Music has always been a part of Darren Avery’s life. Church choir and piano gave him the skills as a little boy, Billy Joel gave him the motivation to perform. But teaching music? That he came to all on his own.

Name: Darren Avery

Age: 38

Town: Auburn

Married/single/relationship? I have been married to my wife, Emily, for nine years and have three wonderful children: Addison, Owen and Hayden.

Job: Lewiston High School vocal music teacher

I assume your classes are exactly like those on the TV show “Glee.” I’m right, right? Oh yeah exactly! It doesn’t matter what the day, my kids sound like a perfect recording ready for a performance at the Grammy’s every time they open their mouths. What a pipe dream! It takes weeks/months to get groups to a level of a high-quality performance. We do many different styles of music in my classes with some similar to “Glee,” but I try to give the whole blend of music and styles to give the kids a broader education. We definitely don’t dance, but we do have fun! You don’t want to see me dance!

Did you always want to teach music? No. I always wanted to make it on the road, play in a band and become big and famous. Hey, I made the newspaper — maybe I am getting closer! Like most musicians, I fell in love with singing and playing piano, and it became a passion in my life. As a musician there is a high you get when performing and sharing your gift with others. I never knew that I would enjoy teaching as much as I do until later into my career. I earned my teaching degree because I wanted to have a steady pay check and have a balanced life, but as I got into this occupation, I found that teaching music to students and seeing them perform and develop their gifts with my instruction was very rewarding. Music is a gift that is to be shared and I am able to share my gifts and abilities with kids every day and then in turn enjoy their musical gifts as they perform for others.

What’s the best part about being a chorus instructor? Summer vacation! Truthfully it’s bringing 50-plus individual voices/kids together in unity for one purpose — high-quality music. My classes are filled with every type of kid: jocks, artists, high honors students and lower level learners, rich, poor, etc. . . . but when we step into the classroom and begin making music, all the stereotypes and differences are forgotten and the kids come together in unity. Students must rise to a level of 100 percent accuracy in their performance and the kids work hard together to achieve this. In other classrooms students can pass with a 70 percent average; if we achieved only a 70 percent success rate in my choir we would not sound very good! Seeing kids work together and take pride in their music and perform it to a high quality makes the work that I do every day very satisfying.

What’s the most challenging part? Probably the most challenging part is spinning all of the plates that we as music teachers have to spin on a daily basis. We are not only teachers, but we also are trip planners, concert coordinators, community events planners, fundraisers, counselors, sound technicians, drama teachers, accompanists, set designers and much more. When the end of the school day happens, it is only the middle of a music teacher’s day. It is a challenge to keep balance not only in all of the activities within the program itself, but also to keep balance in your personal life between work and family. I am blessed to have a wife that is understanding of my job and love for music, and supports me in all that I do.

Ever think about trying out for “American Idol?” I would love to go on “American Idol,” but I think they are totally biased to a 38-year-old overweight, graying man. Maybe “Nashville Star” will take me some day!