The new choir director has always had a passion for vocal performance and has exciting new priorities for the school’s choir this year.
Originally from Alabama, Anslee Rainwater started singing at a young age.
“I started singing when I was about five in church and it really became my whole life. There was really not an option to not pursue that,” said Rainwater.
When she was 18 she went to Indiana University for music. She expected to focus more on a career in performing but fell into teaching, as well as frequently cantoring at local masses.
“I did not go to my first Catholic mass until I was in my mid-20s, so I cantored the first mass I ever went to,” she said.
Rainwater’s first experience teaching was when she was 18. She was a co-teacher at the National High School Institute, but her first classroom experience was at Saint Barnabas.
“I really started teaching when I was 23, I’ve been doing it for a little bit over a decade,” says Rainwater.
Prior to Marist, Rainwater taught at CPS, other Catholic schools, park districts, churches, and many other places. Currently, she still teaches at Saint Barnabas.
When it comes to teaching, her main priority is to radiate energy for her students. Rainwater says, “A kiddo is not going to enjoy your class if you don’t seem like you’re enjoying them and your subject, so I really do try to give it 100 percent, 100 percent of the time.”
For this school year, her ultimate goal for the choir is growth. Specifically, she strives for growth in numbers, confidence, and participation.
“Participation is big for me,” says Rainwater. “Especially in masses. I think that there is a culture of not singing in masses, not just in this school but in a lot of south side churches, and I want to maybe turn the tide on that.”
One of the main reasons Rainwater decided to fill the open position of choir director is her good friend Father Tom Hurley, who leads the school masses here at Marist High School. The Barnabas eighth graders also influenced her decision.
“I liked that age and I thought okay maybe I can do this. I’m used to teaching younger, but I am really glad I took it,” she said.
Senior Caitlyn Kelly has been a member of the choir for two years. According to her, Rainwater always pushes her students to be their best.
“She is so positive and reaches into every aspect of music that we should know,” says Kelly.
Aside from Rainwater’s work, her family includes her husband Adam, as well as her children Cole and Cecelia, ages one and three. Rainwater describes her home life as “chaotic” with constantly running around. Regardless, she never fails to have a home cooked meal for her family.
“Usually by eight o’clock I am done for. When the kids go down I’m like just give me my bed and Food Network,” says Rainwater.
As for her children, if they happened to strike an interest in performing and music she would be glad to encourage them. Her husband is a chemical engineer, so she would be happy with whichever path they chose to pursue.
