Our Teachers

Ms. Joley's earliest music memories are of dancing at folk festivals, singing in church, and trying to carefully put the needle to vinyl records on a turntable. Her favorite pre-K spins? The Beatles, the Mamas & the Papas, Bread, John Denver; Blood, Sweat & Tears; Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, and Buddy Holly. (And whatever else was in her family's collection.) In elementary school she focused on learning to play piano; in middle school and high school, flute; and in college piccolo and jazz piano.

After graduating from UT Austin Ms. Joley played with the Austin Symphonic Band classical community, and she branched out on keyboard and percussion in the Austin music scene. Singing with family and church choirs gave way to leading worship bands and honing other live vocal and instrument performance. Joley played and sang as much rock, disco, singer-songwriter, acoustic, and Americana as she could. Ask her some of the zany names of those talented bands! She is grateful to have worked with innovative composers and players.

Ms Joley has professionally recorded two CDs of original jazzy, bluesy tunes: Precious Cargo and Mosaic. She currently sings and plays rock-blues with Heritage Bridge Band, classical-jazz with the harp quartet HarpEssence, pop-soul with the JoleyRenee Band, and some solo piano-vocal performances.  Besides uplifting people at church, her favorite "gigs" are weddings, retirement villages, corporate celebrations, and school/library educational programs.

"Before discovering MusikGarten, I taught public-school students in large classes; I knew all 800 of my students' names each year before Christmas! Now 'following' the imaginations of small groups of children in their early formative years (a la Montessori), I can provide more opportunities for them and their caregivers to participate. The joy of making music together is the core of MusikGarten, and it can stay with us for life; I love sharing it with you."