Hi There! I am TJ and I want to say WELCOME and
to thank you for visiting my Web Site!
Here is just a little about me
and why I enjoy music so very much. I am originally from the
Midwest (Illinois precisely) and my parents believed in offering me
as many opportunities
as possible. One of them being music. I started on the
clarinet and organ at the age of 8 years old. My music teacher in
Elem. School taught me how music can be one's best friend.
She was right! I loved playing both instruments and my parents
taught me how the passion of life can be portrayed in anything that
I want to do - and to me it was through music ...and coming from a
family of teachers, I knew I was destined to teach, loved it just as
much as sharing that love and passion of music with everyone I meet!
~~~~~
I
am a proud graduate of the University of Illinois
(Urbana, IL) School of Music and even more proud of being a member
of the prestigious "Marching Illini" (MI).
I graduated from the U of I with a degree in Music Education: Major
instrument being Clarinet; Minor: Vocal and Piano.
Just before graduation, I applied
for, and was hired by, a great school system in the Des Moines, IA
area. I was very lucky to have received this job offer when
teaching jobs were quite scarce. I taught Jr. High
Bands: Jr. High Marching Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, as well as
Beginner Band (4th grade) and Elem. Band (5th and 6th); Also taught
the Jr. High Chorus and General Music (classroom) for 7th and 8th
grades. Even wrote the Jr. High Gen. Music curriculum for the
school. Teaching there - my gosh, what a blast that was!
Greatest kids to teach, in the world! I was even the sponsor
for the Jr. High Cheerleaders as well as the Jr. High Boys Asst.
Basketball Coach. What a great time we all had!
~~~~~
During my 4th year of teaching, I met the man of my dreams: "Mark",
whom I married one year later. Mark and I have a love for dual
sport motorcycles and music, which brought us together so well.
We
enjoyed the spring, summers and fall of Iowa as we rode our
motorcycles on the weekends. However, we were not fond of the long,
cold, gray winters so soon we packed up and moved to Florida (1990).
Been residents here since.
Moved to Florida and was
hired by a Panasonic/Technics Musical Instrument Dealer.
My position asked me to write/develop the Educational Program for
their Home Entertainment Organs for the Senior Market here in FL.
This consisted of developing a three (3) year course for the market.
To create a program that as not only educational but also FUN! I
also taught for Technics/Panasonic and became VP of Education.
I was in charge of hiring and training teachers for this program for
the numerous stores, numerous years, here in Florida. I was
flattered to have been given the TEACHER OF THE YEAR award 4 of the
7 years I was there as an employee.
My other position, with
this dealer, was head of Promotions and Marketing. I established and
coordinated the yearly 3-day MUSIC EXTRAVAGANZAS - what fun that
was, too! Themed parties with GALA EVENING CONCERTS.
Eventually
we went to two 3-day events, back to back, due to the large
amount of attendees and popularity. We held a 3-day event for
the EAST COAST of FLORIDA and then a 3-day event for the WEST COAST
of FLORIDA the following days. My job was to set up the
hotel/meals, create the handouts/booklets and schedules as well as
set up the advertising and promotional plans. I coordinated the
artist' schedules and their program as well as the attendees
routine, clinics and workbooks and was the main emcee for the 3 day
program.
A few years later, I also
was hired for another music brand, "ROLAND" musical keyboard
instruments. Coordinating these "extravaganzas" was a tremendous
amount of work, but gosh those were such fun days of not only
working with the students/attendees but also all the famous artists
in the field. Such great results - such great memories!
I also have worked with
another music chain featuring the wonderful Lowery organs,
here in Florida. They asked me to "test-drive" a new pilot
concept called "THE STUDIO". One person facility....ME! Right
here in Palm Coast. We were the #1 store for this chain for
many months, not only in recruitment of students but also of organ
sales. Started with 12 students and within months had
increased to over 100, by the next year over 150 students!. Thanks
to all the students for "spreading the word!" We had so many parties
and concerts - had such fun "learning" to play in our classes!
I was even honored as their "TEACHER OF THE YEAR", my very first
year with them. Great memories!
~~~~~
Since then, Mark and I
established the first MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation)
Training
School for Flagler County...where we taught "newbies" the Basic
RiderCourseSM and "oldies" the Experienced RiderCourseSM
...the safety of how to ride motorcycles, become a better rider and
overall enjoy the experience and once again, "passion" of being a
motorcycle enthusiast!. What a blast that was! We both love to
teach! Teaching the passion of Motorcycling AND Music -
what could be better?! I come from a entrepreneur family and love
motivating people and encouraging folks to achieve their goals.
~~~~~
I
am honored to still be able to
love what I do: that is teaching music, performing concerts on
various keyboards: organ, digital piano and keyboard (which I have
been doing here in FLORIDA since 1991) as well as riding dual
purpose motorcycles (which I have been doing since I was 13 years of
age on our numerous vacations up in Minn. with my family) and
building businesses with my husband, Mark, since 1980.
Come and Join the Fun with US!
If you have any questions -
please feel free to
contact me.
I
hope that you allow me to share with you the passion of music and
teach you how to
enjoy playing!
as possible. One of them being music. I started on the
clarinet and organ at the age of 8 years old. My music teacher in
Elem. School taught me how music can be one's best friend.
She was right! I loved playing both instruments and my parents
taught me how the passion of life can be portrayed in anything that
I want to do - and to me it was through music ...and coming from a
family of teachers, I knew I was destined to teach, loved it just as
much as sharing that love and passion of music with everyone I meet!
I
am a proud graduate of the University of Illinois 
During my 4th year of teaching, I met the man of my dreams: "Mark",
whom I married one year later. Mark and I have a love for dual
sport motorcycles and music, which brought us together so well.
We
enjoyed the spring, summers and fall of Iowa as we rode our
motorcycles on the weekends. However, we were not fond of the long,
cold, gray winters so soon we packed up and moved to Florida (1990).
Been residents here since. 
Eventually
we went to two 3-day events, back to back, due to the large
amount of attendees and popularity. We held a 3-day event for
the EAST COAST of FLORIDA and then a 3-day event for the WEST COAST
of FLORIDA the following days. My job was to set up the
hotel/meals, create the handouts/booklets and schedules as well as
set up the advertising and promotional plans. I coordinated the
artist' schedules and their program as well as the attendees
routine, clinics and workbooks and was the main emcee for the 3 day
program. 
here in Florida. They asked me to "test-drive" a new pilot
concept called "THE STUDIO". One person facility....ME! Right
here in Palm Coast. We were the #1 store for this chain for
many months, not only in recruitment of students but also of organ
sales. Started with 12 students and within months had
increased to over 100, by the next year over 150 students!. Thanks
to all the students for "spreading the word!" We had so many parties
and concerts - had such fun "learning" to play in our classes!
I was even honored as their "TEACHER OF THE YEAR", my very first
year with them. Great memories!
Training
School for Flagler County...where we taught "newbies" the Basic
RiderCourseSM and "oldies" the Experienced RiderCourseSM
...the safety of how to ride motorcycles, become a better rider and
overall enjoy the experience and once again, "passion" of being a
motorcycle enthusiast!. What a blast that was! We both love to
teach! Teaching the passion of Motorcycling AND Music -
what could be better?! I come from a entrepreneur family and love
motivating people and encouraging folks to achieve their goals.
