An Early Childhood music educator since 1999, Christy Zarlengo has been the director of Urban Music Together^® since 2001, and founded the Children's Music Center of J.P. in 2006. Christy has taught piano lessons, Suzuki piano and early childhood music classes at ZUMIX, Brookline Music School and the New School in Cambridge. She has an undergraduate degree in Psychology, and is an alumnus of the Berklee College of Music, where she studied voice, piano and songwriting. Christy has also studied at the summer Dalcroze Institute at the Longy School of Music. A resident of Jamaica Plain, Christy plays keyboards for the local wedding & function band "Precision." She recently completed a full-length CD of "grown-up songs," which you can listen to at Christyzarlengo.com, and she is co-creator and featured teacher in "Little Virtuoso: Music's Everywhere," an interactive music DVD/CD for children infancy-5 years. Available at: Littlevirtuoso.com

Ariana Balayan graduated from Wheaton College (MA) with a BA in Theatre and Dramatic Literature Concentrating in Directing. She spent a semester at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center and another studying in London. Since college, she has worked at Barrington Stage Company, Hartford Stage, and before moving to Brighton, taught drama at St Gabriel's School in Milford, CT.

Deborah Galiga has been teaching piano, guitar and voice to children and adults for over 20 years in private lessons. She recently hosted the Childrens Music Hour at the Roslindale Emack and Bolios on guitar and voice and also plays for childrens birthday parties. A professional pianist and singer, she has been active in musical pursuits since her education at Berklee College of Music. She has performed as a solo singer/songwriter in coffeehouses such as Passim and has produced a CD of her original songs. She has also performed in many bands playing a wide range of musical styles. As a new mom, Deborah has attended Music Together classes with her child for the last two years. She has noticed wonderful results and decided to become a teacher herself

A native of New Orleans, Miriam relocated to Boston in 2000 to attend Boston University, graduating with a degree in Sociology. Hoping that music could be a part of her future career as well, Miriam continued her education at the Berklee College of Music, studying Music Therapy. She currently works with children in the Boston area who have a range of special needs, and will receive her Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy in June, 2008. She will practice as a part-time Music Therapist in the fall, as well as continue to teach Music Together at the Children's Music Center. Miriam currently lives in Jamaica Plain where she enjoys JP Licks icecream, long walks in the Arboretum, and spending time with her cat, Calliope.

Jennie Mayer has had the pleasure of working with children in some form or another for the past nine years, including co-directing theatre workshops for elementary schools and teaching Sunday School to kids pre-K through grade eight. Jennie graduated suma cum laude from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a B.A. in Communication. She has extensive threatre experience, both on and off stage, and is excited to be a part of the Pocket Full of Tales family.

A native of Washington State, Jessica received her B.M. in Piano Performance from the Wheaton College Conservatory under the instruction of Daniel Paul Horn, William Phemister, and Kenneth Drake. She has served as a faculty member of the Wheaton Yamaha Music School where she received Yamaha Music Education teacher's certification. She recently received her Master of Music degree from Boston University in Collaborative Piano under the instruction of Shiela Kibbe, where she worked as a graduate assistant and received top departmental honors. Jessica has held accompanist positions for numerous choirs and individuals throughout the Boston and Chicago areas and currently serves at her Malden, MA church as the Assistant Director of Worship and Media while working for the Starbucks Coffee Company.

Dave Piper is a music teacher, bass player, and recording engineer from Somerville, MA. He spent this past year as the choral director at North Andover Middle School. He holds degrees in Music and English from UMass Amherst, music engineering & production from Berklee College of Music, and is trained and registered to teach Music Together by the Center for Music & Children in Princeton, NJ. When Dave’s not teaching, he stays busy recording Boston area singer-songwriters and jazz musicians at “Streetlight Sound”, his Somerville recording studio, and playing bass in the folk-rock bands “New Originals” and “Pretty Pennies”. He’s been known to play his end-of-class lullabies on lap steel guitar, ukulele, trumpet, and trombone!

Carly comes from a very musical family of seven, born and raised in Mesa, Arizona. Carly started taking piano at the young age of six. From that moment on she has had a love for piano and has continued learning. This love for piano has grown into a love for teaching it. She loves watching and helping her students grow and learn in many ways.
Carly is currently pursuing a Music Education degree at Berklee College of Music. Eventually she wants to be a choral music teacher at the High School level. She also has a passion for singing. She participated in many vocal competitions in the regional and state level throughout her High School years. Carly recently spent five months in China teaching English to children. Her time spent in China only increased her love for kids and for teaching. She taught private piano lessons throughout High School from her home and also at La Musique, a piano studio in Mesa Arizona. Music is a huge part of her life and her ultimate goal is to share with as many people as possible.

A recent graduate at Berklee College Of Music, James Richardson's musical accomplishments are impressive for his age. Going on tour at the age of 17, James has performed with some of the great R&B legends like Gladys Knight, Franky Beverly and Maze, Keith Sweat and many others. James has been teaching music for as long as he has been studying it. James believes that music is something that should be shared and be nurtured. James future plans are to go back to school and study animation to be able to create cartoons and video games.