Our Teaching Staff

Parents and care givers are the REAL teachers! 
Our classes offer your family a chance to play, learn music and to learn about your child's music development!  You may wonder if you can help your child musically, especially if you don't feel that you yourself are musical.  We know from working with thousands of families that parents and other primary care givers are the most important influences in a child's musical life.  If adults - regardless of ability - have fun making music, children will too!  Your young child can be delighted and amazed by music.  Make the most of these special years by making Music Together®.

All of our teachers are passionate about music and the development of children. They create a fun, informal, social setting that spurs engagement and supports each child's musical development.  Every session our teachers participate in professional development activities to ensure a rich, music learning environment.  Many of our teachers have also attained Level I Certification or Level II Certification.  Check out their individual bios below!

 

 

photo Karee Justice-Bondy

Karee has taught Music Together since 1997. She is a licensed Center Director and Certified Level II instructor with Music Together. She has her B.A. in vocal performance and M.A. in music history and literature. She received her M.A. at the University of Denver where she met her husband Steve while he was working on his M.M. in classical guitar performance. Karee loves bringing music to families and helping them discover the joy of music. She's raised two great kids who also teach Music Together!

     
photo Stephen Bondy

Steve has been teaching Music Together since 2000 when Karee was with child (Ella). He is a licensed Center Director and Certified Level II Music Together teacher. Steve has music degrees from Wilfred Laurier in Waterloo, Ontario and from the University of Denver, both degrees in classical guitar. When he isn't teaching Music Together, he is also known as a Suzuki Guitar instructor!

     
photo Alyson Hayes-Myers

Alyson studied Music Education at the University of Denver. She has worked in music programs in both the Denver Public and Cherry Creek school districts. She has taught piano for over 15 years maintianing a studio of over 45 students. Alyson and her daughter Claire participated in Music Together classes with Karee and Steve for nearly four years. Alyson is delighted to have another creative outlet for her love of music education. Alyson has also achieved Certification Level I through Music Together.

     
photo Javan Carson

 

Javan is one of our Certified Level I Music Together teachers!  She has been playing the violin for most of her life, having started as a Suzuki student at age two.  She earned her degree in violin performance from the University of Denver on a full scholarship.  She began playing professionally with the Denver Chamber Orchestra while still in college.  Javan has played in a string quartet for more than 30 years, and has performed with countless orchestras, including the Colorado Ballet Orchestra and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra.  She has played with such performers as Doc Severinsen, Mel Torme, Kathy Lee Gifford, Mannheim Steamroller, Stevie Wonder, Marco Antonio Solis, and Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys.

Javan has been teaching private violin, viola, and piano lessons for more than 30 years, has instructed Suzuki group classes for fifteen years, and has taught string classes in four metro-area school districts.  She was the conductor of the Sinfonia at Colorado Youth Symphony Orchestras for five years, and for two years was the Music Director and Conductor of Eklectika Youth Ensembles, an innovative youth orchestra that she founded. She was the conductor for the String Ensembles and the Conservatory Orchestras at Denver Young Artists Orchestras for ten years, and is excited to be with the Front Range Youth Symphony as the conductor of the Concert Strings and the Chamber Orchestras.

Her other not insubstantial activities include raising two boys, who both play the cello!

 

     
photo Monica Leotta

Monica returns to Twinkle Together after taking 4 years to study and teach the Reggio Emilia approach to children's education at the Boulder Journey School. After the birth of her son this past Dec, she is excited to be back teaching Music Together in the Denver area. Monica graduated from the University of Denver with a Master of Music in opera performance but also loves teaching yoga, meditation and working with children in any capacity. She and her husband, Chad Reagan, enjoy good food, good music and occasional bouts of operatic duets while hanging out at home.

Monica is one of our Level I Certified Teachers!

     
photo Alexandra (Alex) Farkas

Alexandra has loved singing, dancing, and making music for as long as she can remember. Treasured family memories include singing along and playing air guitar to her parents’ record collection with her brother in their den, as well as attending many live concerts with her family.

Alex is a graduate of Westminster Choir College of Rider University, where she earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Education and her Master of Arts in Teaching. She holds a NJ State certification for K-12 Music and has achieved Certification Level I through Music Together. Previously, she served as the K-6 general music teacher at a parochial school in Princeton, NJ. Since 2011, Alex has taught Music Together’s In-School curriculum in schools throughout central New Jersey, including the New Jersey State School for the Deaf, a parent cooperative preschool, and in underserved schools in the Trenton area through the Trenton Community Music School. Alex also continues her work as a Mentor for the In-School Services Department at Music Together Worldwide, where she has been on staff since 2013.

 

An active performer and musician, Alex has performed as a member of Westminster’s Symphonic Choir in Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall under the batons of such distinguished conductors as Pierre Boulez, Kurt Masur, and Lorin Maazel. In demand as a soloist, most recently Alex prepared a vocal recital benefit for a youth group service trip. She loves to sing as part of a choir and plays a mean English handbell. Most importantly, she loves young children and having fun making music with her families! Alex is thrilled to join the Twinkle Together team!

 

Alex is one of our Level II Certified Teachers!

     
photo Carolyn Jordan

Carolyn was introduced to Music Together as a nanny and fell in love immediately!  She grew up in Cleveland, Ohio where her family instilled a love of the arts in her early.  Carolyn has been singing, dancing, and acting ever since!  After earning her BFA in Theatre - Acting from West Virginia University, she travelled the country for a few years as a Tour Actor/Director with Missoula Children's Theatre.  Here in Colorado, Carolyn is a freelance choreographer, director, and performer and a nanny for two music-loving kiddos!

     
photo Gary Spector

Gary has been a musician for over 17 years. Inspired by his parents' love for music, it has always been a staple of his life. Learning guitar at a young age helped him grow in his musical abilities and he loves sharing his knowledge with others. Gary has played lead guitar for a Baltimore band, “Locus Sound” and has taught guitar for those who are eager to learn. "I’ve found that music brings people together — I instill this in my life everyday. I am absolutely thrilled to share that experience with those who are interested in learning!" Gary is excited to be with Twinkle Together!

     
photo Jacquie Van Horn
��Hello everybody.... so glad to meet you��...
 
I am so excited to join Twinkle Together and sing & dance with you all. I was a Music Together Teacher for 13 years from 2008-2021. I raised my sons in the Denver Music Together community & I have so many wonderful memories from teaching & creating amazing magical experiences through music & movement with my families.
 
I am also a practicing psychotherapist where some of my work includes Synergetic Play Therapy with children & coaching for parents. 
 
What I love so much about the Music Together community is that so much takes place in each gathering. Not only are we helping our children develop a natural love of music & movement, we are also creating environments for children as well as us adults to calm & regulate our nervous system's, allows for deepened connections with others & it allows for more responsiveness to learning, absorbing, and retaining new information. 
 
I can't wait to meet you all & create an awesome musically rich community together.
     
photo Leslie Costley

Leslie was born and raised in Colorado and began playing music at age 9. She played clarinet and bass clarinet all through school, and graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a degree in Music Education. Leslie spent 13 teaching general music in public schools, before leaving to teach Music Together classes. Leslie chose Music Together after taking classes with her son.

 

In addition to her training with Music Together, Leslie is Orff certified and taught classes in World Drumming while working in schools. 

 

Leslie still plays bass clarinet with the Denver Rock Orchestra, currently in its 4th season!