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Posted on: 2/20/25
Joining the orchestra in middle school and choir in high school were two of the best decisions Nyi Nyi Myin said he ever made.
When Myin was 10 years old, he and his family immigrated to the United States from Myanmar in search of a better life. He was enrolled in Lansdowne Elementary School, and Myin said he didn’t know any English.
“It was hard,” said Myin. “I didn’t speak the language and I couldn’t understand anything. I came during the summer, so I had time to adjust. I would watch TV like Disney Channel to practice and have something to talk about with the kids. I wanted to connect with them, but the language barrier was the hardest thing.”
By the time Myin was in the fifth grade, he said he developed a better understanding of English after he was transferred to an English as a Second Language program at Lansdowne. But where he really made his connection with his peers was in his middle school orchestra class at McClintock Middle School.
Myin began playing the viola, and that’s where he finally felt a sense of belonging.
“You belong in a group now, so you have all these friends to talk to and that’s what it’s all about — connecting with people,” said Myin.
And building connection and passion is what Myin tries to instill in his students now. Myin is a chorus teacher at Stanley Middle School in Gaston County Schools, and works with about 120 sixth, seventh and eighth grade students.
Myin said he tries to expose his students to a variety of different
music styles and experiences, like his teachers at McClintock and East Mecklenburg High School did for him. They’ve sung at Charlotte Hornets and Checkers’ games, and he encourages his students to audition for the state’s Honors Chorus. It was a process he didn’t know about initially in high school until his chorus teacher, Kathryn Heinen, told him about it and he made it.
“It was a big deal, and I didn’t think it was that much of a big deal until I got there,” said Myin of his experience. “I want to give my students the experience I got when I was in high school. I really want to expose them to all these different experiences and show them that we are not the only ones doing this.”
Myin has also published music. At East Mecklenburg, a guest composer visited and composed a piece with his class. While at Wingate University, Myin said they would have to compose music for his theory classes.
It was about a year ago when Myin said he wanted to try his hands at composing a piece in his native language Burmese. The piece — “Mama Wawa” —- was published, and he had his students sing it for a concert. He doesn’t write all the time, but tries to put bits and pieces together when he has the time.
“Myanmar is one of those countries where there’s not a lot of stuff coming out of the country due to the barrier there with the rest of the world,” he said. “And my role is to help with that a little bit and expose music from Myanmar, use Burmese language and get it out there, you know?”
Eventually, Myin said he would love to teach the next generation of teachers, but for now, he’s happy where he is in his career. He enjoys watching his students find what they’re passionate about and going for it.
“I always tell them to give it 110%,” he said. “If they want to keep singing in high school, go for it. If it’s not their thing, that’s absolutely ok. We can still be friends!”
