Registered & Cert. I Music Together Teacher
Director & Owner, Music Together Victoria

Jennifer (pictured with Cole and Bear) has been teaching Music Together for several years, the first Music Together Centre Director and teacher on Vancouver Island.

Jennifer’s background includes childhood ballet, many years of piano and theory lessons, and the good fortune to have been brought up with a lot of spontaneous music play in her childhood home, which is what she draws on (along with the antics of her three sons!) to keep the Silly Quotient alive and well in her classes. Jennifer has taught private piano lessons, group piano for the very young, and general preschool music prior to finding Music Together. She strongly believes in the Music Together teacher’s job as guide to help parents and caregivers understand the importance of their role as the main music “teacher” in their children’s journey to musical competence, and in the importance of PLAYING with music!

Jennifer has her AVCM (teacher) in piano, from the Victoria Conservatory of Music and was awarded the Certification level 1 qualification from Princeton's Music Together Center For Music and Young Children for outstanding achievement in teaching and articulating of the program in August 2005, the first in Canada.

Registered and Cert I. Music Together Teacher

Associate Director

Marnie brings a wide musical background to her classes - she has been a voice, theory and piano teacher for many years, a vocal performer (classically trained but known to have dabbled in jazz and rock 'n' roll!) and discovered Music Together with her two youngest children as a participating parent. Marnie believes that "music is both soul and brain food" that is best first experienced at the earliest age possible. Impressed with the philosophy and the wide range of repertoire in Music Together Song Collections (everything from the expected folk and classical to the unexpected world beat and jazz-influenced compositions) she decided to embark on the journey to becoming a Music Together teacher herself. Marnie brings a delightful sense of silliness to class with her (a definite pre-requisite to being a Music Together teacher!).

Marnie (pictured with daughter Kate) has taught voice at various places in the Victoria area, including Pearson College and the Victoria Conservatory of Music and now teaches voice primarily out of her own studio and Music Together in several locations. She has been a frequent guest soloist at locations all around B.C. She has her AVCM (voice), and BMus from UBC, and was awarded (April 2008) the Certification level 1 qualification from Princeton's Music Together Center For Music and Young Children for outstanding achievement in teaching and articulating of the program. Marnie has also taken on the role of conductor of three well-known Viva Choirs, the Foundation Choir (for 6's & 7's), Boys Choir and Girls Choir (both for 7-11's).

Registered Music Together Teacher

Erin has been an "MT Mama" for five years, discovering Music Together when looking for a music class that was both for her child and herself.  It was, it seems, a fortuitous decision!

"Music Together has changed how I view 'being musical'.    It took me a while, but i now understand that coming to class is all about being in the moment, and connecting with my kid. Yes,  I ALSO happen to be in the room with a bunch of other people doing the same thing, but in the end, it's me and my child. I have learned that my daughter, in a sense, takes the class through me. If I am engaged and follow along; if I am fearless and dance around the room like an idiot; if I relax and just SING no matter what I think I sound like; then SHE does too!!!!!!  And really, if, as a parent, i don't blink at the thought of my children being capable and intuitive music makers, then why shouldn't that apply to me as well??"

Erin has worked with children extensively (including her own three!), owning her own daycare and working with special needs children, as well as assistant-teaching art to young adults.  She plays ukulele, autoharp, a little clarinet, and loves to sing, draw, paint, cook and eat.    She is very excited to bring her passion for family music-making and musical parenting to all her classes.

Registered Music Together Teacher

Liz grew up in a household where music was highly valued as a part of everyday life.  The combination of her own piano and violin lessons, her father’s love of improv and her parent’s extensive classical record collection (plus a cherished Buddy Holly album) has infused Liz with a love of all things musical.

As a new parent, Liz found the sense of community of her first Music Together class and the dynamic approach to parent/child music education cemented her decision to return to class semester after semester with her two little boys.  It also led her down the path to becoming a Music Together teacher herself!

Liz loves to pass on the gifts she received from her family’s love of music growing up to her own children while sharing the experience with other family and friends.    She *loves* impromptu jam sessions, dance parties, and MT classes held by her sons, and has recently been re-inspired to dust off her keyboard, dig out her bagpipe chanter, and reconsider taking up the accordion.   

 Liz is thrilled to be teaching Music Together to Victoria families, and looks forward to sharing an environment where families can freely nurture and grow their own musicality while the power of those discoveries and experiences are supported.

Registered Music Together Teacher

Growing up in the French Alps, Florence learned the joy of informal music-making with both her musical parents.  Singing and dancing were part of everyday life, as it is now for Florence and her two children (pictured on their driftwood castle!).

 As a teenager Florence picked up the fiddle and dancing shoes and became strongly involved in a local group dedicated to collecting and teaching traditional songs, music and dances from France and Europe.  She studied Drama for several years and sang in various choirs, ad is now thrilled to be a recent member of Ensemble Laude.

"I love the sense of community and fun that  music and dance create, bringing people of all ages together.  So when I moved to Victoria and discovered all this in Music Together classes I was delighted!  I took classes with my son for three years and it has been fascinating to watch him grow musically.  Because Music Together classes respect  every learning style and each child's temperament, he has been able to develop at his own pace and is now (at age 6) a very active music maker.  He and his sister are always improvising, whether it's with "real" instruments or pots and pans! Now that my son has graduated from Music Together, I am delighted to still be able to continue having so much fun with Victoria families by leading classes myself!"

Florence has a Master's degree in English Literature and Education from the University of Sorbonne.  Her main occupations and passions (besides music!) include writing for children, fiber arts, travelling (she has lived in Italy, the U.S., Newfoundland and Saskatchewan and travels home to France each summer), enjoying Nature and watching her children grow!  She is currently learning guitar......and has dusted off her old fiddle too!   

Good luck Heather! 

Registered Music Together Teacher

Keeley discovered Music Together when her little boy (“the love of my life and a constant source of inspiration”!) was a year old - while she loved watching him grow and develop musically she also found she was enjoying the classes as much as he was, which led her down the path to becoming a Music Together instructor.

When she was a young child, Keeley’s love for music bloomed in her home as her family routinely sat and sang along to old musicals together.  Once kindergarten began, she started dancing and singing  in earnest and has never looked back! 

Keeley has performed all her life - her studies as a child included dance (including jazz and tap), piano and flute.  As an adult Keeley has also explored West African Dance and has had roles in various Victoria Operatic Society productions.

Keeley’s  background includes teaching English to children in Japan for 18 months and (for the past 8 years) helping foreign students here find their voices in English through ESL - she is thrilled to now be a Music Together Educator, combining her three passions: music, children, and teaching.

“I think it is so important for parents to allow their children to explore music in whatever way they chose. As a mother of a very cautious and timid boy, I watched him sit quietly on my lap without a smile for the first 6 weeks until one class he walked to the centre of the circle and started rocking to his own beat.   Singing and dancing with your child is the most beautiful gift you can give them and yourself.  You are making memories that will last a lifetime. I am singing lullabies to my baby that my Mama sang with me”.