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Testimonials
"We have been attending Music for Aardvarks for 2 years now, and it never gets old, especially for my child. He loves the music,
it is all we listen to in the car!"
Cindy Kresch, Director
Cindy Kresch grew up playing many instruments, with cello and piano being her primary passions. After college and graduate school, she entered the corporate world, but after having her first child, Cindy rediscovered her love for music in a mommy & me class with her son. She was then asked to teach, and for the last nine years Cindy has been leading family music classes, first in Montclair, and then in Upper Saddle River. In 2007, Cindy brought Music For Aardvarks to Ridgewood, and in the last two years has expanded the program to two additional locations in Waldwick and Washington Township. She loves bringing the joy of music and play to all the families in her classes. Cindy lives in Allendale with her two beautiful children and she dedicates this program to the memory of her husband Ken, who relentlessly encouraged her not just to sing and play, but to share her love of music with others.
Sean Kiely, Assistant Director
Sean has been playing guitar since childhood, and teaching music for seven years. He graduated from William Paterson University with a Double Major in Music Studies and Creative Writing. He writes music & plays with the band Square Wave Punch throughout New York City and New Jersey. Sean loves playing music for children because there's nothing better than seeing a tiny Aardvark (or other mammal!) dancing, crawling, singing, drumming, grooving, or laughing along with this crazy music!
Merri Kapiloff, Teacher
Merri Kapiloff grew up singing in choirs and performing in musical theatre. She spent her undergraduate and graduate years studying Child Development, Child Life and Parent Education. She has spent many years working with children and families in a hospital setting. Merri has always had an appreciation for the role music can play in a child's development. Merri has been teaching Mommy and Me classes at the Glen Rock Jewish Center for the last several years. She lives in Glen Rock with her husband, 2 sons, a guinea pig and a rabbit. Merri is very excited to be teaching Music for Aardvarks!
Kristen Plumley , Teacher
As a child Kristen discovered her love for music through taking tap dance lessons, learning to play the violin, and singing in school choirs and musicals. She started taking voice lessons as a teenager, and studied opera and classical music in college and graduate school. She has been singing professionally for many years, and appears in operas, musicals and concerts locally, in New York City, and throughout the United States. When she was asked to help teach Music for Aardvarks after having taken classes with her own children, Kristen enthusiastically accepted. She believes that all children are innately musical, and she lives in Ridgewood with her husband, son and daughter (who are twins) and two cats (who are not twins).
Kristen's personal website
Pat Van Dyke, Guitar
Pat Van Dyke began his life in music at the age of seven. Beginning at an early age on piano gave him a head start on his goals over the past 20+ years. Majoring in performance at William Paterson's "Jazz Studies" program, Pat honed his skills on the drums while also studying composition and piano. Presently, Pat maintains a busy performance schedule as a lead as well as a freelance sideman. Pat's own band has released two records independently and played on many notable stages such as the legendary Blue Note Jazz Club and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC). Pat's days also consist of a busy teaching schedule allowing him to pass on the music that was taught to him. He currently teaches many private piano and percussion students while also holding teaching positions with various school districts in Northern New Jersey. Pat resides in Jersey City, enabling him to juggle his busy teaching schedule in North Jersey with a performance career in New York City and beyond.
Peter Holmgren, Guitar
Peter grew up playing the guitar, and has performed with various bands since high school. He graduated Ramapo College with a Bachelor's Degree in Music and K-12 teacher certification. After college Peter also picked up the mandolin as a second instrument, and has been teaching private guitar and mandolin lessons for 22 years. He continues to perform and write with his 4-piece rock band, Malmo, as well as playing solo and duo gigs around the tri-state area. Peter has been so blessed by the addition of the Aardvarks in his life—it brings him great joy to see the intrinsic happiness that the music brings to the little ones as well as their larger counterparts!
Bobby McCullough, Guitar/Bass
Bobby has been playing music since middle school, starting with upright bass, then guitar and electric bass. He has a B.S. in Music and certificates in Suzuki method. Bobby has been a music instructor for the past 7 years and continues to perform professionally throughout the east coast, playing jazz, classical, and rock music. Bobby grew up in Virginia and recently moved to Glen Rock (where his Dad grew up) to be closer to NYC.