Lincoln native joins CCS music department

David Rushing has joined the Chase County Schools’ teaching staff as a vocal instructor for grades 6 - 12.
As part of his teaching position, he will also direct concert choir, show choir and the high school musical in October.
A couple of times a week Rushing said he is assisting Agnes Strand with sixth and seventh grade band.
Rushing was born and raised in Lincoln by parents who both have music degrees, so he comes by his talent naturally.
He graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, receiving a Bachelor’s of Music Education degree with an emphasis on vocal music.
“I have always loved music. I was in band and choir in high school with choir being my favorite,” he said.
Despite his love of music, he said he was an engineering major his freshman year at UN-L.
He said he realized during that first year that he still loved spending time in the music building being involved with his music-enthusiast friends.
He also realized that the requirements needed to be an engineering student demanded too much of his time while still being involved with music.
Rushing decided to change his major to music in his sophomore year at UN-L.
“I had an interim professor of music who was a great inspiration to me to switch to music education,” he said.
The professor made him feel good about himself, and he liked watching him do the same with other students as well, he added.
“He was very personable and helped all of his students imagine how much we could be in music—and I could see myself doing that,” Rushing said.
He said it took someone else to help him realize music was where he wanted to be.
“At first, I imagined myself being a performer in vocal music. But during my student teaching phase, I discovered I loved helping people get better at music. I also liked making connections with students to help them grow,” he said.
At that point, he gave up the idea of being a performer and focused on teaching music.
Rushing is mostly skilled at playing trumpet and trombone, but he knows how to play all instruments, he said.
“My main focus is in choir though,” he added.
“I love being here in a smaller community—I just wish it was a little closer to home,” said Rushing.
He tries to go back to Lincoln a couple of times a month to see family and friends.
When at home here, he always has music playing, and he enjoys watching football and soccer, he said.