Teacher and Centre Director

Katherine Deane has been a teacher of drama, music, and dance and a favorite nanny to children of all ages throughout her life. She began her career in the performing arts in 1988 as a dancer with the Alberta Ballet and went on to pursue her love of dancing, singing, and acting in both the Toronto and International Touring productions of "The Phantom of the Opera". She has also performed in various other musicals across Canada, including "Fiddler on the Roof", "My Fair Lady", "The Secret Garden" and "A Christmas Carol-The Musical". Katherine’s formal music education includes classical studies in piano, voice, and music theory as well as having completed her Bachelor of Music Therapy. She has also worked as a music therapist in both the Royal Columbian Hospital and Surrey Memorial Neonatal Intensive Care Units  as well the Pediatric Unit at RCH. She has also offered private and group Music Therapy sessions at Ridge Meadows Child Development Centre for children 3-5 years. In 2009, she was awarded the Certification Level 1 qualification from Princeton's Music Together Center For Music and Young Children for outstanding achievement in teaching and articulating of the program.

Donalyn started taking her daughter, Charlotte, to Music Together® classes in the summer of 2006 and she loved it so much – the diverse music, the warm community of families, the exercise (!), the fun – that she decided to become a Music Together teacher. There was always singing in Donalyn’s home growing up. Her mother sang in the church choir and Donalyn loved to sing along, picking up the harmonies. Christmas caroling is a favourite tradition in her home. A native Vancouverite, Donalyn has a long history of singing in choirs, both through her school years where she studied under John Trepp at Magee High School and as an adult in community choirs. She finds great joy participating in a community of singing voices. Growing up, Donalyn also studied recorder and clarinet and pursued classes in musical theatre. She loves to dance too and, though it’s been many years since her last dance recital, she still remembers some of the tap dancing moves! Today, Donalyn devotes herself to bringing joy and discovery to her daughter through play and, of course, music. “We’re always singing at home!” She looks forward to sharing her enthusiasm with you. In 2010, she was awarded the Certification Level 1 qualification from Princeton's Music Together Center For Music and Young Children for outstanding achievement in teaching and articulating of the program.
 

Noa's life long engagement with the arts is her main driving force and passion. She studied classical piano as a child, then moved to classical ballet and modern dance through till the end of high school. She made her move to acting and singing and performed on stage and on screen as a professional actor, singer and dancer. 
Noa arrived in Vancouver from Israel in 2000 and continued with acting and voice training at ‘Lyric’ among other classes. She also holds a fine arts teacher certificate and has facilitated workshops in art and drama with children of all different ages. She has sung with both ‘City Soul Choir' and ‘Rhythm’n’Roots’ choir as a soloist and alto choir member since 2012 and is a founding member of the ‘Tanglewood Trio’. Noa has a strong interest and passion for world music which informs her own music making and collaborations. Noa's enthusiasm for Music Together® began back in 2010 when she took classes with her son Lior. It is the joy of singing and the love of community music making that lifts her soul and opens her heart. She is thrilled to combine her passion for music with empowering parents and nurturing children's natural curiosity. Noa has been teaching music together since 2012. Noa has completed her Music Together training and is a registered Music Together teacher.

Tanya had two main loves in life growing up, one was sport and the other was music. With her young ear pressed against a speaker, she listened to her parents vinyl records, like Patsy Cline and Johnny cash, and a passion was born. However, it wasn't until her high school music theatre teacher, Mr. Peter Vanderhorst encouraged her to follow her musical pursuits, that she seriously considered a career in music. From there she studied voice with Nancy Davis and performed in her high-school musicals and choir. In 1995 she was chosen as the "Peoples Choice" award winner at the British Columbia Country Music Association vocalist of the year completion, held at the Boone County Cabaret. In her youth, she also taught skiing, attended Capilano University for Business Administration and played for the Cap Blues volleyball team. In 1996, she started TAG Sale Inc., a growing and successful sportswear sales and distribution company that she still runs today. TAG Sales Inc now owns and operates two Golf stores in the Vancouver area under the name of Peak Golf. When her children were born, her desire to rekindle her musical passion was re-ignited. She was determined to create for her children a love and a comfort around music that would stay with them for a lifetime. After attending a Music Together® class with both her children, she was hooked. Her goal with Music Together is to help parents and caregivers successfully bring music into their homes as a form of everyday communication. She hopes to develop musically competent children, who can embrace music without fear. Tanya feels music is an all-too-often forgotten gift, which we all possess. She successfully completed her Music Together Teachers training, developed by The Center for Music and Young Children in Princeton, New Jersey.

Monica’s life is like one big musical! She has been singing throughout her life whether it’s on stage in opera chorus’and bands or just inspired, impromptu solos at restaurants in Italy. Her childhood was filled with music-making and she happily remembers singing and playing instruments with her mom, dad and siblings. To this day, Monica plays guitar, piano, ukulele and sings with her family whenever they visit. Monica first joined the choral world in elementary school and then continued as a choral singer throughout highschool and post-secondary education. She caught the performing bug during highschool when she toured with the ‘Spirit Alive’ Concert and Chamber choirs to Banff, Alberta and then New York, Chicago, and San Francisco to compete in the choral competition ‘Festival of Gold’. After that she started to to train with a vocal coach and attended an opera camp held in Vernon, BC. She has performed a duet and sung in the chorus for a few amateur opera productions including The Mikado, The Marriage of Figaro and Cavelleria Rusticana. Monica continues to enjoy performing to this day, whether it be solo or in various ensembles. She is a certified Music Therapist with a degree in Music Therapy from Capilano University and completed studies in classical voice performance in 2012 at Douglas College. In 2010, Monica collaborated with one of her friends and directed a choral camp called ‘Sing Out!’ for several young girls. Monica has successfully completed the Music Together Teaching Workshop developed by the Center for Music and Young Children, Princeton, New Jersey and looks forward to sharing the joy of music-making in her work with young families in Music Together classes!

Jessica has grown up with music her whole life and couldn’t imagine her life without music in it. From a young child she sang in musicals and played guitar which led her to graduate Grant MacEwan University for Musical Theatre back in 2003.  She has since then had the opportunity to perform in many musicals her favourite being A Chorus Line and as a back up vocalist for an Elvis impersonator at the PNE.  Through learning to sing, dance and act this once shy girl came out of her shell and first hand has experienced the power of music and movement in her own personal growth.  She has since then wanted to encourage children and parents to discover this magic and freedom for themselves,   Jessica has taught musical drama camps for children as well as being a storyteller at children’s festivals. She currently teaches Yoga classes including Baby and Me,  and it is powerful to see how turning on some bouncy music and dancing can calm the whole room of crying babies. She  came across Music Together herself by taking her little one to classes and she was hooked.  Seeing how excited her own child was every week going to class and how her little one's growth soared she knew she wanted to be a part of this.  So she jumped on board having completed her Music Together training and is now a registered Music Together teacher.  Jessica looks forward to sharing her love of music and play with families for years to come. Jessica has completed her Music Together training and is a registered Music Together teacher.

Karina is a classically-trained singer, multi-instrumentalist, and advocate for arts and music education. Wanting her son to have a great early childhood music experience, she began with West Side Music Together as a mom from 2017-2021. Loving the experience, she is thrilled to join the team as Music Together teacher!
Karina began her musical life singing along to oldies in the car and at church on Sundays. She joined the school band in grade 4. She learned clarinet, flute, piccolo, trumpet and French horn and even music composition from Grade 4 to 12. And has picked up some piano, and ukulele in adulthood. 
She began formal vocal lessons at the age of 19 and has performed as a soloist with the Vancouver Oratorio Society, Opera Mariposa, the Vancouver Academy of Music Vocal Theatre and The Opera Project as well as being a member of many choirs including the Vancouver Bach Choir and the Ryerson Chancel Choir. She also spent 2014-2019 working with the Vancouver Bach Family of Choirs, most of which she spent as an assistant to the youngest choirs gr K-2 and 3-7.
Karina has always loved to dance as well, spending several years training in Arabic classical dance. She was a member of the UVic Swing Dance club and has taken Viennese Waltz lessons. 
A passionate believer in every child having music education at every level of their schooling Karina became one of the founding board members of the new Coalition for Music Education in BC. 
Karina is excited to share her love of singing and her passion for music education with the families in her classes. She is successfully completed her Music Together Teachers training, developed by The Center for Music and Young Children in Princeton, New Jersey.
 

Stephanie developed a passion for singing and dancing as a little girl when her family took her to see the Phantom of the Opera in the West End of London and went on to sing with folk band, Mountain Weather based in Kaslo, B.C. She has worked with children for most of her adult life; in a mixed-age after-school program on the Musqueam Reserve in Vancouver, B.C., and as a Kindergarten assistant for Redfish elementary school, and the Waldorf school in Nelson, B.C. Stephanie has a bachelor's degree in the Arts from the University of British Columbia and is also a certified yoga teacher working at Modo Yoga North Vancouver and Oxygen West Vancouver.

After teaching for Music Together of San Fransisco, she recently moved back to Vancouver and is inspired by all the city has to offer. She is thrilled to continue her Music Together journey here. She is currently learning the guitar and is always trying to expand her styles of voice and movement. Stephanie has successfully completed her Music Together Teachers training, developed by The Center for Music and Young Children in Princeton, New Jersey and is excited to combine music, movement, and early childhood education while teaching at West Side Music Together. 

Abigail’s musical journey started young, where they have fond memories of singing in elementary school choirs and performing in community musical theatre productions in high school.

Abigail’s music education began in earnest at the University of Alberta, where they studied classical voice performance and performed with the Opera Workshop in L’étoile, as well as with the nationally recognized Madrigal Singers. Their love for the stage continued at MacEwan University, where they completed a diploma in Musical Theatre and performed in productions such as Pippin, Legally Blonde The Musical and The Crucible, as well as with Teatro la Quindicina as a cabaret performer.

It was during their time working in group homes, respite care, and disability support that Abigail witnessed the extraordinary ways music can support communication, trust, and emotional connection. This experience inspired them to pursue a career in music therapy and they will be fully certified in 2025. Since 2023, they have also worked with children as an Education Assistant in the North Vancouver School District, where they often use music as a bridge to connection and communication.

They have successfully completed their Music Together Teachers training, developed by The Center for Music and Young Children in Princeton, New Jersey.

Sydney Doberstein is a vibrant singer, voice actor, and performer who grew up in the Comox Valley singing with her whole family and she spent her childhood immersed in choir and community musical theatre. Sydney’s professional background includes commercial voice overs for big brands - even Similac baby formula! - as well as narrating children’s audiobooks, and voicing animated characters…. maybe you’ll hear one in class! You can also find more of her work on her website.  Sydney first experienced Music Together classes as a mom alongside her one-year-old son, which deepened her appreciation for early childhood music education and inspired her to become a teacher too! 

With formal vocal training and experience in movement-based performance, Sydney brings creativity, warmth and enthusiasm to her teaching. She loves creating a joyful, playful environment where children can explore music, build confidence and discover their own unique voice. Sydney is excited to share her love of music and inspire the next generation of young musicians. Sydney has completed her Music Together training and is a registered Music Together teacher.

Subsitute Teacher - Roya is a pianist, choral director, singer/songwriter, and ESL/English teacher. She discovered Music Together® through friends with children, and also attended a few classes with her niece! Truly impressed by the program, Roya enrolled in the Music Together® teacher training. Roya's musical adventure started at age 8 with piano lessons and living-room musicals with her best friend. Her parents' encouragement, their enjoyment of all the arts, and frequent family viewings of "Fiddler on the Roof" helped! As a youth, she completed grade 10 piano with the Royal Conservatory of Music as well as playing clarinet in the Killarney High School band, with some dance and theatre experiences along the way too. She taught piano to friends and children while studying at UBC and later, songwriting and composing blossomed while volunteering in Thailand (during long, quiet evenings in a house with a piano). This developed into two recording projects with a vocal trio, Devotee, and a pop/gospel band, Water after Winter. Her love of choir and singing lead to a side career in choral directing and accompaniment. A highlight was working with children at a summer arts camp in 2004, where she directed the junior youth choir and was blown away by their soulful energy. Next, she followed her heart and completed a diploma of music at Vancouver Community College in voice and composition. She worked as the Music Animator at St.Stephen's United Church for over five years and also completed the BCCF Choral Directorship certificate in 2008. Roya is currently working with the One Voice Choir in Burnaby. You can often find Roya involved in Baha'i or Inter-Faith choral project and her favourite musical activity is creating vocal harmonies from the piano, and helping others to do the same. Music Together has recently brought a new way to teach, and a new kind of excitement and meaning, to her musical life. Roya has successfully completed the Music Together Teaching Workshop developed by the Center for Music and Young Children, Princeton, New Jersey.

Substitute Teacher - Lindy is excited to return to Music Together after a hiatus while she obtained her Early Childhood Educator Assistant licence and became a mom to her daughter who is now 2 years old. She previously taught the program for 5 years while also teaching private voice lessons and facilitating at Jam Camp, a musical summer camp for families. An inspiring part of Lindy’s childhood was her experience singing with her public-school choir and working with its director, who was extremely passionate about music! In her early 20’s she traveled to Varanasi, India, known as the ‘city of music', to study Indian Classical vocal music and then studied Contemporary Jazz Voice at Vancouver Community College. She now calls the West Coast her home after 16 years in Vancouver, originally from Ontario. She loves writing folk ballads, playing guitar and the musical saw!? And has performed and toured with various local bands and theatre groups including Woodland Telegraph, Dusty Flowerpot Cabaret, and the Kingsgate Chorus. Most of all Lindy loves the joy that music can bring to children and adults alike and she strives to create a fun, magical, and inclusive experience for the families attending her class! Lindy has sucessfuly completed the Music Together teacher training developed by The Center for Music and Young Children in Princeton, New Jersey and can't wait to sing and dance with your family.

Substiutue Teacher - Maura has been singing and dancing since she was in her highchair, jamming to 80s rock. She grew up listening to her mother sing (and her father whistle), their jazz and folk records playing daily while she tapped out sounds on the piano. Her parents were travelling teachers, so she was introduced to the music and artistic cultures of the UK and Asia from a very young age. She had her first onstage performance while living in Ireland at five years old, and has been performing in musicals and other theatre productions ever since! She has also been singing in choirs and taking dance and other movement lessons (ballet, jazz, capoeira, jiu jitsu, among others), throughout her life. She attended Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, graduating with a B.A in Cultural Studies with an Emphasis in Image, Sound and Performance. There she discovered the incredible Indigenous performance program with classes in dance, music and art, and is forever grateful to her teachers for inviting her into this community. 

Maura is from a small town in Ontario and recently moved to North Vancouver. She has always loved being around little kids and enjoyed looking after her siblings’ children and playing with with many cousins from her large extended family. She was also privileged to spend eight summers in Ontario working at a family camp for children in cancer recovery. Some of those years were in the kitchen (making sure they ate well) and some were spent playing and having fun (making sure they had a great time). 

Her godmother, who also teaches Music Together, introduced her to the program and Maura is now very excited to sing, dance and make music with all of you! Maura has completed her Music Together training and is a registered Music Together teacher.

Substitue Teacher - Katie Brock has been teaching since the fall of 2006 and has attended Music Together® classes with her son Sam and daughter Isobel since the summer of 2005. It is her passion for this program and the joy she feels at every class that drew her to teaching Music Together. Born and raised in West Vancouver, Katie is thrilled to be teaching at the Gleneagles Community Centre as it is around the corner from her house!! Katie’s love of music began as a young child with classical piano lessons from her grandmother. Growing up she also played the violin, the trombone, sang in choirs, danced and acted in musical theatre productions. As an adult, Katie has continued to sing choral music and has tried her hand at community musical theatre. She has also spent some time in Toronto pursuing her love of music and theatre. While there, she completed an intensive acting program at The Player’s Academy and studied voice with Diane Lewarne. Katie currently sings with the female vocal ensemble "reVive" which is led by Peter Vanderhorst. She is also working very hard practicing the guitar and looks forward to playing for you in class! Katie has successfully completed the Music Together Teaching Workshop developed by the Center for Music and Young Children, Princeton, New Jersey.

Substitue Teacher - Megan Chursinoff has enjoyed making music all her life. She grew up immersed in the sounds of her mother teaching piano and clearly remembers the awe she felt at her grandmother's dramatic flair on piano and organ. Her early childhood piano lessons led to studying piano and composition at the University of Victoria. She started teaching piano in her teens and has continued to teach children and adults of all abilities for almost 20 years.

As an adult, Megan broadened her musical experience when she picked up a banjo and discovered her enthusiasm and joy in informal community music-making; attending bluegrass and old-time jams around town, hosting jams for friends, and learning other musical instruments.   

Five years ago, as a strong musician with little singing experience, Megan bravely joined Karla Mundy's Rhythm 'n Roots choir and now thoroughly enjoys singing world and folk music in many different languages, performing throughout the year. Participating in this choir has clarified to her the value of communal singing, as well as developed her vocal skills, memorizing abilities, and stage confidence.

In taking many Music Together classes with her two boys, Megan has seen, first-hand, their growth in musical competence and joy in making music. As a family they have created a dynamic and artistic environment, where Megan also does afterschool care including lots of creative and musical activities.

Megan successfully completed the Music Together Teaching Workshop developed by the Center for Music and Young Children, Princeton, New Jersey in 2016 and recently attended the 2019 refresher workshop.

As a Music Together teacher, Megan hopes to inspire joyous musical exploration in families while encouraging a connection to our communities through music. 

Substitue Teacher - Alex began singing in senior care homes with her family at the age of seven. Her love of music began early and has developed into a lifelong passion. Over the years Alex has toured through Canada with musical theatre productions and tribute bands. She enjoyed singing with the University of Manitoba Vocal Jazz and is currently singing with a trio called the The Agency featuring 40s glamour and three part harmonies. 
Alex's interest in Music Together began when she and her son took a class together when he was six months old. Through this class, Alex realized how important music and movement is for child development and how meaningful it was to bond with her son through music and play. Combined with Alex's experience as a Nanny, being a parent of two and her love of music, it only seemed fitting to become a Music Together teacher and share her passion with the community. Alex has sucessfuly completed the Music Together teacher training developed by The Center for Music and Young Children in Princeton, New Jersey and can't wait to sing and dance with your family.