Peggy Craig:  

I'm hoping that classmates from Springbrook will remember me as a musician, a singer and a Christian. After graduation from Springbrook, I went to the University of Maryland and auditioned for the Maryland Madrigal Singers, and became their harpsichordist (also sang soprano). It was in that ensemble that I met my husband, Dick Craig, and we were married in 1974. It was also during those years that I joined Sigma Alpha Iota (a music fraternity for women, with honorary male members), the Friday Morning Music Club, and the United Methodist Church of my childhood. (During my teen years, my parents insisted that I attend a Baptist church, and although I participated in their music program, with a wonderful mentor who became their Minister of Music when I was 15, it never felt "real" to me (except for the time spent composing and studying voice and music theory with "Mr. Reynolds." Dick and I have enjoyed singing with the choirs of the various churches he's served in the past 29 years, and I've enjoyed directing Junior & Adult Choirs, Hand Bells, and concert series at various churches. Back to 1970: Since I was a "new harpsichord player," I decided that I should find a teacher and had several wonderful years studying with Judith Olson, who was married to the French horn teacher at UM, at their home. I fell in love with harpsichords, Siamese cats, oriental rugs, and Baroque (and Renaissance) music all at once! Our son, Thomas James Craig ("T.J.") was born in December 1982 -- what a wonderful Christmas present! He was a boy soprano and later learned to play the guitar and drums (I should have known I was going to give birth to a drummer!)and played drums and sang with a band, prior to his death in 2005. I can't say that we "lost" our son because (for once) we know where he is: He continues to live in Heaven with Jesus. I may have been a nominal Christian earlier in my life (but sitting in church doesn't make you a Christian any more than sitting in a garage makes you a car!) I'm much more serious about Bible Study these days and have just started (in 2009) reading a devotional by Oswald Chambers entitled, My Utmost for His Highest. Yes, his language is very "dated" so I recommend the "modern English" version (available at Amazon but cheaper at Christian Book dot com). However, do not let anyone deceive you into thinking that Heaven and Hell aren't real, because they ARE -- and the only Way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ, who said: "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me." (Luke 14:6) After graduation from UM in 1973, I went to Peabody Conservatory (for 3 mostly unpleasant years!) but came out of it all with a Master's Degree. Since then, I have served as Music Director for Opera Americana, taught at Shenandoah Conservatory and PGCC, accompanied ballet classes at the Inwood Performing Arts Co., and taught private students in harpsichord and piano. I also studied voice with Martha ...Expand for more