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Our Teachers

All of our teachers are passionate about music and the development of children.

They create a fun, informal, social setting that spurs engagement supports each child's musical development.


photo Kelly Wiley

Kelly is Golden Gate Music Together's Center Director/Teacher. She has a B.A. in Child Development. She been working with young children in licsenced early childhood programs since 1983. She has implemented early childhood programs all over the bay area. Kelly has formal training in piano, flute, voice, and oboe. She implements some guitar, flute, piano and percusion instruments in classroom activities. Kelly is an active member of the National Association of the Education of Young children. Kelly teaches many of the classes that are offered. She has 3 children, Raquel(5yrs), son Quinn (8yrs), and Daughter Sophia (11yrs). Kelly has completed certification 1 for Music Together®.

photo Seth Ambrose

Seth Ambrose comes to San Francisco from the mountains of Montana. Growing
up in a musical family, some of his fondest memories include playing guitar
and singing 'round the campfire. He started studying piano at age five and
soon added singing, saxophone, flute, and guitar to his repertoire. He
continued to study classical piano and voice privately through high school
and college, composing original music, performing for various festivals,
recitals, and competitions, and doing regular accompanying work for
vocalists and children's theatre. He also enjoyed several summers spent
creating music, theatre, and sports workshops for a low-income daycare. Seth
holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Whitworth College in Spokane, WA.

Seth also maintains a studio for the Alexander Technique, an educational
method for adults that develops poise and coordination while reducing pain
and tension. He also teaches beginning guitar lessons geared specifically
for Music Together parents. Information on his studio can be found at
www.studioambrose.com

Seth is a Registered Music Together Teacher.

photo Daveen DiGiacomo

Daveen DiGiacomo originally hails from the Heartland, where she developed her love for music, playing piano at the age of seven. She received her degree in music at San Francisco State University. Previously, she taught an after school orchestra/band program for Children’s Music Workshop in Los Angeles, in which she helped coordinate 15 elementary schools to participate in a spring concert at UCLA each year. Daveen also plays the accordion and performs professionally in local dance/theatre companies, doing sound design and composing. She is very passionate about the teachings and philosophies behind Music Together and cannot wait to start teaching classes.

Daveen is a Registered Music Together Teacher.

photo Daniel Epstein

Born and raised just across the bay in Oakland, Daniel is thrilled to be a part of the Music Together staff. Music has always played a vital role in his life; his earliest and fondest memories are of his mother coming to his pre-school to play guitar and lead songs.

In May 2007, Daniel graduated from Emory University in Atlanta with a BA in music. While at Emory, Daniel studied voice, sang in the Concert Choir, and was the musical director of an acapella R&B singing ensemble. Daniel has just completed his first year in the Masters of Music program for Vocal Performance at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where he studies under Catherine Cook. Since his return to the area, Daniel has performed with West Bay Opera, SF Parlor Opera, Bay Area Summer Opera Theatre and various Conservatory productions.

Daniel has worked with children in many different capacities. As a summer job during college, he worked as a counselor at a residential summer camp near Yosemite, where he began cultivating his song-leading skills. When he's not singing, Daniel enjoys running around Lake Merritt, grilling vegetables, and rediscovering life in the Bay Area.

photo El Beh

El Beh’s parents tell her that she sang constantly long before she spoke. Since then, she has been working with kids and music all her life. Growing up with a mom teaching violin, piano and Orff-Schulwerk in the house, and a brother who has grown up to play violin and drums professionally, El was constantly surrounded by music and has been very grateful for the impact that early exposure has had on her life. Her very involved mother nurtured her early inclination to teach and spread the joy of music with others by entrusting her to teach small workshops and coach her younger students from the time El was nine years old! She also kept El intrigued by all aspects of performing arts with dance, theatre and voice classes all through her childhood.

El grew up in North County San Diego and started taking violin and piano lessons at 2 years old but over the years, cello became her primary instrument. She went on to play in numerous quartets and orchestras and won several solo competitions which led to scholarships that helped her move to the Bay Area to attend UC Berkeley. While at Cal , El continued to take music classes and played in the University Symphony and the West African Dance-Drumming Ensemble but in the end, she could not deny the call of the stage and received her BA in Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies. During her studies there, she also learned about Music Together through her mother who is a center director for MT in San Diego . She loved to visit her mom’s classes and got addicted to all the catchy, well-constructed songs and yearned for the day that she could teach such a comprehensive program.

Currently, El spends most of her time acting through out the Bay Area theatre community (including singing in many musicals and playing cello while acting) but has continued her teaching training primarily with Education Through Music through the Richard’s Institute of Music and Research. Through her training she has come to deeply appreciate programs like Music Together which provides a rich music environment and the emotional and mental stabilization necessary for children to grow and play their way to their full potential. And oh, what fun it is! She also volunteers teaching music at Edison Charter Academy and can’t wait to help you begin your joyful musical journey with your child.

photo Nicole Ridgwell

Nicole started singing before she started talking. Growing up in a rich Celtic and bluegrass scene, she gained a diverse musical background, performing at music festivals from the time she was 9 years old. She took Suzuki violin lessons, participated in fiddle camps, and took formal vocal training as well. Throughout her musical career, she has been involved in various bands, ensembles, musical theatre, and internationally touring choirs. She has professional experience playing weddings and corporate events as well as venues such as Café Du Nord and the Rockit Room, and competing in various classical competitions.

Nicole has always loved working with children; she was deeply affected by music as a child, and knows how important it is to give music's gift back to the next generation. Through her work as a children's performer, she gained a clear understanding that children learn music most effectively through playing, which reflects in her teaching style. She has a strong belief that playing music is called "playing" for a reason, and her favorite aspect of teaching is when her student realizes how fun music really is.

photo Nathan Paine

Nathan was raised in Burlingame. A professional songwriter, rock vocalist and drummer, he has music pouring out of his heart, running through his veins and bursting out of him. Barely a moment passes where he isn't humming a new melody or drumming out a rhythm on his thighs. His love for music and passing the excitement on to children and families brought him to Music Together. He was so impressed by the program, he took the training and has become a Registered Music Together teacher so that he can pass his passion for music on to the community.

photo Megan Anderson

Megan, an Ohio native, began her music career before the age of two, singing and beating on her mother's pots and pans. Her first childhood memories were of watching her grandmother play the piano, inspiring her to learn to play piano by ear.
From then on, Megan's musical studies continued, learning to play the drums, flute, oboe and bass guitar by the time she graduated high school. She also began songwriting and composing at age 13.

Megan is a 2004 graduate from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA with a B.A. in Music Therapy. While at Berklee, she was a member of the West African Drum and Dance Ensemble, The Berklee Percussion Ensemble, and Steel Pan Ensemble, and also performed as a percussionist with the Boston Civic Symphony and the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra under Max Hobart. In her spare time, she was a "regular" on the Boston Open Mic scene as a singer/songwriter and recording artist.

As a music therapist, Megan has worked in a variety of clinical settings with many different populations, including children with special needs. She is delighted to be teaching Music Together, providing a pathway for children and their families to connect and develop musically. When Megan is not teaching classes and private lessons, she is taking in and enjoying every moment with her 7-month-old daughter, Kaia.

 

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