Jackie Jacobs - Program Director of Music Together of Fairfield County Inc., and has been teaching /directing Music Together for nine years. Jackie brought Music Together to Connecticut in 1994, after moving here from Brooklyn, New York where she taught for Nanette De Cillis. She is a former professional dancer and holds BA in Dance Education and Human Movement Studies. Her background includes 10 years of study in classical piano and music theory, as well as post graduate studies in voice and early childhood education. She is also a certified Pilates instructor and personal trainer. Jackie spent her youth singing for a folk/rock band in Bethesda, Maryland, where she grew up. She holds the highest certification level for teaching mastery, level 2. As a national teacher trainer and a member of the editorial committee, she has been featured in the Music Together song collection videos over the last three years. Jackie has two children; Daniel, age 13, Lilli , age 7. She has lived the Music Together® experience through enjoying the program with them.

Christine Burlingame holds a Certification Level One Degree in Music Together, and in addition to teaching for Music Together of Fairfield County, she also teaches music and movement to the infants, toddlers and preschool children of Stanwich Congregational Church. Chris has been singing professionally for nearly 40 years, spanning styles from pop to gospel to jazz and currently sings with various jazz groups in Fairfield and Westchester county venues. One of her passions is performing for senior citizen groups, leading them in singing the songs from the 30's, 40's and early 50's, helping them to recapture memories of their younger days a well as sing at various churches and lead music for women's groups and retreats.

Steven Epstein is a recording engineer of classical music. He has contributed to over 250 recordings including the 1999 Grammy winning HornSmoke. Steve was a classical guitar major, who also played in several rock bands in the late 80's and early 90's. He is also a song writer and currently appearing nightly in his basement!

Tom Hanford has been teaching for MTFC Inc. since the spring of 1998. He holds an MS in Art Education from Southern CT. University. Some of his art work can be seen at the Westport studio. Tom has 15 years of teaching experience with young children, and he has been directing Music Together of Litchfield County for the last two years. He is an accomplished children's performer and recording artist, featured at schools,libraries, and festivals in New York and New England.
Tom's web address is www.TomHanford.com.

Andrea Greenburg received her Masters in Education in Early Childhood Education from Bank Street college of Education in New York City. In addition she received her Bachelor of General Studies in English and Art History from the University of Michigan and took additional courses in Sotheby's Educational Studies for nineteenth and twentieth century decorative arts. Andrea has been performing and singing since she was a young child. she has been a member of choral groups and adores singing with the children and parents in Music Together classes. She came to Music Together as a mom with her son Josh and daughter Sydney. She fell in love with the program and was excited at the prospect of becoming a teacher! She is a Registered Music Together® teacher.

Tina Marie Manus has been teaching Music Together since 2000 and is a certified Level II Music Together Instructor. She is a classically trained, professional vocalist with a background in theatre and dance. Tina is the choir director and leader of song at St. Margaret Mary Church in Shelton, CT. She has earned a MA in Learning from Sacred Heart University and a MS in Elementary Education from SCSU with a specialty in urban education. She is currently working on her PhD at St. Martin's College, Lancaster University in the U.K. Tina credits Music Together, the families she has encountered through teaching the program and especially her fellow Music Together colleagues as her primary sources of creative inspiration and the catalysts for her own professional growth and continued research in the field of music education.

Ali Froman trained at SUNY Purchase in the theatre arts and studied many different types of dance including ballet at the American Ballet Theatre and jazz and modern at the Alvin Ailey American School of Dance. She brings Music Together her vast and varied instrumental talents with piano, recorder, guitar and percussion. She looks forward to sharing her talent and enthusiasm with children through Music Togehter. She is a Registered Music Together® teacher.

Natasha Fenster came to Music Together as a mom, and couldn't wait to become more active. After receiving her Bachelor’s of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Oregon, she headed east to see what New York had to offer. What she found was a gratifying career as nursery school teacher (one and a half years) and nanny (six years). The call of the stage was too strong so Natasha became involved in local community theater where she met her husband at an audition. Natasha is happy to add teaching back to her life with the friends she has made making Music Together.

Krista Santilli Alabama native Krista Santilli lived and worked in Italy and Germany before finally settling in Connecticut. Krista holds a BM in vocal performance from the University of Alabama and is an active performer in operas, operettas, musicals, concerts, plays and oratorios. She has performed nationally and internationally. After attending one semester with her son, Krista fell in love with Music Together and decided to become a teacher. She is very happy to be able to bring the joy of musical discovery to young children. Find out more about Krista at www.adams-santilli.com.

Jeanne Whiting Jeanne Whiting studied composition and conducting at Westminster Choir College, and received her BS and JD degrees from BYU. As a soloist she has sung opera, oratorio and musical theater and is an active church soloist. As an instrumentalist she emphasized solo work in mallet percussion playing a wide variety of classical, jazz and popular music. A church music director in New Canaan, Jeanne conducts adult, youth and children's choirs, as well as orchestras. She is also music director of The Pitchpipers, a women's community chorus. Jeanne, a mother of five, loves teaching above all and has brought her enthusiasm and love for music and children (and their parents!) to our program for almost a decade. She holds a level one certification for Music Together teaching mastery.

CJ Wood wrote her first song at the age of ten and has been writing music ever since. She co-owns a small recording studio in Fairfield, CT and spends time writing and developing her own music. She studied voice while attending Alfred University for a Fine Arts Degree. While in college she performed in coffee houses and on the radio station. She plays guitar, drums, and a little piano. With many years of experience working with children as a music counselor, Carol enjoys teaching music to young children and helping them to expand their life experiences through music and movement. Carol is a registered Music Together® teacher.

Libby Carstens received her degree in Voice Performance and began her career in musical theatre, and singing jingles as well as doing on camera commercial work. She enjoyed working as a soloist with orchestras and traveling for theatrical roles. She has taught piano and voice in a performing arts school, been a church choir director and taught private students as well. Libby came to music together as a teacher 9 years ago, and taught for 8 years on the upper West Side of Manhattan. She has received her Cert. 1 level training in Princeton and enjoys opening the eyes of youngsters to the joys of vocal music.

Bizzy Bender Bizzy has recently begun teaching little ones through the Music Together program and is so excited to be a part of this wonderful program! To quote Bizzy, "To be able to be a part of a child's musical development is a huge honor and aside from that, it's just plain old fun to make music with kids and their caregivers!" Bizzy is the mother of three, ages 24, 14, and 9. She has led the children's music program at Grace Community Church in New Canaan for the last 2 years and also is a head instructor at CT Martial Arts one of the country's top 10 Martial arts schools, working with children from age 3 and up on a day to day basis. "Children and music are my life" says Bizzy, "that's why Music Together is a natural fit for me." Bizzy's web address is www.bizzybender.com.

Allison Gray and her family recently returned to Connecticut after residing in London for 5 years. She now lives in New Canaan with her husband and two daughters. Allison fell in love with the Music Together program while attending classes in Riverside with her first daughter, Sara. After moving to London and growing increasingly frustrated by the lack of quality music programs for children, Allison returned to the U.S. to receive her Music Together teacher training in Princeton. She began teaching classes while still living in Wimbledon and now teaches in New Canaan and Greenwich. Allison has a Music Degree in Vocal Performance from North Texas State University. She has performed leading roles in Musical Theatre, Operettas, and Concerts in Professional Theatres throughout the country. Allison has also traveled around the world (via Cruise Ship) performing a repertoire of Musical Theatre, Operetta, Jazz, Big Band, and Cabaret, and she has been cast in several national and regional commercials, usually playing the role of a Mom (before she actually became a Mom).

Sarah Fradkin fell in love with music at an early age and has been singing both at home and in the community ever since. She has sung a variety of music, ranging from bluegrass to Brahms' "Requiem" to Brazilian samba. Sarah recently moved to Connecticut from Manhattan, where she worked as a content producer for Fisher-Price, contributing to the designs and sounds for toys. She engaged in research on child development and language acquisition throughout college and earned a BA from Cornell University in Multicultural Education and the Arts with a concentration in Visual Studies. Sarah has a vibrant imagination and a natural way with children. She is thrilled to be playing and making music with people of all ages.