About Us
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Copyright 2009 Where Music Begins, All Rights Reserved |
Biographies
Cathy Hirata ~ Executive Director
Cathy has been involved in music for over 40 years. Her background includes formal voice and piano with the founding members of Opera San
Jose -- New York Metropolitan Opera Singer Irene Dalis and former Oberlin College Professor David Rohrbaugh and she has performed with the
San Jose Symphony and San Jose Opera. A scholarship recipient and graduate of San Jose State University, she received a Bachelor of Music
Degree in Vocal Performance, a secondary teaching credential in music education and is currently enrolled at the University of California Davis
Mind Institute certification program in autism studies. Ms. Hirata has one of the largest studios that provides adapted music lessons to
students with special needs in the Bay Area. In addition to being a Senior Associate Simply Music Teacher, she is a Certified Signing Smart and
Licensed Kindermusik Educator, the music director at Carden West Elementary School in Pleasanton and the Co-Representative for the Greater
Bay Area Chapter of the California Partnership of Kindermusik Educator’s. She is a published author and lecturer and has been recognized by
Kindermusik International as a Maestro for her work with children with special needs.
Cathy Hirata ~ Executive Director
Cathy has been involved in music for over 40 years. Her background includes formal voice and piano with the founding members of Opera San
Jose -- New York Metropolitan Opera Singer Irene Dalis and former Oberlin College Professor David Rohrbaugh and she has performed with the
San Jose Symphony and San Jose Opera. A scholarship recipient and graduate of San Jose State University, she received a Bachelor of Music
Degree in Vocal Performance, a secondary teaching credential in music education and is currently enrolled at the University of California Davis
Mind Institute certification program in autism studies. Ms. Hirata has one of the largest studios that provides adapted music lessons to
students with special needs in the Bay Area. In addition to being a Senior Associate Simply Music Teacher, she is a Certified Signing Smart and
Licensed Kindermusik Educator, the music director at Carden West Elementary School in Pleasanton and the Co-Representative for the Greater
Bay Area Chapter of the California Partnership of Kindermusik Educator’s. She is a published author and lecturer and has been recognized by
Kindermusik International as a Maestro for her work with children with special needs.
Lindy Hirata ~ Signing Smart, Kindermusik, Simply Music, ASL
Lindy is the Director of American Sign Language programs for Where Music Begins. She is Certified in both Signing Smart and American Sign
Language and a Licensed Kindermusik, and Accredited Simply Music Teacher with several years' experience teaching
developmentally-appropriate music and sign language classes to children in the Tri-Valley area. Her ample teaching skills, affinity for young
children, and ease with parents are in high demand. Parents and children alike immediately respond to her warmth and kindness, and Lindy is
quickly becoming one of the most requested Kindermusik teachers in the East Bay. Miss Lindy teaches with two academies: Where Music
Begins and Kindermusik with Miss Lindsay & Friends.
Lindy is the Director of American Sign Language programs for Where Music Begins. She is Certified in both Signing Smart and American Sign
Language and a Licensed Kindermusik, and Accredited Simply Music Teacher with several years' experience teaching
developmentally-appropriate music and sign language classes to children in the Tri-Valley area. Her ample teaching skills, affinity for young
children, and ease with parents are in high demand. Parents and children alike immediately respond to her warmth and kindness, and Lindy is
quickly becoming one of the most requested Kindermusik teachers in the East Bay. Miss Lindy teaches with two academies: Where Music
Begins and Kindermusik with Miss Lindsay & Friends.
Cathy DeWilde ~ Simply Music
Cathy is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, and currently resides in Pleasanton. She loves teaching both adults and
children and is very patient and kind. She has a strong commitment to music education. With a background of thirteen years of traditional
piano training, Cathy has experienced first hand the incredible success of Simply Music. She was first introduced to the Simply Music
program by enrolling her own children in piano lessons with Cathy Hirata. She was amazed at how quickly they gained such a huge
repertoire of sophisticated songs. Practicing was fun and not a chore.
Cathy is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, and currently resides in Pleasanton. She loves teaching both adults and
children and is very patient and kind. She has a strong commitment to music education. With a background of thirteen years of traditional
piano training, Cathy has experienced first hand the incredible success of Simply Music. She was first introduced to the Simply Music
program by enrolling her own children in piano lessons with Cathy Hirata. She was amazed at how quickly they gained such a huge
repertoire of sophisticated songs. Practicing was fun and not a chore.
Jeff Bordes ~ Brass Instructor
Linda Xie - Simply Music
Michelle Haque - Simply Music
Kathleen Petryshun - Simply Music
Jan Ibarra - Marketing
Katie Lai - Administration
Linda Xie - Simply Music
Michelle Haque - Simply Music
Kathleen Petryshun - Simply Music
Jan Ibarra - Marketing
Katie Lai - Administration
About Us
Where Music Begins is a privately owned music academy providing outstanding music education to students of all ages and abilities. We
believe that everyone is naturally musical and that children learn best in environments that nuture all aspects of their development while
encouraging development in the cognitive, emotional, perceptual, social, language and physical areas of everyone. We are committted to the
understanding of how each student learns enabling us to mold our programs to the needs and "learning ability" of each student. Our focus is
on the process not the performance allowing children and adults to experience the joy and magic of making music while fostering each
student's individual musicality, creativity and imagination while providing a well rounded music education, and exposing students to a
variety of music styles, composition, accompaniment and jazz.
Our teachers are highly qualified university educated individuals with extensive experience in teaching and performance. Kindermusik,
Simply Music and Signing Smart Educators are certified in the programs they teach. All of our teachers regularly participate in continuing
education programs to improve their skills.
Where Music Begins is a privately owned music academy providing outstanding music education to students of all ages and abilities. We
believe that everyone is naturally musical and that children learn best in environments that nuture all aspects of their development while
encouraging development in the cognitive, emotional, perceptual, social, language and physical areas of everyone. We are committted to the
understanding of how each student learns enabling us to mold our programs to the needs and "learning ability" of each student. Our focus is
on the process not the performance allowing children and adults to experience the joy and magic of making music while fostering each
student's individual musicality, creativity and imagination while providing a well rounded music education, and exposing students to a
variety of music styles, composition, accompaniment and jazz.
Our teachers are highly qualified university educated individuals with extensive experience in teaching and performance. Kindermusik,
Simply Music and Signing Smart Educators are certified in the programs they teach. All of our teachers regularly participate in continuing
education programs to improve their skills.