Oops!

Ì CO-DIRECTOR OF MERRY MUSIC MAKERS, INC.

Mary began teaching Music Together classes in the fall of 2001 and opened Merry Music Makers one year later. Mary holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Webster Conservatory in St. Louis where she took formal music training in voice, piano and dance and was a member of several choirs. As a Certified Music Together teacher, Mary has taught the Music Together curriculum for the Sherwood Conservatory of Music, where she recently held the position of Early Childhood Program Manager. Mary and Co-Director/husband Tim, and their son Chase, started making music together nearly 12 years ago thanks to Music Together and joyfully continue to this day.

Ì CO-DIRECTOR OF MERRY MUSIC MAKERS, INC.

Tim is very excited to have joined Mary in partnership nearly 3 years ago delivering the very best early childhood music program to the north side of Chicago.  Tim is very happy to have left the corporate world to bring all of his IT/Marketing & Database expertise to the business. More importantly he has time to spend with his son, Chase!  Most of our students refer to me as Mr. Tim (The man behind the desk)......

Ì  INSTRUCTOR

Patty has been singing jazz, blues, country, pop, and rock ‘n roll professionally for over 25 years. She performed in her own band, Sister Swing, for 14 years and has sung back-up vocals for Koko Taylor and Bo Diddley. Patty currently performs at charity fundraising events throughout the Chicagoland area.  Her own business, www.mynativejewelry.com, offers handcrafted Native American jewelry -- turquoise, coral, sterling silver and more.  Patty became a Registered Music Together teacher in 2005 and recently trained in the I Can Sing! curriculum for 4-6 year olds.  She is excited to continue working with Merry Music Makers and to share her enthusiasm for music with all the children in her classes. Patty enjoys playing the Congas and other percussion instruments.

Ì  INSTRUCTOR

Julie holds a BA in Music Performance from Laval University, Quebec. After touring the world with Cirque du Soleil for more than 3 years as a general stage manager and back-up singer, Julie decided to settle in Chicago and is dedicated to sharing her passion for music with kids of all ages. She became a registered Music Together teacher in Spring 2007. A native French Speaker, Julie also teaches at Lycee Francais and Alliance Francaise de Chicago. Julie has played piano for more than 25 years and plays guitar in her class. Her contagious enthusiasm and her love for kids will get you on your feet!

Ì  INSTRUCTOR

Kristan is a classically trained viola player and has played in several orchestras, symphonies, and string quartets.  She received her BFA in acting from Webster Conservatory and a graduate fellowship in directing from Indiana University.  Currently, she is the Artistic Director of Walkabout Theater Company here in Chicago where she nurtures the creation of new theater pieces with music.  Most importantly, she is the proud mother of 21 month old twin girls, Ivy and Amelia.  Little ones, music and play are delights which led her to become a Registered  Music Together teacher in 2009.

Ì  INSTRUCTOR

Jess Yoakum has been writing songs, singing, and playing guitar and flute for as long as she can remember. In 2005, she released her debut album of original folk tunes in collaboration with the amazing musicians she met while working at Berklee College of Music. She fell in love with the people and music scene in Chicago while on a national house concert tour and relocated here from Boston in 2008. She has been performing regularly and nannying ever since! She is also excited to announce the release of her second album, This Quiet Mile, in September 2010… www.jessyoakum.com  Jess took the Music Together teacher training in May of this year.

 Ì  INSTRUCTOR

Mobile since her birth in Singapore, Caroline Davis now finds her creative voice as both an active musician and developing scholar in the Chicago area. She holds undergraduate degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington in Psychology and Jazz Studies, and a Ph.D from Northwestern University in Music Cognition. Her dissertation analyzed the relationship between musicians' professional collaborations and the many associations they form by listening to music. In 2005, Caroline received the Distinguished Graduate Student Award for her presentation on jazz communication at the Performance Matters conference in Portugal.  On the performance front, she was selected as one of five young jazz musicians to form the 2006 Sisters in Jazz, a group devoted to the mentorship of women in jazz. She has also been a teaching assistant at the UTA Summer Music, Litchfield Jazz, and Birch Creek Jazz Camps. Caroline continues to balance her academic interests with performances in collaborative ensembles, including Zing!, Tomorrow Music Orchestra, James Davis Quintet, Never Enough Hope, Ear to the Ground Quartet, and Pedway. Caroline became a registered Music Together teacher in spring 2010, she is very excited to be working with Merry Music Makers to develop creative musical experiences for families and herself.