday

Director of Education
Alyssa Tsagong

Director of Television
Jon Miskowski

Special Thanks
Brian Heller and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Mead Witter School of Music

Educator Advisory Group

Kevin Blakeslee
Lincoln Elementary
Madison Metropolitan School District
Madison, WI

Peter Dennee
Carthage College
Kenosha, WI

Matt Eidson
Madison, WI

Heidi Henderson
Milwaukee German Immersion School
Milwaukee, WI

Amy Maack
Gifford K8 School
Racine, WI

Katherine Miller
Hadfield School
Waukesha, WI

Julie A. Palkowski, PhD
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Madison, WI

Schuyler Gardner Pietz
Madison Elementary School
Stevens Point, WI

Linda Ruesink
Watertown Unified School District
Watertown, WI

Sue Smits
Unified School District of De Pere
De Pere, WI

Kurt Stein
Kurt Stein’s School of Music
Fox Cities, WI

Randal Swiggum
Madison Metropolitan School District
Madison, WI

Jesus M. Valencia
Rio H.S./M.S.
Rio, WI

Natasha Verhulst
Keshena Primary School
Menominee Indian School District
Keshena, WI

Lucy Wrenn
Palmyra-Eagle Area School District
Palmyra, WI

Funding Provided By

Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation

Focus Fund for Education

Friends of PBS Wisconsin