The Meadowlark Team |
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Ms Amber Dutton-Hanlon
Before having a baby, Amber was a music educator and then a performing musician. After becoming a mom, she combined these knowledge sets into an engaging music program for Babies and Toddlers and created Meadowlark Music! She has been teaching these classes in DC for 10 years and in that time, they have grown to 20 classes at multiple locations and over 150 babies weekly!! Amber is honored to be part of the DC parent community and to play this role. She regularly performs music in the DC area as well as in NC at various Festivals, community events, birthdays... all the fun!
Amber has a BM in Music Performance and a MA in Teaching and Music Education from UNC, and National Board Certification in Music Education. She has taught at various preschools and has 20+ years teaching private lessons on flute, guitar and voice, 4+ years as a Public Music Educator (middle school band and chorus), and several years as a performing musician, performing professionally in the DC area, including places like the 930 Club and Black Cat. Locally, all around NC, and even touring before having babies. She has volunteered locally with Guitars for Peace DC, Girls Rock! DC, the Foggy Bottom Senior Guitar Orchestra, and Girl Scouts.
Amber has a BM in Music Performance and a MA in Teaching and Music Education from UNC, and National Board Certification in Music Education. She has taught at various preschools and has 20+ years teaching private lessons on flute, guitar and voice, 4+ years as a Public Music Educator (middle school band and chorus), and several years as a performing musician, performing professionally in the DC area, including places like the 930 Club and Black Cat. Locally, all around NC, and even touring before having babies. She has volunteered locally with Guitars for Peace DC, Girls Rock! DC, the Foggy Bottom Senior Guitar Orchestra, and Girl Scouts.
Mr Ari Jacobson
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Ari Jacobson is a singer/songwriter who plays guitar, sings, and acts locally in DC. He grew up in Haverhill MA, studying music and theatre at UMass Amherst before moving to NYC to pursue an arts career. As a performer, Ari has sung musicals Off-Broadway, acted Shakespeare around the country, and played guitar for cruise ship passengers around the world, as well as performing his own original music as a singer/songwriter. As a teacher, Ari worked as an after-school specialist, private guitar instructor, substitute teacher, and camp counselor before joining Meadowlark. Additionally, his most recent work in NY was teaching weekly toddler/baby music classes and performing at birthday parties (more than he can count at this point!). Calling DC his home as of August 2015, Ari is excited for a year of fun and music with Meadowlark!
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Ms Rachel Colonomos
"Rachel C" recently graduated from Duke University in Nursing, where she worked with babies in the NICU among other duties. She attended the University of Maryland and received her Hearing and Speech Sciences degree while working in various positions as a music teacher during her undergraduate studies. She has used her musical talents to teach music to children in special education programming, visually-impaired children and other occupational therapy settings in New York before moving to the DC area. She has taught lessons on guitar, keyboard, and songwriting classes. And she performed as a member of a women's A Capella group, TrebleMakers, in college as well. Her singing voice is simply amazing to listen to and will be a treat each week to babies and caregivers alike!
Ms Rachel Felstein
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Rachel Felstein is a performer and musician who absolutely loves working with kids! Originally from New York City, Rachel has years of experience working in early child development and as a music teacher. Rachel studied music and voice at the Mannes College of Music and at the Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music, and received her MFA in acting from the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Academy for Classical Acting at GWU. She has performed as an actress, singer, and musician in shows in New York, D.C., and across the country. Rachel is also a composer, and has written music for two original musicals and two plays. Rachel is so excited to get started with the Meadowlark Music family! http://www.rachelfelstein.com/
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Ms Rachael Small- "Rachel with an A"
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Ms. Rachael-with-an-A is a performer and teaching artist who is passionate about early childhood music education and an inspiring fellow human to spend time around each week. She holds a BA in music from the University of Central Arkansas, an MFA from The George Washington University, and completed training in Musical Theater at CAP21 in NYC. She is excited to share her love of singing, dancing, and making music with little ones. When she’s not singing with babies, Ms. Rachael can be found on stage (appearing in Dracula at Synetic Theater this fall), in the air (she’s also an aerialist, performing on silks and lyra), or at birthday parties, dressed as a Princess.
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Ms Sydney Meadows
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Sydney is a recent graduate from Montclair State University, with a degree in Music Therapy. She loves to make music, build community, and help others through music. She has worked with all ages and in various settings in music therapy, including helping Hospice patients express themselves, facilitating drum circles, and using visual art paired with music, to aid fellow humans in their quest to be understood and healed and happy. She has also taught private lessons on Voice, Piano, and Guitar, from ages 4 to 103 years old! She sings in her Church Choir and is passionate about doing good work in the world. We are so happy to have her teaching with us and can't wait for you to meet her!
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Ms Victoria Levitas
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Victoria is so happy to be on the Meadowlark Administration and Management team , helping families find community and music and joy, all in one place! Before becoming a mom to two wonderful and amazing humans, she worked for over 15 years in project management, business process improvement, strategic communications, policy analysis, training development and delivery and immigration law. She enjoys working as an enthusiastic and supportive team player and loves learning new things and meeting new people. She received her Bachelor's Degree from University of California, Santa Barbara and then moved to Washington, DC for her Master's Degree in Public Policy from GWU. She loves reading, music, visiting museums and playing with her sons.
"I discovered Meadowlark as a new mom with my oldest son. We both fell in love with the songs and Ms. Amber. As my family grew, we felt so fortunate to continue to be part of Meadowlark and our weekly music classes. Now I can help families find and love this unique and kind-hearted Meadowlark experience, just like we did!" - Victoria |