teaching staff

Michael Showalter

A family senses the early years matter but can’t find a music experience that treats them as participants, not spectators. Most children’s programs aim entertainment at kids while adults sit on the sidelines. Underneath that: the parent is afraid they’re not musical enough to matter in the room.

Mike grew up in a family where music was something people made together. He assumed that was normal. When he discovered it wasn’t, he felt disappointed—not for himself, but for the families who had lost something they didn’t know they were missing. Fifteen years singing in DC’s finest choral ensembles taught him that music works when every voice carries a part. He built Mister Mike’s Music on the belief that music-making is a birthright, not a talent.

“I saw it in my own children’s faces. This music offered something richer—something parents could genuinely be part of without any formal training.”

In his classes, adults sing harmony, work through hand dances that small children won’t master for years, and carry real musical responsibility. Without that model, children grow up believing music belongs to someone else. With it, songs show up at the dinner table, in the car, at bedtime. Music becomes something your family makes, not something you consume.

Libby Quaid

A new parent is overwhelmed and craving something meaningful to do with their child. They remember loving music but haven’t sung in years. They feel self-conscious—like they need to be “musical” to participate.

Libby understands that hesitation because she lived it. She grew up playing piano and clarinet in a family of singers, built a career as an award-winning education journalist at the Associated Press, and discovered Music Together as a parent. What surprised her was how much she needed it herself. She knows what it feels like to hold back, and she knows what changes when you stop. A parent doesn’t need special training to be their child’s most important musical model.

“A parent doesn’t need special training to be an enthusiastic participant. I want to show children that anyone can sing and dance and enjoy music.”

In her classes, she draws hesitant adults into the music with warmth and humor until they realize they’ve been singing without thinking about it. Without that invitation, the parent stays on the sideline and the child learns music is something other people do. With it, the parent rediscovers something they thought wasn’t for them, and music becomes a shared language at home.

Stephen Leroy

A family wants a rich musical experience for their child, not singalong entertainment. The parent may have their own musical interests but sees children’s music as simpler and less interesting. They haven’t considered that a music class could challenge them too.

Stephen came to Music Together as a bass guitarist, Georgetown-trained linguist, and father—not as a prospective teacher. His recordings have been heard in films and on radio. He has long been fascinated by how people learn music. He came to understand the curriculum for his own children. One demo class changed that, because he saw what happens when adults and children make music together instead of separately.

“When adults participate alongside their children, music stops being something we hand down and becomes something we share. That changes what a child understands about who music belongs to.”

In his room, he brings guitar, ukulele, banjo, and bass—but uses them to pull families into the music rather than performing for them. Without that, the parent outsources music and watches from the side. With it, the parent discovers this music is more sophisticated than they expected—and that they’re part of making it.

Deborah Silverman

A family new to the area or to parenthood is looking for community. They want warmth and acceptance, especially if their child is shy, wiggly, or still figuring out group settings. They worry they’ll be judged for their child’s behavior.

Deborah’s musical life has always been participatory—cello, piano, musical theater, and a local klezmer band. She experienced Music Together from both sides, attending classes with her son Zev before becoming a teacher. She knows what it feels like to walk into a room hoping your child will cooperate and discovering that cooperation isn’t the point.

“I love giving parents the opportunity to be musical models for their children. Everyone is musical. Parents will always be the best teachers for their own kids.”

In her room, her energy and experience draw adults into the music naturally. No one watches from the edge. Without that welcome, the family stays isolated and keeps searching. With it, they find their community, and the child grows up inside a musical group where they’ve always belonged.

Hunter Ringsmith

A family—especially one with a dad or partner who feels awkward about singing—wants to participate but doesn’t have a model for what that looks like. Singing and moving in front of other adults feels exposing.

Hunter is a trained actor and singer with degrees from SMU and UC Irvine, including work at Folger Theatre. He knows what it means to connect with a room. But he channels that training toward making families feel safe enough to join in, not toward performing for them. Music is something everyone carries with them, not something reserved for spotlights.

“Music is a lifelong pursuit, and it starts with the people closest to you choosing to make it together. When adults sing, children learn that music is theirs too.”

In his classes, his playfulness makes participation feel natural before you have time to feel awkward. Without that model, the self-conscious adult opts out and the child sees a parent who watches. With it, the adult who came in stiff leaves singing in the car, and participation becomes the family’s default.

Lisa Petrone

A parent who cares about their child’s development wants something with real educational substance, not just fun. They may be a former educator themselves. They’re skeptical a children’s music class could be rigorous enough.

Lisa earned a clarinet scholarship in college, studied education and Spanish, spent three years in Spain as a Fulbright Scholar, and taught fourth-grade Spanish immersion for eight years. She still plays with the Fairfax County Wind Symphony. She discovered Music Together during the pandemic and recognized immediately that the program was built on real pedagogy—not just good vibes.

“It’s not just singing around children and hoping they join in. It’s intentional. And when parents are genuinely part of it, you can see what changes in a child.”

In her room, she brings an educator’s instincts and a musician’s ear. She builds participation steadily, never rushing families who are finding their way in. Without that substance, the family chooses something flashy that entertains but doesn’t build a foundation. With it, the parent sees real depth in their child’s musical development—and realizes the program challenges them too.