Some of Saint Viator’s most magical sounds can be heard just past the auditorium in the new choir room. However, the choir room is not the only new feature welcomed into the community this year. Mr. Daniel Walls joined the Saint Viator community not only as the new choir teacher but also as a math teacher.

Hailing from Augustana College, Mr. Walls studied music education as well as mathematics, with the hopes of teaching both.

“I was super excited that I was able to teach math and choir here,” said Mr. Walls.

Mr. Walls was shown a whole new side of education after attending the All-State Choir Festival his junior year of high school.

“It opened my eyes to the field of music education,” he said.

Teaching in a Catholic school attracted Mr. Walls because of his own experience.

“I went to Boylan Catholic High School in Rockford, and Catholic education has always been near and dear to my heart,” said he said.

He applied for the position as a choir and math teacher because of the high standards of education held in all aspects of learning, whether in academics or extracurriculars, in addition to being able to share faith in and out of the classroom.

Mr. Walls has enjoyed his experience so far at Saint Viator.

“[The] faculty is very friendly and helpful, and the student body is great, spirited and excited to learn,” he said.

Mr. Walls likes to share his faith through music.

“A lot of the choral music in history was written for the Church and was written to be sacred music, and it’s really great that we can delve into topics of what the music is about, the spirituality and theology behind it and being able to present it as our beliefs and not just the beliefs of the Christian faith,” he said.

Mr. Walls’s knowledge of both math and choir will ensure a successful career, and his focus on music as part of the Catholic faith will help unite the Saint Viator community in song.