Kelly is well-suited to teaching music to
preschool children. "I've never taught music
before working at Harmony Road, but I've
been a singer or performer most of my adult
life. My mother and grandmother, both
teachers, sang constantly to me as I was
growing up, and my legacy from them is a large
repertoire of children's songs and folk songs. So singing to children
and teaching them to sing is intuitive and joyful for me."
Kelly has a Master's degree in English and works part-time teaching English
and tutoring students in ACT prep. She and her husband both sing with the
praise and worship team at the Reidland church of Christ.
preschool children. "I've never taught music
before working at Harmony Road, but I've
been a singer or performer most of my adult
life. My mother and grandmother, both
teachers, sang constantly to me as I was
growing up, and my legacy from them is a large
repertoire of children's songs and folk songs. So singing to children
and teaching them to sing is intuitive and joyful for me."
Kelly has a Master's degree in English and works part-time teaching English
and tutoring students in ACT prep. She and her husband both sing with the
praise and worship team at the Reidland church of Christ.
Marsha Beaton comes to Harmony Road with a
wealth of teaching experiences, having retired
from Paducah Public Schools in 2005. She
began and ended her teaching career with the
public schools in music---teaching in High School
and Junior High to start her career, and ending with Elementary music. In
between, she was a 2nd and 3rd grade teacher for 23 years. Marsha is the
pianist at her church, Trinity United Methodist. She also directs the
Children's Choir there. In addition, she has an online antique store, "The Loft
Antiques" at www.rubylaneantiques.com.
Marsha loves children and music, so
the two are never far apart in her
activities. While teaching music at
Clark Elementary, she remarked
that she could most always recognize
the Harmony Road students when
they came to her. "Starting music
involvement at such an early age as
Harmony Road encourages, really
sets children up for success when they reach school age, and not only in
music. It also carries over into their academic subject areas as well." After
teaching a variety of classes at Harmony Road, she has found it especially
rewarding to grow with a group of students. "It's been fun watching these
babies grow and learn from several sessions of toddler classes to
completion of both Kids Make Music semesters. Even when they are shy, or
parents think they might not be participating as they wish they would, they
are pleasantly surprised when they hear them singing all the words and doing
the actions to the songs at home. Those little babes are like sponges, and
they are constantly absorbing what they see and hear around them."
Marsha remembers one little boy that came to class with his older sister,
and then followed with his own class. At the end of the session, the mom
sent a note saying that before the music classes, he never talked. Then, he
just began to open up and she credited his positive progress in
communication skills to being involved with the music classes--further
testimony to music being a key part of a child's developmental process.
Marsha has known this all along throughout her teaching career. When
teaching in her 2nd and 3rd grade classes, she knew that if she could teach a
song or a chant to go with a skill, the kids would retain it for longer.
wealth of teaching experiences, having retired
from Paducah Public Schools in 2005. She
began and ended her teaching career with the
public schools in music---teaching in High School
and Junior High to start her career, and ending with Elementary music. In
between, she was a 2nd and 3rd grade teacher for 23 years. Marsha is the
pianist at her church, Trinity United Methodist. She also directs the
Children's Choir there. In addition, she has an online antique store, "The Loft
Antiques" at www.rubylaneantiques.com.
Marsha loves children and music, so
the two are never far apart in her
activities. While teaching music at
Clark Elementary, she remarked
that she could most always recognize
the Harmony Road students when
they came to her. "Starting music
involvement at such an early age as
Harmony Road encourages, really
sets children up for success when they reach school age, and not only in
music. It also carries over into their academic subject areas as well." After
teaching a variety of classes at Harmony Road, she has found it especially
rewarding to grow with a group of students. "It's been fun watching these
babies grow and learn from several sessions of toddler classes to
completion of both Kids Make Music semesters. Even when they are shy, or
parents think they might not be participating as they wish they would, they
are pleasantly surprised when they hear them singing all the words and doing
the actions to the songs at home. Those little babes are like sponges, and
they are constantly absorbing what they see and hear around them."
Marsha remembers one little boy that came to class with his older sister,
and then followed with his own class. At the end of the session, the mom
sent a note saying that before the music classes, he never talked. Then, he
just began to open up and she credited his positive progress in
communication skills to being involved with the music classes--further
testimony to music being a key part of a child's developmental process.
Marsha has known this all along throughout her teaching career. When
teaching in her 2nd and 3rd grade classes, she knew that if she could teach a
song or a chant to go with a skill, the kids would retain it for longer.
Amy Allen received her Bachelor of Music
Education degree from Missisiippi State
University in 1981 and taught private piano
lessons for 10 years. She began teaching music
to preschool children in Paducah after moving
here in 1991. But her interest in providing an
early musical environment began when she
witnessed first-hand the advantages enjoyed by
her piano students who had been exposed to
early childhood music experiences. After a few
years of exploring song and curriculum materials from
a variety of preschool music programs, she chose to become a certified
Harmony Road instructor and open an authorized Harmony Road Music
Education Center in Paducah.
"I especially like the connection of the preschool music to piano skills training
and the way it flows right into piano lessons. Originally, I only planned to
teach the preschool components of HR, but when I saw some 8 year old group
piano students who could improvise and composed their own music at the
piano, transpose songs, and choose chord accompaniments by ear, I was
decidedly impressed! These were skills I thought only advanced students
could learn. The Harmony Road curriculum truly teaches whole musicianship,
and I wanted my students to learn all these skills from the beginning of their
music training.
In 2005 - 2007, Amy also received training in the Orff-Schulwerk, a
rhythm-based and student-centered philosophy of music education pioneered
by the German composer and educator, Carl Orff. She holds Level I, II, and
II certifications from the University of Kentucky, and incorporates many of
the teaching techniques into her Harmony Road curriculum instruction. Now in
her 13th year of teaching preschool music classes and group piano, she also
serves as the administrator and in curriculum development for classes taught
both in the studio and in local daycares and preschools. You may also find her
singing to the babies in
the Cradle Roll class at the Broadway church of Christ. Amy is married
to Stan Allen, and they have 3 daughters and two new sons-in-laws!
Education degree from Missisiippi State
University in 1981 and taught private piano
lessons for 10 years. She began teaching music
to preschool children in Paducah after moving
here in 1991. But her interest in providing an
early musical environment began when she
witnessed first-hand the advantages enjoyed by
her piano students who had been exposed to
early childhood music experiences. After a few
years of exploring song and curriculum materials from
a variety of preschool music programs, she chose to become a certified
Harmony Road instructor and open an authorized Harmony Road Music
Education Center in Paducah.
"I especially like the connection of the preschool music to piano skills training
and the way it flows right into piano lessons. Originally, I only planned to
teach the preschool components of HR, but when I saw some 8 year old group
piano students who could improvise and composed their own music at the
piano, transpose songs, and choose chord accompaniments by ear, I was
decidedly impressed! These were skills I thought only advanced students
could learn. The Harmony Road curriculum truly teaches whole musicianship,
and I wanted my students to learn all these skills from the beginning of their
music training.
In 2005 - 2007, Amy also received training in the Orff-Schulwerk, a
rhythm-based and student-centered philosophy of music education pioneered
by the German composer and educator, Carl Orff. She holds Level I, II, and
II certifications from the University of Kentucky, and incorporates many of
the teaching techniques into her Harmony Road curriculum instruction. Now in
her 13th year of teaching preschool music classes and group piano, she also
serves as the administrator and in curriculum development for classes taught
both in the studio and in local daycares and preschools. You may also find her
singing to the babies in
the Cradle Roll class at the Broadway church of Christ. Amy is married
to Stan Allen, and they have 3 daughters and two new sons-in-laws!
Ruth Somers began teaching at Harmony
Road in January of 2000 and has a Bachelor
of Music Degree from Murray State
University and a Masters of Music Degree
from the Southern Baptist Seminary in
Louisville, KY. Through the years, she has
maintained a private piano studio, served
various churches as pianist/organist and
directed children's choirs, accompanied
school choirs and worked as a teacher's aide
at Clark Elementary school. Currently she is
also the organist at Reidland Methodist
Church and accompanist for Kantorei, a local
community choral group founded by her late
husband, Lee Somers.
Road in January of 2000 and has a Bachelor
of Music Degree from Murray State
University and a Masters of Music Degree
from the Southern Baptist Seminary in
Louisville, KY. Through the years, she has
maintained a private piano studio, served
various churches as pianist/organist and
directed children's choirs, accompanied
school choirs and worked as a teacher's aide
at Clark Elementary school. Currently she is
also the organist at Reidland Methodist
Church and accompanist for Kantorei, a local
community choral group founded by her late
husband, Lee Somers.
"After years of private piano teaching, I
have found the group approach offers
many advantages over private lessons
and I am thoroughly enjoying the
Harmony Road philosophy of teaching
music like a language."
Ruth has 2 grown children and 2
grandchildren who have inspired her to
begin teaching the preschool classes of
the Harmony Road curriculum in addition
to her work with the group piano courses.
have found the group approach offers
many advantages over private lessons
and I am thoroughly enjoying the
Harmony Road philosophy of teaching
music like a language."
Ruth has 2 grown children and 2
grandchildren who have inspired her to
begin teaching the preschool classes of
the Harmony Road curriculum in addition
to her work with the group piano courses.
Rachel Hunt is in her 10th year of teaching
for the Harmony Road Music School. A
native of Paducah, she is an avid lover of
music, children, and teaching. These three
loves all find a common thread in the
Harmony Road teaching experience. Her
background as a private piano instructor,
pianist and member in a variety of musical
endeavors at her church, a B.S. degree in
Elementary Education from Murray State
University, as well as her love for families
and children - have positioned her well to
serve as a music instructor in the unique
setting Harmony Road provides.
for the Harmony Road Music School. A
native of Paducah, she is an avid lover of
music, children, and teaching. These three
loves all find a common thread in the
Harmony Road teaching experience. Her
background as a private piano instructor,
pianist and member in a variety of musical
endeavors at her church, a B.S. degree in
Elementary Education from Murray State
University, as well as her love for families
and children - have positioned her well to
serve as a music instructor in the unique
setting Harmony Road provides.
Early exposure, due to a family who
valued and incorporated music into
everyday life, and a gift she believes
came from God - have caused music
to be an integral part of her very
fiber. "From a child, I loved to
finger the keys of the piano at home
where my mother game private
lessons. As a result, I began picking
out melodies and accompanying them with chords at a very young age.
This kind of musical ear training is now the very concept I help
children develop in the music classes I teach - a most advantageous
aspect of the Harmony Road curriculum."
In addition to music, Rachel also enjoys healthy cooking, good-quality
reading, shopping, traveling and spending time with her family.
valued and incorporated music into
everyday life, and a gift she believes
came from God - have caused music
to be an integral part of her very
fiber. "From a child, I loved to
finger the keys of the piano at home
where my mother game private
lessons. As a result, I began picking
out melodies and accompanying them with chords at a very young age.
This kind of musical ear training is now the very concept I help
children develop in the music classes I teach - a most advantageous
aspect of the Harmony Road curriculum."
In addition to music, Rachel also enjoys healthy cooking, good-quality
reading, shopping, traveling and spending time with her family.
Kelly Walden is one of the Toddler Tunes
experts at Harmony Road. Her training for
the position actually began unexpectedly
when she enrolled her own children in the
program and experienced the benefits of
early exposure to music from the perspective
of a parent. She and her husband, Wayne,
have both attended Harmony Road classes
with their three children, Ryson, Cason and
Michael Ellen before Kelly took on the new
role as teacher.
experts at Harmony Road. Her training for
the position actually began unexpectedly
when she enrolled her own children in the
program and experienced the benefits of
early exposure to music from the perspective
of a parent. She and her husband, Wayne,
have both attended Harmony Road classes
with their three children, Ryson, Cason and
Michael Ellen before Kelly took on the new
role as teacher.
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