From: Doylestown, Pennsylvania

I started teaching music in… 2012

I started teaching at the Conservatory in… 2017

Who’s your inspiration, musical or otherwise? Tori Amos, Joni Mitchell

Few people know that I…have synesthesia

Education: BFA Musical Theatre – The Hartt School

I play and teach: Piano, Guitar, Ukulele, Voice

My other artistic/musical endeavors: I wrote and produced a solo show called Born MYdentity. I perform for children around the city with Stomp and Shout, and I also present drama workshops on drug and alcohol abuse prevention in middle and high schools with a non-profit theatre company called Improbable Players.

Personal Teaching Statement: Meet each student where they are, and take them where they want to go 🙂

Biography: Mary Jo began taking piano lessons at the age of five: Fun fact— She learned to read music before she learned to read words!

Mary Jo began her teaching career as a children’s performer in 2011, schlepping her guitar and instruments throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan. She is now in her fifth year teaching the Early Childhood class Sing and Play onsite here at BKCM, is a music director for the Brooklyn Children’s Theatre, and has a fierce group of private piano students on the side!

As a theatre performer, MJ has presented her original work in Manhattan festivals like United Solo and Emerging Artists Theatre New Works Festival, played leads in several regional Philadelphia musicals, and will be bringing her newest solo show to the Edinburgh Fringe this coming August at Greenside’s Forest Theatre @Infirmary Street. Stay tuned for crowdsourcing solicitations 😉