Cindy
Cohen, a caring, dynamic and gifted educator of young children
and talented music teacher, has been singing with children of all
ages since she was a child. Cindy has great expertise in teaching
young children and parents together in a mutually enriching and growth-oriented
musical setting. For over 19 years she has taught more than 4500 young
children and their accompanying adults the basic elements of music
in a fun, highly motivating and effective learning environment which
she has created. Formerly an elementary public school teacher, teaching
6th and 1st grades in Omaha, Nebraska, she later served as head teacher
and principal of a private school. Creatively, Cindy is a talented
musician, singer, songwriter, guitarist, curriculum writer and trainer
of teachers. Her enthusiasm and ability to gain rapport with young
children are well known.
Bill
Lippincott is a very talented musician, songwriter and teacher.
He accompanies Music Makers classes on piano and co-teaches with Cindy.
Bill plays soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones in several dance bands,
has written dozens of Music Makers hit songs, and wrote and recorded
many jazz pieces with the Marin group, the Jazz Iguanas. Bill is a
fine piano and saxophone teacher, always sensitive to the needs of
his students. Bill and Cindy have been working together teaching music
to young children for several years.
Music Makers is thrilled to benefit from the talented musicianship of Michael Knapp on cello, bass and piano. Michael loves working with young children and is a very patient teacher. His beautiful cello tone fills our room with an inspiring sound which adds so much to our orchestras. Michael is a faculty member of the San Francisco Community Music Center and a free lance musician playing everything from jazz at Sonoma wineries to chamber music, tangos and musicals. He is the bassist for the Solaris Chamber Orchestra in Burlingame. Students and parents alike enjoy Michael's upbeat and playful musical contributions to our classes.
Wendy
Fitz, Music Makers accompanist, is a delightful Country-Western,
folk and blues singer, songwriter, and keyboard player. She plays
keyboards and sings in several Marin bands. She enjoys working with
young children and is always ready to invite Music Makers children
onto the piano bench with her!
Our most recent addition to the Music Makers staff of piano accompanists is Alla Artemova. She is a graduate of the Moscow Conservatory holding a BA in Piano, Organ and Harpsichord performance. Alla teaches young children as well as piano students at all levels. Her beautiful playing delights all the parents and children in Music Makers classes. Alla believes, " Music brings beauty and harmony into our lives. It helps to open internal potential and promotes spiritual development of the person. It positively influences emotional and physical health of the person. Music gives pleasure and emotional satisfaction."
Peter Penhallow began playing piano and imitating Elvis Presley at the age of three, and he took up guitar at age nine. During the 13 years he was in the rock band Timmy, he cowrote and coproduced demos with Eddy Offord of Yes and Emerson, Lake, and Palmer; Andy West of the Dixie Dregs; and Vince Welnick of the Tubes. He has played in recording sessions with Mark O’Connor, Huey Lewis band members Bill Gibson and Mario Cippolina, and many others. When he is not composing, accompanying, or improvising, he enjoys producing. Penhallow has been a musical director for Children's and Community Musical Theater in Marin County, California, for 20 years and has more than 100 productions to his credit. He produced all the beautiful music on Cindy's CD's!
Guest Musicians
Demonstrations
of musical instruments by guest musicians enhance and expand music
awareness through a personalized exposure to instrumentation and
the texture of sound. Orchestral guest musicians have included:
violin, viola, cello, double bass, harp, French horn, trumpet,
clarinet, oboe, flute, timpani and xylophone. Other guest musicians
have added a world music perspective by sharing instruments from
other cultures such as:
Steel drums from the
Caribbean;
African rhythms through
Conga Drums, Bells and Shakers;
Balinese music of
the Gamelan with puppetry;
Indian music on Sarod,
Tamboura, Tablas and the Bansuri Flute;
Brazilian rhythms
of Capoeira with the Berimbau, Ganza and Tamborim;
Brazilian rhythms
of the Batucada (for Carnival) with Surdo, Cuica, and Agogo;
Irish and Eastern
European folk tunes on Hammered Dulcimer;
Didgeridoo and the
music of the Aborigines and Australia;
Medieval strings on
the Vielle;
Polkas and standard
dance music on the Accordion;
Songs of Appalachia
and Storytelling with the Dulcimer;
American folk tunes
on Banjo and Autoharp;
Hawaiian music traditions
on Ukulele, Uli-Uli and Shaka Sticks;
Drum Set and Percussive
Sound;
Rock and Roll with
Electric Guitar; and
Jazz and Blues on
Saxophone.
Guest Musician Samuka with berimbau from Brazil
Guest Musician Terry Russell demonstrating many trombones
Guest Musician Victor Avdienko demonstrating xylophone and glockenspiel
Guest Musician Val Serrant demonstrates steel drum and many percussion instruments from Trinidad and West Africa
Paul Johnson demonstrates amazing rhythms on his 14 piece drum set!
Students play percussion and string instruments with guest artists on harp and piano.
Michael is a faculty member of the San Francisco Community Music Center and a free lance musician playing everything from jazz at Sonoma wineries to chamber music, tangos and musicals. He is the bassist for the Solaris Chamber Orchestra in Burlingame. Students and parents alike enjoy Michael's upbeat and playful musical contributions to our classes. 
Our most recent addition to the Music Makers staff of piano accompanists is Alla Artemova. She is a graduate of the Moscow Conservatory holding a BA in Piano, Organ and Harpsichord performance. Alla teaches young children as well as piano students at all levels. Her beautiful playing delights all the parents and children in Music Makers classes. Alla believes, " Music brings beauty and harmony into our lives. It helps to open internal potential and promotes spiritual development of the person. It positively influences emotional and physical health of the person. Music gives pleasure and emotional satisfaction." 
Peter Penhallow began playing piano and imitating Elvis Presley at the age of three, and he took up guitar at age nine. During the 13 years he was in the rock band Timmy, he cowrote and coproduced demos with Eddy Offord of Yes and Emerson, Lake, and Palmer; Andy West of the Dixie Dregs; and Vince Welnick of the Tubes. He has played in recording sessions with Mark O’Connor, Huey Lewis band members Bill Gibson and Mario Cippolina, and many others. When he is not composing, accompanying, or improvising, he enjoys producing. Penhallow has been a musical director for Children's and Community Musical Theater in Marin County, California, for 20 years and has more than 100 productions to his credit. He produced all the beautiful music on Cindy's CD's!
