About Us
Meet our team
In 2011 Melody Magic opened it’s own studio to continue to offer the best to Richmond families — a clean, bright environment perfect for allowing children to learn and have fun. And for those little ones learning to walk? No worries! We added rubberized padding under our carpet to keep you as safe as possible!
Since 2015 we have been awarded the honor of “Kindermusik® Top Program,” meaning we are in the top 5% of Kindermusik® programs world-wide! The best of the best. Families that enroll with us can be assured they are making the best choice for their child and will be taught by highly trained teachers who will guide them along the way.
We look forward to having you at our studio! YOU are part of our family. Welcome!
Get Started With A Trial Class!
Join us in the studio to see what it's all about.
WE TEACH WHAT WE BELIEVE
Every moment, every class, and every activity is designed with our beliefs at heart. While music is such a powerful tool to help children grow, develop, and learn valuable life skills (and we could go on and on about the benefits of music), our studio environment and relationships with your children center around who they are right now. We want for them what you want for them. It’s about much more than music or learning. It’s about helping them thrive for the rest of their lives.
Creativity
Classes offer delightful activities that stimulate creativity, exploration, imagination, and learning through play. There are no rules, and every response or idea is accepted and honored, which in turn plays into a child’s confidence.
Confidence
Parents can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing their child is growing in confidence with each activity, and that they are being taught by highly-trained educators who are passionate about music education. And with a positive connection with their teachers, children feel safe and loved, and thus willing to take chances and try new things.
Connection
Melody Magic is a family-focused environment where each child and family is respected, appreciated, and valued, and where life-long friendships begin. The connections are endless — between parents and children, family to family, and teachers to students.
Inspiration
Melody Magic provides engaging education and materials that inspire families to tap into the power of music throughout the week (not just in class!), allowing the children to develop skills for life.
Love
The biggest of all. We praise. We high-five. We hug. And we smile. Because we truly care about our music family. We strive to encourage a love for learning and exploring. A love for friends, teachers, and families. And a love for all things musical.
Ms. Katherine, Owner and Accredited Kindermusik® Educator, Piano Instructor
Ms. Katherine has spent many years as an educator and musician. She grew up studying piano, voice, and violin, and performed in numerous local symphonies and musical productions. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she has a degree in Elementary Education with a minor in music. Katherine taught in the public schools for five years, providing her students with a compassionate teacher who always conveyed her love of music and children. She brings these two loves together again in her Kindermusik® classes and piano lessons. She has been an Accrecited Kindermusik® Educator since 2003, helping children of all ages grow and learn through music. She is also the proud mother of 4 young children whom she adores!
Katherine believes that, through music, children can develop the creative side, helping out-of-the-box thinking and willingness to try new things. She focuses on building confidence and inspiration in classes, as well as connection with others. Her goals are to help “tiny humans” become outstanding adults!
Ms. Faith, Accredited Kindermuisk® Educator, Group Piano Instructor, Private Lesson Instructor
Ms. Faith has lived in the Richmond area since 1996. A former middle/high school English/Drama teacher with over five years of classroom experience, she is now a homeschool mom of two, and teaches private piano lessons in the Lakeside area. Faith loves to sing, and has sung with choirs and church worship teams since middle school. She graduated from Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, VA with a degree in Drama. Since then, she has consistently taught in children’s ministries, and has shared her enthusiasm for drama and music with others by developing skits and directing full-length productions in school and at churches. Teaching piano is an ongoing passion for Faith, who studied piano formally as an adult. Piano can be studied both on and off the bench, and Ms. Faith utilizes games and activities for a fun-filled lesson. She believes that studying piano gives children a solid musical foundation for pursuing any other instrument, and that early piano study provides children the opportunity to cultivate a life-long love of music. She especially enjoys the joy and excitement that preschoolers bring to a music lesson.
Mr. Dustin, Private Lesson Instructor
Mr. Dustin has lived in the Richmond area his entire life. Dustin is currently completing his bachelor of guitar degree at VCU. In addition to serving as concertmaster of the VCU guitar ensemble, Dustin has privately taught guitar, bass, and ukulele for several years on his own before joining the Melody Magic team. Dustin has been playing music since the age of 12.
Dustin brings a compassion first approach to teaching. Dustin sees each student as a unique individual with their own approach to learning and works to inspire each child’s confidence and passion. Dustin caters to all styles of learning and has taught students of all ages and abilities.
Ms. Christina, Board Certified Music Therapist, Uke ‘n Play Instructor, Private Lesson Instructor
Christina has been singing since she can remember! As soon as she could, she joined her elementary school’s chorus and band and continued being involved in school music programs through high school. In high school, she was involved in chorus, show choir, women’s show choir, jazz band, marching band, concert band, and musical productions. During her senior year, she placed in the County, District, and Regional chorus!
After high school, Christina combined her passions of music and working with people by getting her bachelor’s degree in Music Therapy from Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA. Her primary instrument during college was classical voice and she was involved in concert choirs and an acapella group! To complete her degree, Christina completed her 1,200 hour music therapy internship at Penn State Health Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, PA where she led music therapy sessions in the children’s hospital, general hospital, and an eating disorders clinic.
Since completing her degree, Christina has worked with a wide range of people! She has worked in hospice care, public school special education programs, dementia care facilities, summer camps for children in the foster care system, and with individual clients with varying needs. Christina believes in meeting people where they are and using music to support their goals!
Outside of music, Christina is passionate about doula care and is currently completing her birth and postpartum doula certification. In her free time, Christina loves to go backpacking, swim at the river, read, and spend time with her two cats (Gimli and Eowyn).
Mr. Jeffery, Private Lesson Instructor, Ukulele Group Instructor
Mr. Jeffrey was born and raised in the Richmond area. He is currently the Music Teacher at Gayton Elementary School. Ian has a bachelor’s degree in music education from Virginia Commonwealth University with his primary instrument being the tuba and his secondary being percussion. Ian began his musical career in 2005 playing the saxophone. From a young age he knew that he wanted to be a music educator, which lead to his goal of learning as many instruments as possible. Ian specializes in the bass guitar, guitar, ukulele, brass, woodwinds, and percussion.
Ian is actively involved in the marching arts, currently instructing and writing drill for the Deep Run High School Marching Band. Ian also has a career in Drum Corps and WGI having performed and taught with various groups around the country such as The Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps, Colts Drum and Bugle Corps, Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps, and the George Mason Indoor Drumline.
Ian has a passion for teaching music at a young age and brings energy to all his lessons. He believes that learning music instills a foundation of creativity and confidence. His goal is to help students find a love and appreciate for music that can last a lifetime.
Outside of music Ian enjoys hiking, camping, exercising, snowboarding, playing videogames, disc golf, and spending time with friends.
Ms. Montana, Accredited Kindermusik Educator, Group Piano Instructor, Private Lesson Instructor
Ms. Angel, Accredited Kindermusik Educator, Group Piano Instructor, Private Lesson Instructor
Merry Richardson, Studio Manager
Merry was born in Colorado but moved to the Richmond area when she was two years old. She was homeschooled all through high school, along with her six siblings, and graduated in 2015. Merry has always had a passion for kids and has been working with them since she was 10 years old through babysitting and working in the children’s ministry at church. She even taught middle and high school students how to ballroom dance! She loves listening to music and singing along to her favorite songs. On her days off she enjoys spending time with her family, reading books, and watching her favorite shows and movies on TV.
