Athens glimpses of home: She raises her musical voice in cacophonous times

Ivy Crockron has a recognizable voice.

As the star of a performance, she has a voice that tells stories in operatic song.

As a voice teacher, she instructs others to find their own.

As a mother and wife, she speaks with discipline, grace and jokes.

Finally, she is an African-American Christian woman whose voice is clear in this election year.

"I must research the candidates and pick the person who has the vision and the ability to do the job," says Crockron. "Women and African Americans have not always had the right to vote. How dare I waste my opportunity, my privilege to vote."

She has reason to be concerned. Motherhood comes with necessary attentiveness to today's economy and issues.

After trying for 10 years to have their own children, Crockron and her husband attended Athens County Children Services' foster care/adoption classes facilitated by Carol Cockrill. "Adoption is the most meaningful way for Christians to care for orphans," she says.

According to Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting (AFCARS), nearly 800,000 children entered the foster-care system last year. This statistic, plus information and aid from Cockrill and Lynn Sowards with Franklin County Children Services, led to Crockron's adopting first one, then an additional child.

"It went really fast for us," Crockron recalls, remembering back to four and a half years ago. "Within two months we had a call."

Ready to take out a small loan to purchase a car seat and supplies, Crockron was cautioned by her mother to wait. Their church, Grace Christian Center on Johnson Road in The Plains, at which her husband is associate pastor, threw them a surprise shower. "They got us everything!" says Crockron.

Both times when she laid eyes on the children, she expected her reaction to be tearful. "I couldn't even cry," she remembers. "I was stunned, in awe. I immediately loved them."

Now, watching them grow, she measures her responsibility with faith.

"As a mother, I am responsible for demonstrating God's unconditional love to my children. I attempt to do this by teaching and displaying obedience, self-control, grace and discipline."

The children's musical talents continue to surprise the couple. One has a rhythm; the other is always singing.       

But being raised by musically inclined parents, one would have a hard time not following in their paths.

Crockron's husband, Otis, often plays in local restaurants and leads worship with their church group, Banners of Praise. She solos and occasionally duets in the alto with her husband in the same group. Her light lyric soprano has graced numerous operas. "My voice is suited for (characters in) Mozart operas: ‘Susannah,' ‘Pamina,' ‘The Countess' or ‘The First Lady.'"

She claims that singing worship and opera are different experiences: opera is performance, with eyes on her; worship is solely for God. She clarifies, "Opera is more technically driven, whereas worship has a heart connection." She adds, "My operatic voice does not blend well in contemporary Christian music."

What she most enjoys is teaching. A bachelor's in vocal music performance and music education and a near-completed master's in vocal pedagogy allow her to teach at both Rio Grande Community College/University of Rio Grande, and through Ohio University's Athens Community Music School. "I love to see someone ‘get it'," she says. "I use a lot of imagery in my teaching. I sing only when appropriate and necessary, if I'm trying to speed up the learning process."

Upon arrival in Athens in 1989, she was ready to make this her home. "There are two places you grow up - one with your parents, and the other after you are away from your parents," says Crockron. "I grew up in Athens for the second time."

She says she loves the small-town community. She acknowledges that at times she has experienced others' racial inappropriateness, but her overall outlook is positive. "I think one of the ways I serve Athens best is by living here," she says. "For example, a friend of mine allowed me to hold her 6-month-old baby. She said I was the first African-American to hold her. Initially I laughed and then I realized. ‘Yeah, that's pretty important.'"

Her reasons for being concerned about today's issues are simple: she's got a plan. She says of the future, "I am happy by doing what I love, cracking jokes with my husband, and seeing my kids graduate from college."

The next few weeks are on her mind and heart. "I've encouraged people to register to vote," she says. "I volunteer for the candidate I've chosen."

The last few years she has been convinced of the importance of an election. "I felt that I needed to pay attention to the news, be more informed about the decisions that I was making, and stop wasting my vote." She says faith and God are important to her, but so is a president. "He is not the savior, but he does happen to rule the country," she says.