A life-long music educator, musician, gardener, and bird watcher, Mary Rekers designs and leads music classes, mini musicals for young children and special family music events that bring all of these to life! Her mantra: if it’s fun, they will learn!

As a musician and educator, Mary is ever mindful of bringing an audience to music appreciation through playful echoing of rhythm and tone patterns. Through this exploration, audiences and children become aware of their own ability to make music and to enjoy it! Simple folk dances and singing games add to the enjoyment and build a sense of community.

As a gardener and bird-watcher, her music and movement classes frequently have experiences such as:

• pulling apart a milkweed pod to watch the seeds floating in the air, leading to moving with scarves and creating “floating sounds” on instruments
• creating a soundscapes with instruments and everyday objects to tell the story of life cycles (a butterfly, a frog, a dandelion)
• focused listening (recorded) to birds, insects, and weather sounds to inspire singing and instrument playing

She is trained in the MusikGarten curriculum (focused on early childhood) which is especially designed for family style music classes – grandparents, parents and children together – and addresses the developmental needs of children while instilling a love of music into the home environment. Mary also teaches piano lessons, plays in a dance band, teaches music theory, swims, teaches weekly music classes in preschools, is certified by OCCRRA, and fills out applications like this to become an Ohio Teaching Artist! You still with me? Just checking.

RECENT PROJECTS: Indian Hill Church Nursery School, preschoolers ages 4-5, artist-in-residence including integrated lessons and culimating concert for families.

Cincinnati Music Village, Evendale Arts Day, “Instrument Petting Zoo Activity,” all ages.

Availability

One day special events preferable, as Mary has a regular schedule of piano students and classes.
Possible programs include: Instrument Petting Zoos, Instrument Making with Recycled & Upcycled Materials