All teachers employed by Music Together first notes have completed teacher training sponsored by the Center for Music and Young Children in Princeton, New Jersey.
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Karen Sloneker, Teacher/Director
Karen plays second trumpet with the Pittsburgh Ballet and Opera Orchestras. A member of the faculty at the Rogers Middle School for the Arts from 1981 to 2009, she has also taught music at Carriage House Children’s Center in Squirrel Hill. Karen formerly taught in the Music Department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and at Seton Hill College. She holds Music Together Certification Level II, Early Childhood Music and Movement Association Certification Level II, and Orff Level One Certification. Karen is currently completing her Pennsylvania Music Education K-12 Certification.
She has been a presenter at the Pittsburgh Association of Educators of Young Children annual conference on three occasions, and has led workshops with early childhood educators on children's musical development. She was a guest presenter at the Greater Pittsburgh Montessori Society last fall. Karen is working to complete her certification in the PQAS training system to provide continuing education for early childhood educators.
Karen attended Music Together classes with her children, Ean and Marnie. She is a member of the Music Educators National Conference, Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, National Association of Educators of Young Children, and the Early Childhood Music and Movement Association.
Kristin Schaffner, Teacher
Kristin received her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Music degrees from Carnegie Mellon University, where she studied with Ralph Zitterbart and Sergey Schepkin. Her work at CMU also includes earning her Certificate in Piano Pedagogy and research in Dalcroze Eurythmics, a method of teaching music that focuses on using rhythmic movement, ear training, and improvisation to unlock creativity and enlivened music making. Along with her music studies, Kristin has training in the Alexander Technique, a technique which focuses on teaching students to recognize and overcome habituated limitations within their manner of movement and thinking. Kristin currently teaches music at the Carnegie Mellon Preparatory School, the Sweetwater Arts Center, Pittsburgh Rogers CAPA 6-8, and the Yeshiva School. She recently completed training to become a Music Together teacher and will begin teaching for Music Together First Notes in September, 2009. Kristin was the winner of the Steinway Society of Pittsburgh’s annual piano competition in 2003.
Katy Athey, Teacher
Katy travels from Bethel Park, PA to help share the importance of music in the lives of children and adults. She received her Music Education degree with voice as her applied instrument at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC and pursued extensive studies in psychology. She is currently working as a Therapeutic Support Specialist working with families with special needs, and is determined to complete her Pennsylvania teacher certification. Coming from a family rooted in music-making, Katy has a deep love for people of all ages and a desire to connect with individuals through music. As a young woman and new teacher, she has garnered support and praise from the families she touches.
Debbey Altman-Diamant, Teacher
Debbey has been working with young children for the past 25 years and has played and enjoyed many genres of music all of her life. In school she was in the chorus and band and was the chorus director in the high school musical. She plays the flute-both Western and Chinese (xiao) and guitar and sings (in the shower, in the car, around the house), whenever possible.
Debbey majored in developmental psychology as an undergrad and did her graduate work in occupational therapy with a focus on pediatrics. She did an internship at the Experimental Education Unit in Seattle, WA, worked in San Francisco at the Easter Seals Early intervention program, did individual therapy and movement groups in the Head Start program and ran dance/movement groups for children and teens with special needs at the Children’s Center for Movement Therapy. She lived for a year in China, where she volunteered at an orphanage, teaching staff about therapy and development and working with the babies there, and studying Chinese flute. In Pittsburgh she has worked as an OT in the school system and currently works in early intervention – visiting children with developmental concerns and their families at home. She is also a certified Infant Massage instructor and practitioner of Yoga for the Special Child.
Debbey came to Music Together by way of her youngest child, Aviv, and fell in love with the program. She felt it was an amazing way to introduce young children, in a developmentally appropriate way, to love and enjoy music. She was thrilled to do the Music Together teacher training and looks forward to sharing her love of music with children and their families.
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