"Risa Waldman is an extremely special individual.  Her musical gift combined with her sensitivity and understanding for young children make this class an extraordinary experience not to be missed.  Every once in a while things come along in life that seem too good to be true.  Risa's Making Music Together class is just one of those things!"

Risa has had an extensive & joyful professional career in Musical Theatre, singing and dancing on stages across Canada, the U.S. and as far away as Japan.  She even toured for many years with Donny Osmond in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”.  Born in Toronto, her background includes studies of Piano, Cello, Music Theory & History through The Royal Conservatory of Music and Developmental Psychology & Children's Literature at The University of Toronto. She is also a graduate of the Banff Centre for Fine Arts.

Risa has taught various disciplines of dance and is actively involved in Children's Television and Theatre as a choreographer and director. She can be seen in commercials, TV & Film and was a judge for the Canadian Juno Awards in 2013.  Risa also sits on the Board of Directors for Education Arts Canada.

Risa became a registered Music Together teacher in New York City 2003 and The Center for Music and Young Children in Princeton, NJ awarded her the Music Together Certification Level I status for outstanding achievement in teaching, musicianship, program philosophy and parent education.

In 2013 Risa took on her biggest and best role...mother to her beautiful daughter Katie, now singing up a storm!  

Carlos is a musician, teacher, singer-songwriter and music producer born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and raised in Colombia. His music education began at age 7, where he participated in the school orchestra as a trombonist. Since then, his life has been completely linked to music!  After high school, he began his studies in Music with an emphasis in Audio Production at the University of Andes in Colombia, and began studying vocal technique to combine his knowledge in musical production, with singing. In 2014, he began his career as a singer, debuting in the industry with his first album, "Por Tu Amor".

Carlos has always been passionate about teaching with love, patience and commitment.   In 2019 he began working at the University of Santander as a teacher and coordinator of staff and events in the arts and culture sector, in addition to working at the Universidad Popular del Cesar teaching singing and music production. In 2021, he joined the National Learning Service-SENA, the largest public educational institution in the country, teaching music to vulnerable and displaced populations.

In 2022, Carlos receivef the greatest gift of his life, the birth of his first child, Angel Daza, knowing the most sincere and transparent love that a human being can experience.   Carlos is a passionate, cheerful, respectful and very charismatic person, always willing to help others. With the belief that a smile can change another person's day.  He is so excited to be part of the Making Music Together family!

Jonny grew up in a Scarborough home surrounded by music. From a mother and father who danced and sang in a house full of song and classical guitar lessons from the age of nine, to flute in high school concert and show bands and playing live music as a solo performer as well as in many different bands, to a lifelong hobby of learning stringed instruments from around the world, his love for music continues to grow. Jonny eventually moved to Japan and began using music extensively in children’s English classes that he taught in rural Ehime prefecture. After a move to Tokyo, he discovered Music Together® while researching childhood music lessons and music therapy. The teacher training he then attended, run by Music Together® founder, Ken Guilmartin, changed Jonny's life as a teacher and a musician! He began teaching Music Together® classes at an English preschool in Saitama City in the preschool setting as well as in parent/child mixed age classes. 13 years later and after attaining level 1 certification, he is still loving it! He says, “Sometimes I think I have more fun than the kids! To watch young children discover new things about themselves and to see families enjoy making music…together! To be a part of that enjoyment, is a wonderful way to work! Oh, and please, call me Jonny!”

Sabrina (she/they) is a singer/actor who trained in musical theatre at Randolph College for the Performing Arts, having graduated in August of 2019. She began her journey in the performing arts as a child watching their mom on stage and listening to her sing and play guitar around the house. They started formal vocal training from the age of 13 before starting at a performing arts high school and being heavily involved with the youth theatre group First Act Youth Company. She went on to teach with First Act as an assistant instructor and then full instructor from 2016-2019. They also currently teach private children's vocal lessons with Beethoven at Home. You may also see them perform in their indie band Amaryllis!  Sabrina is so excited to continue her teaching journey with Making Music Together and to share her love of music with the next generation!

Gabrielle is a musical theatre performer based in Toronto. She is a graduate of Randolph College for the Performing Arts where she studied musical theatre performance. Gabrielle has been studying voice privately since the age of 5 and participated in competitive dance for over 10 years. While she has worked with children for many years, following graduation she has had the pleasure of working for a national non-profit child and youth foundation. At said foundation she facilitated programs for all age ranges, including, but not limited to: mentorship for mothers and daughters, career development for at-risk youth, as well as a dramatic arts program for struggling youth in conjunction with a local school board. Fun with Music Together combines her passion for early childhood development with her love of music.

Meagan is a graduate of the Musical Theatre program at the Randolph College for the Performing Arts. She started studying music at the age of 11, and currently works as a voice actor for a number of children’s cartoons, commercials, video games and audiobooks. For years, Meagan performed for children of all ages as various characters for Fantasy Fables Princess Palace birthday parties and events. She currently sings in Mississauga based cover band Streetfire, and performs in various theatre productions in the GTA. 

Izzy was inspired to start teaching Music Together after first attending children’s music classes with her son in 2018. Music Together’s philosophy and emphasis on the joy of making music both in class and at home resonated with her both as a parent and as a musician. 

A multiple JUNO award winner, Izzy has toured extensively over the last ten years performing folk, rock, and pop music. She has performed in a dozen countries as well as toured across Canada more times than she can count. In addition to being a vocalist, Izzy is an accomplished violinist and violist, as well as dabbling in piano, cello and guitar. She has taught violin to students of all ages and loves watching students learn and grow. 

Ara is a trained singer and performer/choreographer working in theatre and dance.  Originally from New York, she holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and MFA from UC Davis. She has taught theatre and dance classes as well as directed plays for children in New York and California.  Highlights include creating two original jukebox musicals (Gulliver's Travels and Where the Wild Things Are) that featured 80s power ballads and arena rock -- as Max sails to the island students sang Stix' "Come Sail Away" while five year olds dressed as lobsters played hardcore air guitar. Ara is a registered Music Together teacher.