ERWIN OVER THE YEARS: Mr. Erwin joins Jack Cellucci ’24 and Lucia Forte ’26 at 2024 American
Choral Directors Association event in Rhode Island.
Photo courtesy of EA Communications
This year marks the final bow for Middle School and Upper School Music teacher Jim Erwin, as he finishes his time at EA. After 12 years as the beating heart of EA music, this beloved teacher will be retiring this June.
Erwin first discovered his ear for music in 1963, when he began playing piano, practicing every night with his mother. “My mother was awesome. She put an egg timer on for half an hour a day, and we had to practice ‘til it went off. And as we continued, [practicing] got really hard, [if] she heard any quiet, she would set that timer back.”
He continued to play, developing his quintessential blues playing style: “I would play for parties and really impress kids. So they got to the point where, you know, the kids were gathering around the piano listening to me play the blues.” It was during this time that Erwin found out what was so special to him about music: how it was able to bring people together.
Unfortunately, Erwin was forced to make a choice when he reached high school. He started to excel in gymnastics; He was an all-American and placed fourth in his state during his senior year, a large feat that took a lot of time away from his piano practice. Even then, Erwin couldn’t let go of music, and he found ways to continue playing piano even with his busy schedule. In the end, he decided that music was too important to him to let go of, attending the prestigious Chicago Music College after high school. He would practice for six to eight hours a day, honing his natural gift for piano into something special.
During this time, he met Executive Assistant to Head Of School and Assistant Head Of School Donna Erwin through mutual friends. When asking Mrs. Erwin what was so special about Erwin during their initial meeting, she says, “I just saw him playing piano, and I was smitten; that was it.”
While Erwin was set on being a gig musician, writing his own music, and playing in clubs for the hope of one day making it big, those jobs were sparse, and didn’t pay the bills for his growing family. He eventually took a teaching job in a local D.C. school. Erwin comments, “They’re gonna pay me money to teach music. Of course, I’ll do that. And literally, I tell you guys all the time so much of my job I would do for free.” After some time, his teaching brought him to EA. Upper School Performing Arts Chair Dan Clay notes that Erwin immediately supported the musical productions with his full attention, saying, “He hit the ground running, …. He came here and directed this really musically challenging musical [The Sound of Music] and really put all of his effort into making the kids sound good.” Mr. Erwin donates his weekends, evenings, and mornings to teaching songs, making sure everyone feels comfortable with the music they work with.
Erwin also threw himself into other areas of the music department, as when he arrived, Chapel only played the organ, no piano, and the vocal ensemble rarely sang at events like they do today. He changed all of this, bringing piano into the chapel, along with improvements in Vocal Ensemble, creating the culture of music at EA that students know and love today.
It is undeniable that Erwin’s largest impact has been with his students. He is one of the kindest people at EA, greeting everyone with a smile, which naturally lends itself to him being such a good teacher. “I want everybody to sing, and I want to encourage people to sing,” he explains, and proves during chapel, telling everyone to sing. His devotion to the choir can not be understated either. One of his students, Charlie Casey ’27, mentions, “I truly love him so much. He is such an excellent person and teacher, and you can tell every day how much he loves choir.” That quote truly summarizes Erwin’s time at EA.
It is clear just how integral he is to the EA music community, both in chapel and in class, and next year will not be the same without him. Though the community will miss him greatly, it is obvious the lasting impact he has made on students and teachers alike.