Inspiring Conversations with Felicity Muench of One Voice 4 Change

Today we’d like to introduce you to Felicity Muench. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Who would have guessed that a decorative toy guitar on the wall of my childhood home would have led me to where and who I am now? Passions emerge early in life, and I was lucky that mine were nurtured from the beginning. 

After catching me, at age seven, standing on the couch strumming the guitar on the wall, my father bought me a handmade child-sized guitar, and I started classical guitar lessons with Hector Garcia in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

Growing up in a family that valued the arts and education led me to become hooked, at age eleven, on the idea of teaching. I would write down new ideas about learning to teach and teaching beginning guitar students. Though I had no formal training, I started (again with my father’s support) teaching students in their homes at the age of fifteen. The following year I was fortunate to have my own studio space at a local music store. 

As an adult, I continued my music studies, receiving my bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in classical guitar performance and pedagogy. Since then, I have taught guitar to thousands of students both privately and at two universities. Teaching continues to be my calling to this day. 

After a painful divorce at age fifty, my life expanded in ways I could not have predicted. My teaching studio grew, performances increased, I released a classical guitar album, “Amoroso Guitar Duo,” and I met and worked with world-renowned Latin classical guitarist Alfredo Muro. I traveled to destinations I had always dreamed about, my health improved, and I found an inner strength unknown to me. A new chapter of my life was unfolding. 

In 2017, after performing in a concert featuring the song “One Voice,” written by a high school student, I was inspired to start the nonprofit One Voice 4 Change, co-founded with Dr. Gregg Cannady. Our vision is a world where all children have equal learning opportunities. Our mission is to create and facilitate partnerships, both locally and globally, that connect learners and mentors with the ability to collaborate. Voices are heard, needs are assessed, and resources are provided. One Voice 4 Change is unique in that we are not offering curriculum but rather, educational opportunities to inspire learning and global citizenship. Through shared voices, horizons are broadened, and meaningful and equitable learning opportunities are created. 

People often ask, “why do you love teaching?” My answer has many layers. I was always curious and loved learning, even though I had difficulty in school due to dyslexia and other issues. Overcoming those limitations, largely through the encouragement of great teachers, made me want to help others reach their potential. As a teacher, I push students to learn things about themselves that they may not have known and to realize their own talents. I see students gain confidence and self-esteem. I love helping people learn an instrument, develop their passion, and experience the joy this can bring to their life. For me, teaching is love. 

I look back at my life with amazement. Whether positive or negative, every life event guided me to grow and learn about my place in the world. Since childhood, I listened to my inner voice and never gave up on believing that I could make a difference in the world through music. Spending my life in music and education continues to fill me with joy. Watching students grow, learn, and gain the skills needed to make their voices heard is what gives my life meaning. 

Now I can connect the dots that have led me to where I am today. 

Please visit www.onevoice4change.org 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
As idyllic as my story may sound, it has not been without struggles along the way. Although my divorce was difficult, I had some high hurdles to clear much earlier on. Though my dad was my rock growing up, my mother was an alcoholic, which consumed me with stress, insecurity, and a total lack of boundaries. I knew how to pretend that life was happy and make everything look great on the outside, but my ability to have healthy relationships was significantly impacted. My personal life was often a mess because I did not realize I was co-dependent. 

In 2007 I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. This crisis forced me to learn everything about healing my body from the inside out. The most beneficial help came from having mental health therapy to remove trauma lodged in my body which had begun in childhood. When I healed mentally, my body healed in miraculous ways. Learning to take care of myself as a whole person may be the biggest challenge I have faced and the one with the greatest reward. 

I am grateful to be living the life I lead now and that I can continue my music and work with One Voice 4 Change. 

As you know, we’re big fans of One Voice 4 Change, Inc. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
One Voice 4 Change brings equal learning opportunities to children worldwide by creating partnerships and mentorships that inspire learning and global citizenship. We create connections, listen to learners and mentors, and customize the support needed for each collaboration. Students’ and teachers’ horizons are broadened through shared voices, and rich and equitable learning opportunities are created. 

Our partnership with Pathlight International in Belize has connected students in Belize and Colorado to mentors in healthcare, business, space innovation, engineering, and music. Projects such as Martian Greenhouse 2.0 help students think about ways food would be grown on Mars, which leads students to think about how they can develop sustainable food in their communities. The Sweet Sounds of Science collaboration shows students how the arts and science can work together to save an endangered species. Our Professional Learning Experience brought together teachers from Belize and the U.S. to design student-driven learning strategies. 

Every partnership One Voice 4 Change initiates is shaped by the participants to incorporate individual learning opportunities. These partnerships, which inspire learning and global citizenship, are what make our nonprofit unique. 

How do you think about luck?
No, I do not believe in luck. I think we’re the leaders of our life, and the situations we find ourselves in are often our own doing. When we sync with our purpose and take full responsibility for our own lives, we can live a meaningful and fulfilling life. 

Contact Info:

• Email: onevoice4change@yahoo.com
• Website: www.onevoice4change.org
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/onevoice4changeinc
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFXd7x_0_AI
• Other: www.felicityguitar.com

Image Credits:
Lindsay Lack Photography