This week, Pantherbook profiled one of the new staff members at FHS: Mr. Sansoni. Get to know him!

1. Full Name:

Michael Stephen Sansoni. Middle name is stee’-fin, not stee’-vin.

2. Nickname:

My friends usually call me Sansoni. I think I have a pretty great last name. Sike Mansoni is also something that has happened in the past. Fortunately, at Franklin I am immune to nicknames.

3. Occupation:

Music teacher. I teach Chorus, Select Chorus, Music Theory I, and a section of American Pop.  I also sing professionally when I’m not teaching.

4. If I Wasn’t At My Job Now I’d Probably Be:

In some strange corner of Scandinavia or Turkey learning languages and folk music. I really like languages.  I speak German, French, and Italian pretty well.

5. Something Most People Would Be Surprised To Know About Me Is:

I listen to waaaay more popular music than I do classical.  Especially into indie, 60’s European pop, and really old country, but I’ll listen to anything: Bollywood, Italian power metal about hobbits, etc.

6. I’m Terrified Of:

Being around fragile objects/baby animals because I am super clumsy, and have a propensity to damage expensive and/or adorable things.

7. One Day I Plan To:

Spend a lot of time in Iceland, Finland, Norway, and Sweden learning about their folk music traditions. And going to concerts in Stockholm. So many good Swedish bands out there.

8. The Best Thing About My Job Is:

Watching sixty-odd teenagers get excited about singing a really extended angry ranty folksong in Finnish. I <3 chorus.  Also I think I have the best beard at FHS.

9. The Worst Thing About My Job Is:

The dead (and alive!) wasps in H138. Yes, that is a real thing that is happening.

10. If Students See Me In The Halls They Should:

Tend to my wasp stings if I collapse on the way to the nurse. I might be allergic! My dad is, but I haven’t had the luck to be stung yet. If I am unaffected by wasps and in the halls, however, you should be prepared for me to try to get you to listen to music I’m really into right now: St. Vincent, Tune-yards, Star Slinger, this Finnish folk group Värttinä, Alex Winston. So um, go try some of those out. Fun stuff.