Faculty

Faculty for Kodàly Music Institute at Anna Maria College & Vocal Vacation

KMI’s Internationally-Renowned Faculty includes the following:

Katherine Athanasiou, flautist and a solfège teacher for Vocal Vacation. (Read more...)

Ms. Athanasiou is a K-4 music teacher for the Cambridge Public Schools, and previously taught at the Conservatory Lab Charter School in Boston, where she developed a model Kodály daily music program that also included integration of music across all subject areas. She is a graduate of New England Conservatory (BM) and the Hartt School of the University of Hartford (MM).

Kathryn O. Bach, flautist and a solfège teacher for Vocal Vacation. (Read more...)

Ms. Bach holds a Bachelor's degree from the Hartt School of Music and a Master's of Music degree in Music Education with Kodály emphasis from Holy Names University. She is experienced in teaching early childhood music education and elementary music education in Northern California and Massachusetts. Ms. Bach presently teaches primary music at the Henry E. Warren School in Ashland, MA.

Charlyn Bethell, oboist and Level II Pedagogy & Materials Instructor at KMI at Anna Maria College.(Read more...)

She is a graduate of Cambridge College (M.M.) and the Kodály Center of America (Certificate), teaches general music (K-5) in the Concord Public Schools and private oboe at the Phillips Academy, Andover. An active freelance oboist in the Boston Area, Ms. Bethell has commissioned works by several composers including Andy Vores, Hayes Biggs, and Thomas Oboe Lee. As a founding member of the New Art Winds, she performed in Carnegie Recital Hall in 1985.

Margie Callaghan, vocalist, Co-Director at KMI's Summer program and Level I Pedagogy & Materials Instructor.(Read more...)

She teaches general music (K-6) and directs the choral program at the Blanchard Memorial Elementary School in Boxborough, MA. She holds a B. Mus. Ed. from Central Michigan University, a M. Ed. with Kodály music emphasis from Anna Maria College, and Kodály certification from the Kodály Music Institute at NEC.

Karrie Chan-Lam,Canción solfège faculty at Vocal Vacation (Read more...)

, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in voice performance and music education at Asbury College and earned a master's degree in music education with Kodály Emphasis from Holy Names University. A professional music educator of all ages - kindergarten through college level, Ms. Chan-Lam has presented workshops at MENC, SGMM, OAKE, BAKE, and universities and churches in the United States, China, and Malaysia. An accomplished singer, Ms. Chan-Lam has received awards in vocal contests in San Francisco.

Susan Cleveland, vocalist, mentor and teacher of Level I Pedagogy & Materials at KMI at AMC.(Read more...)

She graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in music from Barnard College of Columbia University and received her M.M.Ed. from the University of Bridgeport. She was a 1975 Ford Foundation Fellow, Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest; has taught in the New Haven Public Schools, and taught Pre-K-6 music at St. John’s School, Wellesley, 1993-2004.

Joanne Crowell, Director and Co-founder of Vocal Vacation and Co-founder of Carlisle Children's Choir. (Read more...)

She studied Music Education at University of New Hampshire and earned a Master's of Music Education with a Kodály Emphasis from Holy Names College, Oakland, California. She is committed to public school teaching and choral conducting, currently teaching in the Weston (MA) Public Schools and prior to that in the Brookline (MA) Public Schools. She is ex-president of the Boston Area Kodály Educators. Member of OAKE and IKS, most recently attended IKS Conference in summer of 2006, Leicester, England and Holy Names University Reunion, 2008.

Mary A. Epstein, Co-Director of the Kodály Music Institute at Anna Maria College, directs its year-round academic program.(Read more...)

A pianist, vocalist, and conductor Epstein has embraced the Kodály teaching principles since 1971 when awarded a Kodály Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts to study the Hungarian Music Education System and by U.S. Office of Education’s 1972-73 to teach daily music in the New Haven Public Schools. In 1973-75 she founded the Park School, South Brookline MA Kodály music program. Epstein advises daily music instruction in the brain-music research project, Cambridge Public Schools. She writes articles for the Kodály ENVOY and is recipient of a Lowell Mason Award.

Elizabeth Higgins, piano accompanist for Vocal Vacation's Canciòn Choir and leads museum treks for Viva Voce. (Read more...)

During the year she teaches music in the Marshfield Public Schools. She received her Bachelor's Degree at Oberlin Conservatory and her Master's Degree in piano performance at New England Conservatory. Ms. Higgins earned her Kodály Music Teaching Certificate at the Kodály Music Institute of New England Conservatory.

Betty Hillmon, Head of Music at the Park School, Brookline, MA. (Read more...)

She has lectured at Brandeis University and UMass Boston; chaired the music education department at the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts; and served on the faculty of the Kodály Music Institute at Anna Maria College and the Kodály Center of America. Ms. Hillmon has presented workshop sessions for many organizations locally and nationally. Ms. Hillmon studied with Dr. Eileen Southern, published in Dr. Southern’s journal, Black Perspectives in Music, and continues working as a music researcher specializing in the music of African Americans. As a cellist, she has performed in several orchestras and ensembles in MA and CA.

David Hodgkins, Chorus Conductor at KMI at Anna Maria College. (Read more...)

David is the Artistic Director of Coro Allegro in Boston which Boston Globe critic Michael Manning deemed “one of Boston’s most accomplished choruses”, the New England Classical Singers in Andover, and is Director of Music at the Commonwealth School in Boston. Mr. Hodgkins has conducted world premiere performances of works by Patricia Van Ness, Daniel Pinkham, Charles Fussell, Alan Fletcher, Kenneth Fuchs, Richard St. Clair, Aaron Rosenthal, and Ruth Lomon, and Boston premieres of works by Marianne Martinez, Rebecca Clarke, Arvo Pärt, and William Grant Still. Mr. Hodgkins has been on the faculties of the New England Conservatory, University of Massachusetts/Amherst, Temple University, and Clark University.

Martha Sandman Holmes, Coordinator for Canción Choirs at Vocal Vacation. (Read more...)

She also teaches folk dance, recorder and solfège. In 2008 she published an SSA arrangement of a Bulgarian Folk Song, "Rumjana" with Boosey and Hawkes. She maintains her professional singing performance career as a longtime member of the Cambridge Madrigal Singers. Mrs. Holmes has nearly 30 years experience as a music teacher and choral conductor in public and private school music. Currently she teaches in Newton Public Schools, and she is vice-president of the Boston Area Kodály Educators as well as is a regular music column writer for the national periodical ENVOY (published by the Organization of American Kodály Educators).

Brian Michaud, Co-Director of Summer Course at Kodály Music Institute at Anna Maria College and Vocal Vacation solfège instructor. (Read more...)

During the academic year, he teaches grades K-4, chorus, folk dance team, and bell choir for the Dighton-Rehoboth Public Schools. He currently is a doctoral candidate at Boston University’s College of Fine Arts and is also the webmaster for Boston Area Kodály Educators. Brian has taught at Boston University and has performed professionally on percussion, guitar, piano and voice in a variety of settings from classical and jazz to rock and country. Brian has presented both at the state MMEA and national OAKE conferences and, in 2004, was a finalist for the Massachusetts Teacher of the Year.

Susie Petrov, Co-Director for the Summer Program at KMI at Anna Maria College and instructor of KMI Level III Materials and dancing to Vocal Vacation students.(Read more...)

Ms. Petrov holds a Bachelors degree in piano performance from the Peabody Conservatory, a Masters in music theory from Temple University and a Kodály Teaching Certificate. She gives workshops each year for national and regional Kodaly music teacher associations. She has ten recordings and two books of Scottish music to her publication credit. She currently teaches music in Winchester, MA public schools and spends weekends and holidays teaching and performing Scottish music across the USA and in Europe with her ensembles, Local Hero and A Parcel of Rogues. On the web at www.susiepetrov.com.

Elaine Quilichin, Vocal Vacation Conductor.(Read more...)

In addition to her work at KMI at Anna Maria College, she is a vocalist and pianist, founder/director of the Calgary Girls Choir, and directs the University of Calgary's Women's Choir. Making her debut at Carnegie Hall in 2003, she has conducted her choirs at three National ACDA Conferences, conducted the Texas All-State Women's Choir, and was twice the National OAKE Conference Choir Director. In Chicago, she was a key presenter at the 2008 OAKE Conference while her Calgary Girls Choir was the Choir-in-Residence. Other recent recognitions include conducting the International High School Honor Choir in Osaka, Japan, and guest lecturing at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Jonathan C. Rappaport, Co-Director of Kodàly Music Institute at Anna Maria College. (Read more...)

He teaches pedagogy, conducting, and directs the Canción Choir of Vocal Vacation. Rappaport is a conductor, educator, composer and author. He has published 18 choral works and 4 books, and is the recipient of several awards including the distinguished Moss Hart Theatre Award and the MMEA Distinguished Service Award. He has taught music, trained teachers nationally, and directed choruses for over 35 years. Currently Rappaport is the Executive Director of the National Arts and Learning Collaborative in Natick, MA; he is the past Executive Director of the Conservatory Lab Charter School (Boston) and the Performing Arts Liaison of the Worcester (MA) Schools.

Wendy Silverberg, vocalist and pianist, currently teaches Vocal Vacation solfège. (Read more...)

Ms Silverberg is a master Kodály teacher for grades K–2 (frequency of instruction per child is 4, 30-minute classes per week) in the Cambridge Public Schools. Ms. Silverberg has appeared as part of the Boston Cecilia chorus since 1972 and she serves on the board of the Boston Area Kodály Educators. Ms. Silverberg has presented her Cambridge Public School children in demonstration classes at national and state conferences: 2008 National School Board Association, 2008 Massachusetts Music Educators Conference, and 2009 Music Educators Eastern Division Conference.

Carol Toth-Forward, vocalist and conductor, currently teaches Tapestry of American Music.

Katalin Virágh, violinist, teaches Level I Solfège at KMI at Anna Maria College.(Read more...)

She completed her study in the Béla Bartók Conservatory of Music and the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, Hungary. As a violinist, she was a member of the Hungarian National Opera when she had invited to the Orchestra Symphonica Tenerife in Canary Island, Spain. Since 1990 she is a resident of United States and is currently a member of the Hartford Symphony, and an adjunct professor of theory/ear-training at the University of Hartford/The Hartt School. Mrs. Virágh is a frequent guest clinician at Nebraska Wesleyan, the State University Wichita, New England Conservatory, and the University of Colorado.

Gábor Virágh, trumpeter, teaches Level III Solfège and Level II Conducting at KMI at Anna Maria College. (Read more...)

He is a 5-year diploma graduate of the Franz Liszt Academy, Budapest, Hungary, and he earned the M.M. from the Berklee School of Music, Boston, as well as studying at the Academie Musicala Ottorino Respighi Festival of Assisi, Italy. Mr. Virágh performs trumpet in both classical and jazz idioms. He is a revered solfège Professor (tenured) at the Hartt School, University of Hartford, Connecticut and guest lecturer in courses in Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado. His publications include an English translation and Edition of The World of Sounds and Living Harmonies: Anthology of Renaissance & Early Baroque Vocal Works.

Pamela Wood, Instructor of graduate-level courses (Levels I and II) at KMI at Anna Maria College. (Read more...)

Her classes include solfège courses, conducting, vocal coach, vocal pedagogy, private voice lessons to teens and adults, and Level II Musicology – African American Folk and Art Music. Ms. Wood is a Senior Lecturer in Music at MIT and has appeared as soprano soloist with the New York, San Francisco, London and Israel Philharmonic Orchestras; has concertized throughout Europe, Canada, the U.S. and the Caribbean; and has been recorded on the Angel, ECM, Nonesuch, and Revels labels. Ms.Wood serves as a workshop clinician in the areas of voice, solfège, and folk song research with expertise in the music of African-American game songs.

Please note: The Kodály Music Institute at Anna Maria College reserves the right to substitute instructors.