I am a proud native Hoosier, born in Indianapolis in 1951. I graduated from Seymour High School in 1969 and then I went on to the University of Evansville. I graduated from U of E in 1973 with a Bachelor of Music Education degree. In 1976, I received my Masters degree from Indiana University.
Susie and I have been married for 29 years and we have 6 children and 2 granddaughters. Susie is an R.N., but stayed home to teach the kids. We now have an empty nest!
Our youngest, John Mark is Marine based at 20 Plams, CA and will soon be based in Okinawa. Daniel is a Marine Combat Videographer serving in Afghanistan and Michael is a specialist in the Indiana National Guard serving Iraq. Jennifer is an R.N. at Columbus Regional, Sarah lives in San Jose, CA and Becky is currently living back with us, but will probably be headed back out West before too long. She worked at the YMCA of the Rockies in Colorado last year and now has earned her EMT license.
The 2009-2010 school year will be my 37th year of teaching elementary music in Seymour Schools at Redding Elementary and Cortland Elementary. I also play and sing in the praise band at Community Church of Columbus. Besides writing for my students, I also write contemporary praise music. In 2004, I spent the summer at Gaither Studios and recorded a CD - "God Has a Plan" with the CCC praise band and singers. It was a great experience.
I have received 3 Lilly Endowment Teacher Creativity Fellowships in 1995, 2004 and 2007. My 2007 award was for the $25,000 Distinguished Teacher Creativity Fellowship. That project was entitled, "An Indiana Portrait" - my view of rural Indiana through photography and music. Go here: charlesmoman.smugmug.com/ to see my digital images I filmed all across Indiana.
I have written 7 elementary musicals for my students and they have been very successful. My most well known musical is "Indiana, That's Where I Belong". I market this musical and a few others to schools in Indiana. As of 2009, over 300 schools and 25,000 students have performed this show. Go to my web site - www.momanmedia.com for more information about my musicals for children.