Jocelyn Morrow, is a dynamic and passionate educator and musician. Jocelyn has maintained a piano studio where she teaches both Suzuki Piano and Traditional Piano methods for over twenty years. Jocelyn was appointed Music Director at a Fulton County Charter School (Georgia) Amana Academy, where she taught chorus, recorder classes, and a full group afterschool keyboard program taught on-premise for students kindergarten through 6th grade. Formerly the Music Specialist for The High Meadows School, (an International Baccalaurete School) (Georgia) Mrs. Morrow taught children preschool - 8th grade. At High Meadows she taught over 300 students general music, middle school mixed chorus, chamber orchestra, jazz band, and recorder ensemble. While at High Meadows School Mrs. Morrow was twice nominated for the prestigious "Barbie Arts Teacher of the Year." In addition she was the 2002-2003 recipient of the "Bluebird Award" for excellence in environmental education and stewardship. Prior to her posts in Atlanta, Mrs. Morrow was the Director and Lead Teacher of The Yamaha Music School of Augusta, Georgia, where 132 students and 14 faculty members provided a broad range of musical instruction in Yamaha, Suzuki, and Traditional pivate and group music methods from age three and up. Jocelyn also served on the faculty of Augusta College and performed regularly in chamber music recitals with the Augusta Symphony musicians. Jocelyn Morrow has taught general music, class theory, and private applied piano lessons at prestigious schools such as: Amana Academy, High Meadows School, The Arlington Schools, Montessori School of Douglas County, Blackstock Montessori, Augusta College, Kent State University Preparatory Program, and The Cleveland Institute of Music Preparatory School. While in Cleveland, Jocelyn studied Piano Pedagogy and Performance with the renowned Pedagogue Olga Radosavljevich, as well as serving as her teaching assistant. Jocelyn is a leading expert in group pedagogy.

Jocelyn was invited by Pedagogy Chair Dr. Alejandro Cremaschi of The University of Colordao, Boulder to lecture on Group Pedagogy in November. Jocelyn presented a PowerPoint lecture on lesson pacing, behavior modifications, and lesson planning strategies. As a guest of Dr. David Montano, Jocelyn presented her Keyboards For Kids teacher training process to the Chair of Piano Pedagogy at The University of Denver Lamont School of Music. Jocelyn discussed recruiting and internships available for DU students. Keyboards For Kids proudly has many DU graduates as teachers. in June of 2008 Jocelyn will be a Presenter at The Colorado Music Teachers Convention (CSMTA) in Colordao Springs. Jocelyn is the only Presenter chosen to present two separate one-hour sessions. She will address Group Pedagogy and Improvisation for the Beginner Piano Student.

Katie Sakanai, Byers Public Schools K-12 Coordinator; Keyboard and Guitar Instructor

Katie is a graduate of Wellesley College, where she majored in Music and Russian language and literature. After graduation she spent a year in Moscow on a Fulbright scholarship studying Russian classical music. She currently works in the Byers School District teaching band, choir, jazz band, guitar and general music. Her main instruments are trombone and voice. Some of the highlights of her musical career include the Wellesley College Choir’s tour of Italy (which included a concert at the Vatican), playing first trombone for the performance of Mahler’s 2nd symphony with the combined orchestras and choirs of Tufts, Brandeis, MIT and Wellesley colleges, and singing the role of Cherubino (in Russian!) at the Gnesin Academy of Music in Moscow. Katie is from northern Pennsylvania and moved to Denver two years ago. She and her husband the outdoors.

Denise Roberts is a native of Bucks County located just outside of Philadelphia, PA. She received her Bachelors of Music degree from Immaculata College, PA and her Masters of Pastoral Theology from LaSalle University, PA. After teaching general elementary school music for 8 years, Denise focused her career full-time on church music ministry. As a pianist, vocalist, guitarist, conductor and composer, she is a well-rounded musician who loves when music is fun, energetic, spontaneous and “just clicking right along.” Since moving to Colorado in 2001, Denise has enjoyed kayaking, biking, backpacking and snow-shoeing.

Liz Charters, mother of three, happily married to Adrian, a geologist. My youngest daughter Rebecca attends Evergreen Middle school. We moved here to Evergreen from Scotland three years. Both my parents loved to dance and my early memories of music were of Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey and of course the Rock and roll era of Bill Hayley and Elvis. My mother would sit with me at the piano and taught me what she knew. I knew all the music from the Fred Astaire movies thanks to my Dad dancing with me. I thank my parents for sharing their love of music with me. We didn't have the money for private music lessons and I was fourteen years old before I was accepted into music at school. There I learned to play piano. Guitar quickly followed on from piano. I was torn between following a career in music or art but the pull of the paintbrush prevailed. I studied at Edinburgh College of Art in the 1970's, but my music was always there with me. My guitar always went where I went and it still does to this day. Yes, I take my guitar on holiday and my music folders are part of my luggage allowance! I also love to sing but didn't sing solo until I was in my forties. I sang in choirs and school productions but it was on a skiing holiday in Germany when a local entertainer invited me on stage to sing with him, that I discovered people wanted to listen to me. My other loves include skiing, decorating and knitting. We also participate at the Long Peaks Scottish festival up at Estes Park. Music is my first love and I am thrilled to have been given the opportunity to pass on my love of it through Keyboards for Kids. I love working with children and our lesson times never seem long enough. KFK is a great, relaxed way for kids to experience music and to have fun as well!

Leila Viss received a Masters Degree in Piano Pedagogy from The University of Denver in 1990, and has since maintained a private piano studio in Centennial, Colorado. While her students of all ages progress in their journey to make music on the bench, they enjoy her ever-growing collection of music software along with a Yamaha Clavinova and a C6 Grand Piano. For over 6 years, Leila has held a church keyboardist position at South Suburban Christian Church, which keeps her on the lookout for the best practice strategies for students. A federally-funded grant provided a 3-year opportunity for Leila to teach group keyboard classes to 2nd-5th grade students in the Englewood School District. Currently, she provides keyboard and music theory classes to middle school students at Englewood Leadership Academy, a candidate school for the International Baccalaureate program. While Leila and her husband of over 20 years raise their three boys, it is her mission that students of any age and ability be encouraged to develop independence at the piano so that music can be enjoyed on the bench for a lifetime. Her involvement with Keyboards For Kids is yet one more way for Leila to see her musical mission come to fruition.

With over two and a half decades of musical experience, Dan has been involved in music nearly his entire life. Dan has a Bachelor's Degree in music with an emphasis on double bass and an extensive performing history. He draws on his varied experiences as he shares music with younger generations. Dan plays guitar, keyboard, percussion, violin, and many other instruments. Currently, Dan is the director of music at his local church and teaches with Keyboards for Kids in the Evergreen area. Dan has two young children that keep him busy and fulfilled. He and his family live in Evergreen. They enjoy working in the community where they live.

Ariane O'Brien, originally from Buffalo, NY, is the Instrumental Music teacher at The Stargate School for the Gifted. She has also taught and conducted various ensembles in Boulder, Longmont, and Denver, including the Longmont Junior Youth Symphony, Timberline Symphony, and the Musica Sacra Orchestra. Ariane earned her Bachelor's Degree in flute performance at The North Carolina School of the Arts and her Master's Degree in Education at The University of Denver. In addition, she studied orchestral conducting at The University of Colorado's graduate program, while working with acclaimed musician Robert Gutter. As a flutist, Ariane served as Principal with the Greater Buffalo Youth Orchestra, the Western New York Youth Wind Ensemble, Area-All State Orchestra of New York, the North Carolina School of the Arts Symphony, and numerous other ensembles. She has also taught flute in the Applied Music Program at the University of Colorado. Ariane was the Education and Outreach Assistant for Opera Colorado and a marketing assistant for the Colorado Music Festival.

Lindsey Butters is thrilled to have the opportunity to teach with Keyboards for Kids! She has been playing the piano for 20 years and has recently become involved in the teaching aspect of music. Lindsey has two daughters and lives in the Stapleton area with her family. She has lived there for about a year and loves Denver! Her teaching style is largely play-based with a focus on fun and friendship. Lindsey am a firm believer in the group setting, as it is something that she was taught at an early age by her own teachers. Particularly for young, growing brains she feels that the social skills kids learn while in group lessons is equally important as the music that they play will play.

Jorge Melo completed his Propedeutico Degree in Singing at the prestigious National School of Music at The National Autonomous University of Mexico. Jorge started his vocal training under the instruction of Enrique Jaso, and worked later with the professor Estela Alvarez Valle and Rodolfo Acosta, a prestigious Mexican tenor. Joprge came to the United States seeking a chance to succeed in his musical career in 2000. He was admitted to the distinguished Lamont School of Music at The University of Denver in 2001, where he completed his Bachelor of Music Degree in 2005, and his Master of Music Degree in 2007. He has sung leading tenor roles in each opera or operetta performed at this school, and he also performed a couple of roles during the Vocal Art Symposium at Colorado Spring University in 2002. Some of the operas in which Jorge has performed leading in roles are: The Gondoliers (Luiz), The Magic Flute (Monostatos), La Rondine (Prunier), The Student Prince (Detlef), Gianni Schicchi (Rinuccion), The Merry Widow (Signor Cascada), The Elixir of love (Nemorino) and La Boheme (Rodolfo). Jorge has tremendous experience teaching singing, guitar, piano, violin, and music theory to children and adults at both beginning and advanced levels.

JULIANNA BYESS, (substitute teacher, intern) is an accomplished violinist and serves as assistant Concertmaster at The Denver School of the Arts where she is a student. She has formerly served as Concertmaster of the Golden Chamber Orchestra and The Green Mountain HS Orchestra. Not only a classical musician with her violin, Julianna is a saxophonist, pianist, guitarist, and was a vocalist for the High Meadows Jazz Band. Last year, she was accepted into the Georgia 2005 All-State Chorus. She made her stage debut with the Ohio Light Opera in 2002 as the Midship Mite in Gilbert & Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore, in 2003, she performed the roles of Juliska in Kalman's Countess Maritza, the Royal Messenger in Offenbach's The Brigands, and in 2004 she appeared in the chorus of Patience, Bébé in The Violet of Montmartre, and Mrs. Orcutt in Stage Door. In the spring on 2006, she soloed with her school jazz band, singing “Someone to Watch Over Me”. She also soloed with the Golden Chamber Orchestra, playing Bach’s Concerto for Violin in A Minor, and Vivaldi, Concerto for Four Violins. Most recently, she has student directed A Midsummer’s Night Dream, and also played Nick Bottom. In the winter, She will be soloing with the Golden Chamber Orchestra again, with Vivaldi’s Winter: from the Four Season. Julianna is so excited to be working with Keyboards For Kids, and strongly agrees with their beliefs on educating children about music. She would like to thank Jocelyn and David Morrow for their support and the opportunities they have given her, along with acceptance from the entire staff. Julianna spent the summer of 2007 at The Pine Mountain Music Festival in Ann Arbor, Michigan as well as The Vocal Institute in Tel Aviv Israel as "Assistant to the Director:.
“A true musician doesn’t let his mind control his fingers, but but his heart guide his hands.” –Julianna Byess

Mr. Pascal Valcasara, Keyboard

Mr. Pascal Valcasara, originally from Metz, France, is the former Jazz Ensemble Director at Ban Saint Martin Music school he also taught music theory. Upon relocating to Louisiana, with his wife, Dr. Jodie Valcasara, he taught piano at the Mandeville School of Music, Mandeville, Louisiana. Pascal received his DEUG from Metz University Metz, France. This “DEUG” is a complete three-year program of general education combining courses in history - mainly of music and the fine arts - including classes on technique and sessions of musical practice. This program, which is traditional but unique in France, due to its integration into general education and to its coherence, has been enriched by broadening its scope to include popular music and oral tradition (ethnomusicology). At the License level, electives link music to numerous associated sciences: pedagogy, management and administration of music, musical sociology. Information technology, as a learning tool as well as one that aids in a reflection on knowledge, is part of an initiation into research techniques. Mr. Valcasara also studied at the prestigious private school CMCN (Creative Music Center) in Nancy, France, specializing in Jazz Performance (saxophone-keyboard). Pascal has attended and participated in master classes with David Liebman, Joey Herredia, and Jerry Bergonzi. Pascal has further training from the National Conservatory in Strasbourg where he studied Big band, Jazz theory, Jazz History, Composition, and Arranging. Pascal has played professionally for over ten years. Mr. Valcasara has taught on the faculties of The Marly School of Music, The Clouange School of Music, The Rombas School of Music, and The Ban Saint-Martin Music School.