Growing up in Berlin, Wisconsin, with parents who owned a music store and taught piano lessons, Joy Paffenroth's destiny with music may have been unavoidable. Now Paffenroth is bringing her rich musical background that includes being in the high school band, playing in recitals and community performances, performing for weddings, and 31 years of playing piano to Chilton Middle and High Schools where she starts as the new choir teacher for 5th-12th grade this week.

A graduate of Berlin High School, Paffenroth attended Luther College in northeastern Iowa where her major was Music with an emphasis in Piano and Voice. There, Paffenroth had the opportunity to tour the United States and Eastern Europe as a member of one of the college's choirs that was ranked as one of the top in the world. Paffenroth also competed as Miss Berlin in the 1995 Miss Wisconsin pageant, where she made it to the top ten and won the preliminary talent award playing a classical piano solo.

Paffenroth earned a Masters of Music in Choral Conducting from Northwestern University and went on to her first teaching job at the Savannah Country Day School in Georgia where she taught 6th-12th grade choir. After two years in Savannah, Paffenroth returned to Wisconsin to take a job with the Winneconne School District where she taught general music and choir to kindergarten through 8th graders.

After 6 years in Winneconne, Paffenroth took a position teaching 6th-12th grade in Omro in order to be back instructing older students and had been there for 3 years when she spotted the opening at CHS. Paffenroth said she liked what she saw in the District, including the Engler Center, the wonderful facilities and the opportunities provided for the students here, saying "I came to musical auditions one night, there's a lot of talent here, and I'm exited to foster that."

When asked what she hoped to provide for her students, Paffenroth replied, "Performance opportunities that allow them to find success at something they can do for the rest of their lives. You can sing from now until you're 125 years old. Being a musician can always be with you no matter what, and you can find a way to make that part of your life." Paffenroth added that being part of a music ensemble provides students with a unique opportunity to be part of something bigger than themselves and to learn the importance of working together as a group.

Paffenroth wants parents to know that her door is open and she looks forward to meeting and talking with them and added, "From the very first day when I drove over here to have my interview, I've been impressed with the community, its support of the school and of the arts."

Paffenroth is on the board of the Wisconsin Choral Directors Association and is the editor of the their nationwide publication where she hopes to be able to submit some stories about Chilton's music program in the future.