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 Music Together teacher

ON LEAVE Winter/Spring 09

Claire has a strong voice and movement background, having come from a musical family and now singing with the Linden Singers of Victoria AND teaching aerobics and Music Together. A former recreational trapeze artist(!), she brings a wonderful sense of humour to her teaching that will bring out the silly in everyone. Claire was introduced to the joys of Music Together as a parent where she watched her son's musical engagement and comprehension grow in leaps and bounds each term as the two of them sang and played together in class and at home. She loves how the program promotes musical competence in a joyful and informal way and notes that it has much improved her sight-singing!

Claire also has a BA in Political Science and French, professional designation as a Certified Human Resources Professional and is a BCRPA Registered Group Fitness Instructor so brings a varied and interesting set of experiences with her into her teaching.

Registered and Cert I. Music Together Teacher

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

Barb has worked as an Early Childhood Educator for many years in Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond and Saltspring Island.  Most recently Barb ran the Saltspring Co-op Preschool, where music always played a central part in her life and in her work with young children.  Barb's music circle time has become a treasured memory for many Saltspring children long after their preschool years!

As well as teaching Music Together,  Barb works as an Autism Interventionist at the Queen Alexandra Foundation with children from 3 to 5.  Her involvement in the lives of special needs children began at UBC where she ran the Serendipity program, the first program in BC to integrate special needs children into a mainstream setting with other children.

Barb and her husband, Bruce (a composer) have three children of their own and now are VERY excited to have their first grandchild Everett (pictured with Barb at the beach)!  Barb has also been involved in local choirs both in Victoria and on Saltspring and can be found often strumming on her autoharp while singing away!  She is very happy to be part of the Music Together Victoria team and looks forward to sharing her love of music and children with local families.

Registered Music Together Teacher

Carol grew up in a large musical family – where singing, dancing and playing music were a daily part of life. Carol pursued a Bachelor's of Music at UVic, majoring in performance on viola. She first became interested in early childhood music education after her son Erik was born, and undertook training to teach Suzuki violin, which she has done for 24 years.

Carol also has experience teaching Kodaly music classes, and as well has taught general classroom music in a Montessori school for children from pre-school to Grade Three.

Carol loves to share music with both parents and their children so found Music Together to be a perfect fit! Carol looks forward to sharing her passion for music with families - TOGETHER!

"If music be the food of love, play on!" Shakespeare

Registered Music Together Teacher

ON LEAVE Winter/Spring 2009

Julie discovered Music Together as a parent with Zack (pictured singing!) and has been passionate about singing and moving all her life.

Born and raised in Victoria in a music-making family Julie always knew she wanted to be a performer, and began training in singing and acting from a very young age. Eventually this love for performing led her to New York City and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where she earned an Associates Degree in Acting and spent a year as a member of the Academy Company.

Julie also has a BA in theatre from UBC, and is now happy to be sharing her passion for singing, music and fun with young children and their families back here in her home town.

Registered Music Together Teacher

Gaileen’s musical journey to date has included singing, community choir, musical theatre, Middle-Eastern drumming, belly dance, and recently, chanting, as well as lots of jam sessions with friends.

Life in a military family provided Gaileen’s childhood with rich worldly cultural experiences, growing up at home and abroad and later backpacking through many different countries, as well as working on cruiseships and resorts, experiencing and playing with many different styles of music. Additional experience as a camp counselor and youth worker honed her skills at improv. and silliness, essential qualities in a Music Together teacher!

Having her own baby (Sunny, pictured playing the drum) rekindled Gaileen’s desire to find an outlet for creative expression. She was hooked on Music Together from that first Demo class when Sunny was just 4 months old, enchanted by the musical rapport that they immediately established.

Gaileen recognizes that many parents with young children become so focused on providing the necessities of life to their children that sometimes the FUN is lost – as a new parent, she found Music Together to be a wonderful way to incorporate music into every-day activities and enjoyed the “village” sensibility of making music with other families.

Gaileen looks forward to working with children, parents and caregivers to create and foster that same sense of community and encouragement in her classes. She is also on her way to becoming a certified doula.