The Names on the Walls: Kim Wonders

You can’t miss it.

Walk into Brooke Maschmeier’s office in Trevecca’s Wakefield Fine Arts building, and you’re sure to notice the wall of signatures. Some are written neatly; others boldly. A few even include advice, a joke or a drawing.

In Trevecca’s Department of Music, it’s long been a tradition that each music major signs the wall after completing his or her senior recital. The tradition began in 1971. By 2008, signatures had filled the first wall, so graduates moved on to another wall, this one in Wakefield’s Mac lab.

One of the first students to sign the wall in Wakefield was Kim Wonders, a 1978 graduate of the University.

Wonders music career may have began at Trevecca, but it didn’t stop here. Wonders graduated from Trevecca with a bachelor’s degree in music education. She’s been an active member of Metro Nashville Chorus since 1979, and served as the director since 1988. She was a high school choral director for 31 years in Nashville, spending 24 years at Hunters Lane High School. Her choirs have performed all across the country. 

“I think, like most seniors, that there was a feeling of relief and accomplishment when you presented your senior recital,” Wonders recalls. “Signing the wall was another feeling of accomplishment and also it seemed to be a rite of passage for completing your music degree at Trevecca. I was happy and honored to sign the wall.”

Wonders says that her time at Trevecca’s music program was influential to her career.

“I received a wonderful education at Trevecca, and I feel that it prepared me to be a music educator,” Wonders says. “Of course, I learned many things over my teaching career, but my education at Trevecca was a solid foundation for my career.”

Wonders is currently involved with Sweet Adelines International, a worldwide organization of women singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony. At the Sweet Adelines International Chorus Competition, the Metro Nashville Chorus (MNC) has won the Harmony Achievement Award three times. Under Wonders’ direction, MNC is the only chorus that has won the award three times.

“My involvement in Sweet Adelines has given me the opportunity to grow as a musician, director and singer and build upon the foundation of education that I received from Trevecca,” said Wonders.

In 2010, Wonders retired from being a high school choral director. Since then, she’s been traveling all over the country coaching choruses and quartets. She also teaches at regional and international music schools and workshops.

“God has blessed me and provided me with many opportunities to continue to not only grow as a person and educator, but to share my knowledge and skills with others and be a life-long learner and educator,” Wonders says.