Michele Korb loves music, teaching, tae kwon do … and all that jazz.

The visiting assistant professor in the School of Education leads a busy life, teaching several science-related courses, playing guitar in the Metafour Jazz Quartet and working toward her third Marquette degree.

In 1989, Korb earned her undergraduate degree in biology and broad field science for secondary education. She earned her master's in educational policy and leadership with a science emphasis in 1998 and is currently seeking her doctorate in the same field.

With two teachers for parents — Korb's mother was a K-8 music teacher and her father taught radiological technology at several Midwestern universities — it seemed only natural that their daughter would combine those two fields as her career.

"I was really drawn to teaching," Korb said. "I can't imagine doing anything else. It's extremely fulfilling — there's something new every day."

Upon receiving her undergraduate degree, Korb taught at Milwaukee's Pius XI High School for eight years. Then and in the classes she teaches now at Marquette, the teacher has found a way to combine one passion with another.

To teach complex biological processes like cellular respiration, Korb writes lyrics to perform with popular tunes like The Proclaimer's "I'm Gonna Be."

"The songs are scientifically accurate, so students can use them to study," she said.

Though some science teachers around the country have put out CDs with their musical work, Korb laughed as she vowed not to follow in their footsteps.

"I have a semi-professional music career," she said.

And that other career has so far resulted in two CDs, several local music groups and many new friends and idols.

Korb first picked up a guitar at eight years old. Korb's mother, a professional musician, taught her daughter — that is, when her daughter wasn't busy teaching herself.

For the last six years, Korb has been taking formal blues and jazz lessons. Though she started out focusing on Christian music, she soon became "consumed" with jazz.

She discovered the intellectual nature of the music as she began her masters' studies and "fell in love." Jazz soon became the forefront of her musical studies.

To make her way to the Metafour Jazz Quartet, which is less than two months old, Korb relied on the connections she made in the local music industry.

After college, Korb met fellow musician Mark Olson when the two were camp counselors. They lost touch for several years, only to meet again to play at a mutual friend's wedding.

Several months later, Korb and Olson formed the group Local Talent. After one-and-a-half years, the group is currently on hiatus.

In Metafour, Olson and Korb play the guitar, Tammy Winn (a 2003 Wisconsin Area Music Industry award winner for contemporary gospel) is the group's vocalist and Tracy Apps plays the drums.

Besides calling Korb "an amazing guitar player," Olson said one of Korb's strongest assets is to take a song with "the barest suggestion of chords" and spontaneously create a piece of music that is "interesting and complex."

"That's her strength, her main role in the group," Olson said. "Without that, we'd be empty-sounding."

The group plays traditional jazz from the 1920s through the 1950s, and has featured the songs of Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, The Beatles and Ella Fitzgerald. She said the group "keeps it interesting" performing Broadway show tunes with a twist or mixing a funk piece with a traditional jazz song.

The quartet will play tonight at 7:30 in the Brew Bayou as part of the Office of Student Development-sponsored Women in Diversity Month.

Natalie Gross, interim assistant dean for multicultural programs, said she invited Korb to play on campus after seeing her perform.

"I thought it would be something different for the Brew and for students to see faculty outside of the classroom," Gross said. Faculty "are real people with real lives and amazing hobbies and talents. I thought it was nice to highlight someone like that."

As a singer, she also put out two contemporary Christian CDs: 1995's "Passageways" and 1998's "Almost Me."

With two demanding careers, music and teaching, how does Korb find the time and energy to do both?

"Balance," she said. "That's my mantra right now."

Studying martial arts, another one of her 'loves,' has taught her to "understand that you can't have it all, all the time."

Yet Korb does manage to have two careers that she loves.

"Music is my passion, but teaching is my passion too," she said. "It does more than pay the bills."

This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on April 7 2005.