Every one of us at Music Together Victoria is passionate about music and the importance of facilitating rich family music-making experiences.
Our goal is to create a fun, informal, social setting that spurs engagement and supports each child's musical development - we LOVE our job!
At Music Together Victoria, we are all committed to continued professional development and ongoing education in the fields of early childhood music development and parent education, working closely together throughout each semester and attending workshops several times each year led by clinicians from the Music Together® laboratory school at the Center for Music and Young Children in Princeton, New Jersey. We look forward to singing with you soon!
Check out more below - you can go to the Classes page if you'd like to find out who will be teaching your class.
|
|
Bobbi Bartle-Clar
Director and Owner, Music Together Victoria
Registered and Certified (Level I) Music Together Teacher
Bobbi has been singing as far back as she can remember, growing up in a house where music (mostly classical) was everywhere. She remembers a childhood full of harmonizing with her sisters, everything from Austrian folk songs to pop tunes. As well as playing piano, viola, violin and cello throughout childhood, Bobbi is a self-taught guitar and ukulele player!
Bobbi’s past experience includes being an elementary school music specialist, teaching piano, theory and music history, and dabbling in ballroom dancing (where she met her husband). In April 2018, Bobbi 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.
Bobbi was first introduced to Music Together as a parent in class with her two younger children, and was immediately impressed by the depth of the curriculum and its mission to educate parents about what was happening musically with their children. Her family found the music and sense of fun in class was infectious……..which led Bobbi straight to the path of becoming a Music Together teacher (and director) herself!
Now that her children are (mostly) grown, Bobbi can attest to the importance of daily music-making when children are young, as her kids are all uber-involved with music in their schools and community - two are even studying music at university! Bobbi looks forward to sharing her love of music with Victoria area families in her classes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tina Bao
Registered Music Together Teacher
Tina was first introduced to Music Together when she signed up her baby for class.
“I enjoyed it so much, more than my daughter back then because she was so little. At least that’s what I thought at first!”. She soon realized that her little one was taking in everything….and loving it too!
Tina has, since that first class, become a firm believer in the magic of the Music Together philosophy, so much so that when she was invited to train as a teacher she didn’t hesitate: “I realized how much I want to be part of a team, guiding parents on how to provide a musically rich environment for their children …and the importance of incorporating music into everyday life!".
Tina grew up in a home where music was highly valued, and has been a singer since she was a baby, (according to her mom)! Her father has always loved music, singing and humming throughout the day, playing CD’s from the moment the family woke up: “I still remember (and can sing) all those old songs! I’ve always loved to sing and do silly dances at home, now with my daughter it’s just so much more fun!”
As well as a love of singing, Tina plays piano, guzheng and liuqin (traditional Chinese stringed instruments), is currently learning ukulele and has always LOVED karaoke!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chelsey Braaksma
Chelsey grew up in rural Alberta, where she could be found singing on the farm at a young age. She remembers singing along to the radio often to her dad's favourite country songs while riding in the truck. She started piano lessons at the age of 5 and then later voice and guitar. Chelsey completed her Grade 8 piano certification through the Royal Conservatory of Music and then went on to earn a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance at Ambrose University. After living abroad for a few years with her husband, Chelsey went back to school to receive her degree in Music Therapy at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in Indiana. Chelsey now works as a music therapist in long term care here in Victoria.
Chelsey first learned of Music Together when her son was one and she was looking for music classes for him. She appreciates the variety of music in the program, as well as the vast amount of research that the curriculum of Music Together is based on. Now, she takes her son and baby girl to classes, and has witnessed the musical growth in both of her children through the classes and singing at home with them.
Outside of work, Chelsey enjoys being with her family, watching movies, having dance parties with her kids, and crocheting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jane Chan
Registered Music Together Teacher
Jane is excited to join the Music Together Victoria community!
Jane plays cello and (more recently) egg shakers, tambourines, bells, sticks and more! She secretly always wanted to be able to sing but it wasn’t until recent years that she gathered the courage to sing in front of others. While she’s into lots of diverse genres from synth pop to classical and experimental, most of all she loves making music with others. On a personal level, music has become a grounding, energizing, and healing practice. She’s very grateful that she’s had so many experiences and opportunities since childhood to develop musically.
Despite making plenty of music at home, it wasn’t obvious at first when she became a new mom how to include her son and nurture his development.
Jane first encountered Music Together when she brought her toddler to a local class, not realizing how moved she’d be on that first day and how transformative it would be. She was struck by how inviting it was and how at ease she felt and was immediately curious to know what masterminds had come up with such a well-devised program.
Taking the teacher training confirmed for her that Music Together really is a program worth getting on board with. It also opened her eyes and ears to what’s happening in her son’s music development and she began to notice the subtle ways his musicality was blossoming.
When she’s not teaching music, playing cello, or spending time with her family, Jane likes to be in the garden and also likes to bake!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jamie Henigman
Jamie has always been around music, from her grandfather who was a square dance caller, as well as a prolific strings player; as well as her mother, who was an avid singer-songwriter. Jamie grew up singing in choirs and learning piano and guitar from a young age. Her love for music lead her to attending the University of Victoria for a Bachelors of Music in Voice, and later on traveling to Toronto to attend The Glenn Gould School (part of the Royal Conservatory of Music) for a Diploma in Vocal Performance. Later on, she began song writing and music production with a band in Toronto.
Jamie returned to Victoria in 2023 start a family. Initially, her singing as a new mom was limited to lullabies, making up songs about daily routines, and jamming with her son on their piano at home, but she wanted him to have the opportunity to learn and enjoy music with her as he grew. At the suggestion of a few friends in her classical music sphere, she enrolled her son in Music Together classes and was amazed at the brilliant flow of the class that kept her son's attention for 45 minutes (despite him only being 13 months at the time). She has found the process of becoming a Music Together teacher inspiring, not only for herself, but for her son who continues to attend Music Together classes.
Jamie is most inspired by singing with groups, especially in harmony, and the relationships that are created in those beautiful moments of making music together. She is also inspired by dancing with others, and enjoys dancing often. Outside of Music and being a full time mom: Jamie is a holistic massage practitioner and choral scholar.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christa Hunfeld
Registered Music Together Teacher
Christa grew up listening to her dad’s singing and spent her teenage years hunting for records to play on the beast of a record player her dad rescued for her from his employer’s garbage pile. She has a PhD in History from the University of Victoria but feels MOST nourished and alive in Music Together class!
Christa first took her son to a Music Together class on a bit of a whim and ended up discovering as much about herself as she did about her child. “I was touched (then and now) by how the program gently and playfully inspires both children and grownups to fully embrace the joy of movement and making sound. I am particularly drawn to Music Together’s understanding that music is everyone’s birthright.”
A mama, hiker, canoer, flamenco lover, and kazoo rocker, Christa also enjoys playing piano, Celtic harp, and autoharp and thinks kitchen song-and-dance parties with her husband and two kids is one of the best things in life.
Christa loves the way that music encourages individual expression while also bringing people together ... and looks forward to sharing this love with Victoria families.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eva Smith
Registered Music Together Teacher
Eva has been immersed in music from a very young age through music classes, piano lessons, and choirs. Throughout her life, her musical passions expanded to include concert band, jazz band, ukulele, opera, and more. She knew that music would always be an important part of her life, and explored careers involving audio engineering and musical performance before finding that education was her favourite way to share music with others.
In 2023, Eva graduated from the University of Victoria with a degree in music education. Throughout her degree, she focused on secondary choral and instrumental education, but after graduating she found work in childcare and discovered a love for working with a younger age group.
Eva is so excited to be a part of the Music Together Victoria team, and looks forward to sharing the joy of music with families in her community.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Morag Wehrle
Morag has been a Music Together mom for eleven years! She's a harpist and folk singer and is thrilled to be teaching in Victoria, where she recently moved after 20 years in the Lower Mainland. She has an undergraduate degree in Latin literature and a Master's degree in archeology, as well as an MFA in writing and publishing.
Morag joined Music Together when her eldest child was six months old, and immediately fell in love with how the program encourages musical joy, exploration, and community. She became a teacher to share that sense of play and creativity with other parents, and because watching little ones have their own moments of musical connection is one of her favourite things.
Morag lives with her husband and 3 kids on the Saanich Peninsula.
|
