Madonna Wine Goss - A Tribute

A tribute - in song and picture - to the extraordinary teacher and musical director, Madonna Goss.

For more music, pictures and memories of Madonna, visit: http://billjacobs.us/mwg_main.html

Madonna Wine Goss (or "Mrs. G." as she was lovingly known by her students), passed away on Monday, December 18, 2006 at the age of 83. Born on April 1, 1923, Madonna was a graduate of Roosevelt H.S. and Manchester College. She also completed numerous graduate studies including Westminster Choir College; Juillard School of Music; and the Cincinnati conservatory. In 1946 she began her teaching career in Alexandria, OH teaching vocal and instrumental music in all 12 grades. She returned to the Dayton area in 1948 where she taught choral music and organ at Roosevelt High School. Madonna taught in Oakwood and 21 years in the Kettering School System before retiring in 1983. Many of her students were selected to sing with the Ohio Honors Choir who toured Europe several times as she accompanied and was an assistant director. On a subsequent tour she took her own students and parent chaperones to Austria to sing with choirs from other countries in concert. She will be remembered as a devoted teacher and second "mom" to many students as well as for the outstanding productions of Broadway Musicals she directed at Kettering Fairmont East High School. Her 50 year organ career began while she was still in high school. Madonna was an organist at College Street Church of the Brethren, Ohmer Park Methodist, Memorial Baptist, South Park Methodist and Dayton First Baptist Church, where she was a member. During those years, she also directed choirs at First Baptist and Fairmont Presbyterian Church. She was a member of the American Guild of Organists and past Dean of the Dayton Chapter AGO, Secretary and Historian for 12 years of Ohio Choral Directors Association, President of Delta Omicron Music Fraternity, a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority, member of The Dayton Music Club, member and board member of the Dayton Women"s Club and Choral Director of the first three "Muse Machine" musical productions. In 1984 she received the honor of being inducted into the "Chester A. Roush" Hall of Fame. Preceded in death by her husband, Ted, and her parents, Dr. Norman B. and Grace E. Wine. Survived by son, Craig Goss, daughter Sherri Kertesz and grandsons, Larry and Stephen Kertesz; relatives, loving friends, and literally thousdands of students whose lives were forever changed and enriched for having had her as their teacher.

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• Madonna
• Goss
• Fairmont
• East
• High
• School
• Kettering
• OH
• teacher
• choral
• choir
• musical
• director
• organist
• Broadway
• musicals

[OMM06]

God bless our music teachers!

[starboybilly]

Indeed!

[mitchbudd]

I'm old enough to have been a member of a high school choir that competed head to head w/Ms. Goss' choirs constantly and it was certainly a good day if you could be competitive w/them; beat them? Not a chance. She was something. I frett the fact that she retired in '83, how is that possible? Ms. Goss, you are truly an amazing musician and the world is certainly poorer with your passing. Thanks for the competition. And the memories.

[starboybilly]

Thanks for commenting. We appreciate it. So many lives are so much better for having known her!

[4231sims]

We actually had a collage level education in high school. I still use her techniques to this day. I remember singing that song that year and playing it the next year. A great tribute to a great great lady.

[kimhuntable]

you taught me so much more that to sing, blend, and listen, you taught me the joy of hearing my voice blend with hundreds of others in a beautiful uplifting sound....just to be a part of it was a joy! You taught me that teachers can really have a huge influence. Because of you, through me, my daughter is now in charge of the muse machine and the musicals at stebbins high school! your dream lives on!

[waterboat1956]

Madonna was the best! We recorded records, played shows, sang in competitions. She made me her assistant in 1974 and I played guitar for her for choir and the Falconaires. Because of her, I teach at Berklee College of music.

We stayed in touch and she visited me in Boston twice. I really was sad when she passed away....shook up all day in fact.

She remembered me in her will - and I received a statue of Fiddler on the Roof, which is the musical we did in '74.

I miss her!

[iveyspam]

Mrs. Goss, you never picked me for anything no matter how many times I tried out, but that's okay. I understand now that I was a late bloomer. :) The fundamentals you taught me took me all the way to soloing with a symphony orchestra, the biggest musical thrill of my life. As I stood there on the stage in front of a thousand-plus people, I thought of you. In large part I have you to thank for putting me there.

"A teacher never knows where her influence stops."

[tsmktb]

What great memories!! We were so lucky to have had Mrs. Goss in our lives. Thanks for the tribute.