Broadway is where every performer dreams of being one day, or at least having connections with Broadway stars. Potosi High School is lucky to have Ray Calderon as its newest choir and elementary music teacher. His life has been anything but boring; it has been filled with performances, teaching, and even being in the Navy. In the musical part of his life, he has done 26 shows, not including each performance of each show.
Ray knew at a very young age that the performing arts was the life for him. When asked what it was that made him want to perform, he answered, “The news showed all these kids that were my age, like, eight to 13, and all these kids were going through the audition process for this revival of Big Fish. I started crying, but one of those inconsolable cries, and my parents didn't understand, but it was in that instant of watching that I knew what I wanted to do.” It was in 2000 that Ray made his debut in The Mikado with the Light Opera Company of Salisbury.
After graduating from high school, he was already in the performance business. He was getting paid to perform during mass at his Catholic high school, and he was doing performances with his high school music teacher on the side. He attended Hartt School of Music, where he double majored in music education and vocal performance. While everyone else in the graduating class of 2005 was walking the stage at Hartt, Ray was missing. He explained, “When I graduated from undergrad, I didn't attend my graduation at all. I didn't walk. They mailed my degrees to me because I had a gig that night.” He continued performing for years to come, but then 2020 changed everything.
In 2020, Ray met the love of his life, the woman for whom he dropped everything and moved to Madison, WI. Ray said, “I made the decision to move out to Wisconsin, which I did, and it's funny how things work out the way they're supposed to.”
During this time Ray was straying away from performing and leaning more into the teaching portion of his degree. He was already a substitute teacher and tutor in New York, but it was different this time. When Ashley and Ray got married and settled into their home in Mineral Point, WI, Ashley got a job as Mineral Point Schools’ Choir Director and Ray was working as a substitute teacher and as the Director of Music and the Arts for Mount Olive Lutheran Church and School. After working there from 2020 to 2023, he saw that Potosi High School had an opening to hire a new choir director halfway through the school year. In March of 2024, “Mr. Ray” made his debut at Potosi. Since then, he has directed his first elementary school concert, he is preparing for his second high school concert, and he has gone on multiple music-related trips with the band and choir.
Even though Mr. Ray has only been a part of the Potosi community for six months of school being in session, he has made a huge impact on the students and staff around the school. There is not a day where you will not see him smiling in the hallways. If you are lucky enough to get his signature peace sign and a smile in the hallway, you will feel the kindness he spreads. We cannot wait to share more experiences with Ray as our choral director and music educator.