Jen Ellsworth: Hello, Minnesota!

Meet Ms. Jen:

Hello from chilly Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania! My name is Jennifer Ellsworth but all of my students call me Ms. Jen. I have been teaching private violin and piano lessons since 1995 but was blown away when I stumbled upon the Let's Play Music curriculum. I just HAD to be a part of it so I trained to teach in 2008 and then brought the exciting program with me here to Pittsburgh. I LOVE it! While teaching Let's Play Music is a big part of my life, my favorite job is being a mom to my three boys and baby girl. They are the reason that I started teaching Let's Play Music and my heart swells each time I hear them perform on their cellos together because of the foundation they received through this amazing program.

Advanced Theory…Through Play!

I was thrilled when I discovered that the Let's Play Music program was theory based. Back when I was first learning violin and piano I had little exposure to theory and was intimidated when I participated in heavy theory courses in college. 
When I saw what level of understanding that these five and six year old children were accomplishing in such a short time I was astounded and knew that my own children NEEDED this knowledge to help them in their future musical endeavors. 
 Not only were these children learning advanced theory concepts, but they were doing it through PLAY, the best way for a young child to learn! Without even seeing a class in action I registered to become a Let's Play Music teacher and have had a blast since then. It is truly the BEST program for children have a solid musical foundation...and it's just plain fun!

Delightful Surprises:

I think that the Let's Play Music curriculum does an amazing job at teaching difficult concepts in a fun and engaging way. But there is always a way for me to spice things up and keep it interesting! In Orange Roots my class might get to jam on "Cadence Blues" with a live electric bass guitar and drums. Or instead of playing the M&M's game to practice staff notes we toss velcro balls at a foam staff and guess the note it lands on. Maybe in Green Turtle Shells you will see a live performance of "Spring Bees" on my violin. You might have the real cowboy "Winston" show up to sing about his trusty Old Paint in Blue Bugs. Whatever we do I try to make it fun so the children remember it and apply it to their practicing at home.

Enrichment that Lasts a Lifetime

I hope that as I teach the children in my studio that not only will they grasp the conceptual part of the program but that they will develop a love for music and and the enrichment that it provides for the rest of their lives. I hope that after they finish their time with me that they can feel empowered to continue their musical journey and turn that spark of excitement into a passion for the music they create. One of my favorite things is receiving emails or letters from former students (now in college!) telling me that what I taught them at the beginning has fueled their desire to continue excelling in music and given them a love for what they create and share with others. That is a teacher's dream (or at least mine, anyway!).

- Jen Ellsworth, B.A.

Let's Play Music Teacher

2011 National Visonary Teacher Award

**In addition to her Let's Play Music and Sound Beginnings certifications, Ms. Jen has training in Suzuki and traditional violin and piano methods as well as a B.A. in Elementary Education from Arizona State University.

To see her local classes in action or to sign up for a class with Ms. Jen in her new location of Rochester, Minnesota (starting fall 2015), visit the blog (www.LPMwithJen.com).  We love seeing Let's Play Music spread to more and more states every year!

Katie Wilson: From Hating Lessons to Loving Music

Katie Wilson, M.S.

This week, I had the pleasure to get to know Let's Play Music and Sound Beginnings teacher, Katie Wilson.  Katie has been teaching in Midlothian, Virginia since 2012 and currently has 6 classes each week as well as several private piano students.

In addition to Let's Play Music teaching, Katie is the founder and co-director of the Young Midlothian Singers (a community children's choir for ages 7-13), founded in 2011.  She has also performed in adult choirs in both Washington DC and Richmond. 

Hated Lessons!?

Although Katie has been involved in music and performing for most of her life,  it wasn't always as joyful for her as it is today.  Katie says, "I took piano lessons as a child and hated almost every minute of it!  I loved when I could play songs that I chose and when I had a teacher who let me improvise and have fun." Too bad that was not the norm.

In retrospect, she wishes there had been Let's Play Music classes to nurture her when she was a child, encourage her composing and improvisation, and focus on learning to love the music she could create.  As an adult, she eventually returned to playing piano and composing and says, "I wish I had taken lessons longer and practiced more as a child."  

Most Important: Learn to Love It

Not surprisingly, Katie's dream for her students it to learn to LOVE music "whether they stick with piano or not."  She says, "My Let's Play Music classes give them the tools for understanding music and the confidence to pursue any musical avenue that appeals to them. I want music to be a part of their lives and their children's lives for generations to come!"  Katie has discovered that by teaching a love and understanding of music, not just the technical performance of it, her students get what she never quite achieved in her early lessons.

How Different Could It Be?

Midlothian is quite isolated from other Let's Play Music studios.  How did it make it's way into that area?  Katie explained that her best friend and mother of 4 Let's Play Music students gushed about how AMAZING the curriculum was and insisted that Katie should start teaching in her area.  "I was like, 'sure, yeah right, how different could it be from everything else out there?'"  As her friends children continued through the program, year-by-year, she continued to remind Katie that she NEEDED to become a teacher.

"I would say, 'yes, it sounds great' and then ignore her.  After years of nagging, I finally watched the demo video (watch here) on the website and was immediately hooked."

Katie has a Master's degree in developmental/ child psychology and learning theory.  She could see from the start how Let's Play Music was theoretically sound, with lessons building on each other and material presented in an age-appropriate way.  "On top of it all, it is SO FUN! I get to be crazy and silly and still teach sound foundational music theory. What could be better?"  She had finally found the program she'd wished for as a child, and applied that very week.

Teaching the Sneaky Way

Now Katie says the thing she loves most about teaching is being SNEAKY.  "I love that the students learn fun songs and don't realize how much theory is jam-packed into them. I also like to see the surprised look on parents' faces, especially very musical parents, when they see how cleverly we introduce tricky concepts."  Her clients were delighted when she used the feather and bulls-eye to demonstrate changing the rhythm of quarter notes to dotted-quarter and eighth notes, in a memorable, fun, and precise way.

When she's not teaching, Katie's four children are her greatest passion.  She homeschooled three of them up until high school, and still has a 5th grader at home.  She has successfully nurtured a love of music, theater, and performing in all of them, and says, "I spend a LOT of time in the car driving to and from rehearsals and shows. Keeping up with schedules is tricky as a single mom, but I love seeing them do things they are passionate about."

I had a great time getting to know Katie and hope you'll check out her classes if you happen to be in Virginia!

-Gina Weibel, M.S.

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