I know that Sonja’s many other friends, colleagues, and students have great stories to tell about her, but I would be remiss if I did not add my own unique perspective. In my forty years teaching experience I found that Sonja represented the very best qualities of every master teacher I ever encountered.
When I first interviewed for the Director of Bands position at La Porte High School in the spring of 2000, I stated, much to their amazement, that I intended to conduct the Pit Orchestra for the Musical myself. I liked musicals and I felt strongly that they should be important to the band and orchestra kids who played in the orchestra pit. All I asked for was a camera and monitor feed so everyone in the Pit could see and hear the singers and dancers. Conversely, that meant they were on stage without anyone to follow from the Pit; basically, there was no net to catch them. Sonja had never done it that way, but much to her credit, she was always willing to try something if there was a chance of improvement; a philosophy that I found to be one of her guiding principles. Good wasn’t good enough! What could we improve to make something good even better? Following every performance of every Musical, Sonja tinkered with and prodded other faculty, crew, singers, and dancers, and especially me(!) to improve. She knew that perfection was not attainable, but “striving” for perfection was what was important. Sonja was still making changes at intermission on Closing Night, after nine previous performances over two weeks!
I do want to share one more impression of Sonja. The first year that I conducted the Pit Orchestra, I noticed that, following every performance, there was an enormous line of people to talk to Sonja. At first, I cynically thought that these were all people who were standing in line to pay homage to her for the great job she had done in directing, yet again, another successful show. I was wrong. There was some of that, but the vast majority of people wanted to tell Sonja about their lives, children, jobs, and important milestones. They wanted to thank her for believing in and pushing them and/or their kids when they most needed it. They wanted to tell her how much she meant to them. Some just wanted to commune with a kindred spirit that they knew cared. Sonja knew them all from previous experiences as students, parents (sometimes both!), teachers, or in another Musical, or her theatre and speech classes, or as a community member. She had the unique ability to shut everyone and everything out and make you feel as if you were the only one in the room – even in a theatre packed to capacity. That was Sonja.
A good friend once told me that saying no to Sonja was like saying no to your favorite grandmother; it just wasn't done. Whoever worked with Sonja came away with the feeling that she "had their back," and they wanted to make sure to have hers as well. It was my great privilege to work with her and one of my greatest regrets when I retired was that I would not get to continue to do so. I know, now that she is in heaven, no doubt directing “City of Angels,” that she will look down on all of us from time to time with a knowing smile, sure that we will rise again to the next occasion in our lives because she has faith in us. She’s always had our backs and always will. Thank you, Sonja! - Geoff Carlton
