Max Nolin '13 is making an impact—and Baldwin Wallace is taking notice! Max has been named Baldwin Wallace University's 2024 Outstanding Young Alumni Award winner! A 2013 graduate of the Conservatory of Performing Arts, Max now serves as the Assistant Head of Middle School at Norwood School in Bethesda, Maryland, where he lives with his husband, William VonVorys-Burke.
When asked about receiving this notable recognition, Max fondly shared:
"It is an incredible honor to be named an Outstanding Young Alumni Award winner. Baldwin Wallace University will always feel like home to me. Since graduating and leaving Northeast Ohio nearly 12 years ago, I have been fortunate to learn from incredible teachers and gain invaluable experiences in a variety of places. However, nothing was more formative than my four years at BW. My career has been an ever-evolving journey, and at every turn, I am grateful for the strong liberal arts foundation I received as an undergraduate."
Susan Van Vorst, the Dean of the Conservatory of Performing Arts, expressed her admiration for Max’s achievements:
"The BW Conservatory family is so proud of Max and his accomplishments. Not only has Max exhibited excellence as a teacher, choral conductor, leader, administrator and community builder, he is a champion and an exemplar of the values that we at BW hold most dear. He is making a significant difference in the lives of others, lifting them up and contributing to their cultural enrichment. In true BW fashion, he is fostering lives of deep meaning in those around him."
Max Nolin
Assistant Head of Middle School, Norwood School, Bethesda, Maryland
Current teaching position, years at this job, and responsibilities - I’ve worked at Norwood in various roles leading to administration over the past seven years, with ten years experience in education. My job is wide ranging from managing student behavior and discipline, to scheduling, to helping implement a character education program, to teaching life skills, and of course still teaching music to seventh and eighth graders.
Max has been an Artistic Director of Ludoun Chorale since 2016 and shared this about the organization :
The Loudoun Chorale, established in 1991, is a community-based, all-volunteer choir located in Leesburg, Virginia. Founded to provide local performers with opportunities for quality musical presentations, the Chorale has grown from an initial ensemble of about 60 mixed-voice singers to nearly 170 members. This expansion is attributed to the group's openness, flexibility, and strong sense of community. Embracing inclusivity, the Chorale welcomes all who share a love for vocal music, requiring no auditions for membership.
The Chorale performs a diverse repertoire, including major orchestral masterworks like Brahms' "German Requiem" and Handel's "Messiah," as well as music by living composers, songwriters, and arrangers. Typically performing a major work annually, with some seasons featuring two large-scale productions, the Chorale aims to balance classical masterpieces with contemporary works to engage both singers and audiences.
What adaptaions did you have to make to continue rehearsing during the pandemic? - During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chorale adapted by moving rehearsals online and organizing small, socially distanced outdoor performances. This flexibility allowed members to stay connected and continue singing safely. The Chorale continues to grow by fostering a welcoming environment where anyone can join without an audition, relying on word-of-mouth, social media outreach, and community events to attract new members. Singers come from diverse backgrounds and professions, united by their love of choral music.How do you fund the organization? - Funding for the Chorale comes from concert ticket sales, donations, and community sponsorships. Annual fundraising efforts include benefit concerts, donation drives, and partnerships with local businesses. A volunteer board of directors supports the choir's mission and oversees its financial sustainability. Through its commitment to community engagement and musical excellence, the Chorale enriches the cultural landscape of Loudoun County, offering residents the opportunity to experience and participate in high-quality choral performances.
When were you first introduced to music and how? - Both my parents were singers who met in a production of The Magic Flute at Kent State University in the 1980s. Music has been a constant part of my life since then. My mom was my Children’s Choir Director at Kent United Methodist Church and from that moment on I never stopped singing.
When did you start lessons? - I began taking piano lessons when I was five years old.
What was your first instrument? - Piano.
What musical activities did you pursue in high school? - I was involved in a thriving and large choir program at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Kent, OH. I sang in both large and small ensembles and every year was excited for our larger than life POPS concert in the spring. I also did every musical production I could get my hands on.
What made you decide to go to BW? Two things:
- From my audition date until my last day of senior year the faculty were interested in who I was as a person, not just as a voice or cog in their music machine. Specifically, JR Fralick sought me out after my audition to give me encouragement and advice. I had previously given auditions at basically every other school of music in Ohio, and this is the only one where I felt welcomed.
- It was clear that I was going to get a full liberal arts education, and I did. I knew music was going to be part of my career/journey, but I also knew I had other interests and BW helped me chart my own path.
When did you graduate from BW and with what degree: In 2013, with a Bachelors of Music in Vocal Performance & Music History and Literature.
What was your favorite class: - Tricky question. My first instinct is to say all of my ensemble classes (Motet Choir mainly, but I took many) as few things changed the course of my life more than being in those ensembles.
But…if we are talking about a classroom class I have to say the Bach Seminar class I took with Mel Unger, where we spent an entire semester discussing the St. Matthew Passion. I didn’t think I could learn so much in one semester.
What ensembles, groups, or activities did you participate in while at BW? - Motet Choir, College/University Choir, Bach Festival, Opera Productions, a bunch of other stuff I can barely remember.
Favorite piece of music you learned or performed while at BW? - A truly impossible question, but I think I have to go with B Minor Mass.
Favorite music that you listen to currently? - Still a lot of Bach, with some classic rock thrown in (Journey and Tom Petty mostly) with just a little bit of Cher.
What class was most difficult for you? - The fourth semester of solfege still gives me nightmares.
Who was the very first person you met at BW? - As a friend and a peer, it was Aubrey Johansen. As a faculty member, JR Fralick.
Is there someone from BW that you stay in touch with now? - All sorts of people. BW is where I met my first and most important mentors along with some of my best and lifelong friends.
Valuable lesson you’ve learned since you graduated: Post graduation I started my career wanting to be a leader. I wanted to get people to see the brilliance of my vision, to get them to do something big and flashy as I had seen it. I think a lot of us think this way, but to be honest once accomplished it leaves you pretty empty. Now I mostly just want to take care of people. To help people realize their strengths and be the best version of themselves. To help people see the strength of cooperation and responsibility.
If you could go back and give yourself advice BEFORE you started college, what would it be?
1. Practice piano more.
2. Relationships are far more important than accomplishments.
3. Chill out.
What was one thing about teaching that was most surprising? - For me, it was after my first difficult year of teaching (which wasn’t actually the first one). I felt burnt out in June and could not imagine doing this again. Yet, that August I somehow felt excited for the new year and was ready to start again. Teaching is a marathon not a sprint, and after a marathon you sometimes need extra recovery. Still, the job is so fulfilling that you can’t help coming back to doing it another year, with a new group of kids.
If the Conservatory hired you to teach, what class would you teach? - Living a Musical Life: Career Alternatives for Music Majors
I really believe the skills we learn in music schools are in demand and applicable in other avenues. Piecing together a career and life that leaves you gainfully employed and artistically fulfilled is not impossible. I think in the 21st century helping prepare music students for this would put students at an advantage when they leave school.
If you could give advice to a graduating BW senior, what would you say? -Your liberal arts education is an asset, even if the world thinks it isn’t. Critical thinking, creativity, and the ability to make connections are literally the skills the world needs right now. Use those skills to your advantage.
What is your favorite book? - "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy
What is your favorite show to binge on TV? - "The Sopranos"
What is your favorite movie? - "Jurassic Park"
Favorite quote: “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”- Marcus Aurelius
Max Nolin '13 with husband, William VonVorys-Burke