Walton finds community in East’s music department

For many people, music is just a hobby or talent that they’re interested in. But for Ms. Gia Walton, one of East’s instrumental music directors, music is her life.

Given that her parents owned one location of the New Jersey School of Music, Walton discovered her love for music at a young age. Starting with the saxophone and moving on to clarinet, Walton found that wind instruments were her absolute favorite. She attended the University of the Arts, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in music as a clarinet major, and later attended Temple University and earned a Master’s degree in clarinet and saxophone. When it was time to decide what she wanted to do with her life, there was no doubt in Walton’s mind that she wanted to pursue music.

Walton has performed in showrooms and casinos, combining her talent with other accomplished musicians. She played with numerous orchestras including the Atlantic Chamber Ensemble, the Ocean City Pops, the Bridgeton Symphony, the Walnut Street Theater Orchestra, the Princeton Musical Festival Theater and one of her favorite performances, the Philly Pops Orchestra.

Playing in the showrooms of Atlantic City casinos inspired Walton and her husband to open a School of Music in Ventnor, New Jersey. At this point, Walton wasn’t only a freelance musician; she also taught at the school in Ventnor, did private lessons, and had her own private studio. The school closed after five years, but that did not stop Walton’s love for teaching.

From the Ventnor School of Music, to private lessons, to adjunct classes at the University of the Arts, to Bishop Eustace High School, and now Cherry Hill East, it’s clear that Walton has impacted many aspiring musicians over the past decade.

At East specifically, Walton has taught for 18 years and can confidently say that each and every student has left a lasting impression on her.

“It’s been a blessing to be here because we have such a great pool of musicians… a really good group of kids that can be brought to a high level,” said Walton.

She enjoys helping every student become the musician they strive to be. Whether they need a band teacher or a supportive friend, Walton is there for them. Her role as a music teacher has allowed her to connect with her students, some of whom even have invited her to their high school graduation parties because of her key role in their years at East. Walton spends hours with her students going over songs and teaching them how to excel.

“It’s amazing to see what happens between freshman and senior year. It’s a huge transformation,” Walton said.

She considers each year a great accomplishment and urges her students to feel the same way. Walton tries her best to organize and set up events, concerts, and festivals for both the Lab Band and Wind Ensemble. Concerts, though stressful, are her favorite events to organize.

“It’s fun to get out there and work with [the performers] when you know they are at their best that night,” said Walton.

The best part of her job is easily the students she gets to teach and the music community around her. Imagining her life without East is difficult because of all the important memories and all the people she has met within these walls.

When it comes to Walton’s life everything is tied to music and specifically, that shared love for it. Whether it’s her family, her students, or her co-workers, every day, she witnesses how music connects people.