Breitag’s replacement only lasts 2 weeks as choir director
November 17, 2017
After years of instruction under longtime choir teacher Patty Breitag, the Diamond Bar High School choir classes spent less than two weeks with her replacement.
Problems began, according to numerous members of the choir teams, when new teacher Anastasia Glasheen discarded many of the classes’ competition trophies from previous years. She allegedly permitted members of Marquis to choose which ones to keep and then moved the remaining awards.
According to several choir members, Glasheen stated that she had the intention of creating a safer environment for the students, as the trophies were fire hazards and stored on high shelf spaces in the room.
Glasheen began teaching at DBHS on Oct. 30 after an extensive career as a singer and music teacher at both the high school and college level.
Choir members said that English and Arts Dean Julie Galindo told the classes that the administration made the decision to let go of Glasheen because they did not deem her a suitable fit for the school.
During her limited time at DBHS, Glasheen primarily focused on improving the choir’s vocal techniques, choir members said.
“We had a festival coming up in about two weeks since she started, so we [Marquis] were working on shaping our music for that festival,” senior choir treasurer Megan Mach said. “She was a really good director in the sense that she knew how to shape a song rather than just knowing the correct notes. She knew how to shape the music.”
Glasheen was viewed by many members as an assertive instructor who was meticulous in managing the way her classes were run.
“She is an amazing teacher in that she is extremely knowledgeable,” senior choir department President Kaitlyn Lee said. “Dr. Glasheen made sure to keep us on task during class and she was very direct in her teaching. She had improved our choirs’ singing significantly within the time she was at DBHS.”
Currently, the choir department is being led by different staff members who come in and out of the choir room to help out during class. DBHS music director Steve Acciani and theater manager Jacob Kaitz have been heavily involved in managing the choir. Additionally, vocal coach Matt Davis was hired to continue to help the teams with their music while the school looks for a replacement choir director.
“Right now we are working with Ms. Vernon; she is an on-campus staff and she’s been a long-term sub for a lot of other programs like […] for USB when Ms. Van Horn was on maternity leave,” senior choir secretary Danielle Sy said. “As far as choir director, they’re still looking for someone to be our long term sub for second semester, but at least for this semester Ms. Vernon will be with us for the rest of the time.”
