Music and Judaics

As a musician, my primary instrument is the accordion, and I am also a pianist, flutist, clarinetist, percussionist, singer, arranger and composer. As an educator, I have designed curriculum for and taught fourth and fifth grade Hebrew classrooms, conducted middle school bands, coached three-year-olds in conducting percussion orchestras of their peers, arranged for choirs and wind ensembles, led marimba ensembles, and designed music history curricula. I have taught at early childhood through high school ages and above. I have completed several Orff workshops and enjoy that philosophy. In addition to music, soccer has also been a strong love and an arena in which I connect with students. Both my own musical performances and my teaching took on a new dimension when I began making puppets in 2010. I have since produced an original “edutainment” show and have conducted workshops in schools and community centers up and down the West Coast. All of these experiences provide a rich foundation from which I relate to my students.

The first priority of an educator is to identify the qualities of each student. Once identified, they will be able to easily (and honestly) remind their students of their value and encourage them towards growth in a positive direction.

Fulbright: January-October 2012 I received a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Brazil from January 2011-October 2012. The title of my project is “The Brazilian Accordion and Techniques in Music Education.” MASA: 2007-2008 I received a grant from MASA to spend the 2007-2008 school year studying at the Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, a satellite of the Berklee College of Music, in Israel. I was the recipient of the Northwest Accordion Society Scholarship in the 16-25 Age Category for the year 2006

Fulbright Scholarship: Brazil: January-October 2012 “The Brazilian Accordion and Techniques in Music Education.” Seattle Pacific University, MAT: Completed in September, 2011 Completed a Master of Arts in Teaching degree with choral, instrumental and general music credentials for primary and secondary grade levels. Rimon School of Jazz Contemporary Music: Ramat Hasharon, Israel: Fall 2007-Spring 2008 Piano Performance University of Washington: Certificate in Sports Medicine and Human Performance Graduated Spring 2006 New York University: 2000-2004 Obtained a BA in Jewish Studies and Brazilian Studies, which included music, languages, history and literature.

I have found that teaching and working with youth is essential to my happiness. I love learning and creating and find inspiration in the inquisitive nature of young people. I love working within communities, and enjoy contributing to (as well as gaining from) their evolution. I enjoy leading groups, teams and ensembles as they work together towards a common purpose as well as helping each student find his or her role within the greater project. I feel that contributing to something larger than oneself is a source of great meaning in life.