ECMS directors and TEACHERS

DIRECTOR

Anthony Williams has been the director of ECMS for over 5 years. Anthony began his formal study of music at Randolph-Macon College and quickly became active in choral ensembles, guitar studies, music technology, and composition. He later continued his education at George Mason University where he received his Master of Music degree in Composition. During this time, he continued to study guitar with Larry Snitlzer, a student of classical guitar Master Andre Segovia. During his graduate studies, he began to teach guitar, piano, voice, and composition full-time.

During this time he discovered that he enjoyed working with beginner musicians to help instill music fundamentals and spark a passion to start student’s musical journeys at every age. Since 2016 Anthony has been a part of the Williamsburg United Methodist Church staff as Director of Youth and Children’s music. During this time he has continued to further his skills in music education with young people. His achievements and further training are as follows:

• Certifications in over 8 MusikGarten curriculums
• Published choral works including an Editor’s choice award for children’s choral anthem “Bless You”
• Completion of Chorister’s Guild Institute working with nationally recognized children’s conductors, composers, and program leaders
• Participation in Early Childhood Music in Motion Association’s International Conference 2019
• Commissioned and featured composers for churches, school districts, and colleges.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Tamara Carver is the Assistant Director of the Early Childhood music school. Not only is she an expert at teaching all of our classes from First Music- Young Musicians 1, but also her background in finance assists her with the account management components of the ECMS program. Tamara received her BA in Economics and Business from the University of Pittsburgh and an MBA from Old Dominion University. While raising her daughters in the Hampton Roads area she enrolled them both in ECMS. During her time as a parent, she fell in love with the program.

With a good eye and ear for talent in her classrooms Mrs. Cindy Freeman, former director, recognized Tamara’s potential gifts to ECMS. Now Tamara brings with over 15 years of experience her love of learning, dancing, and attention to detail to her classrooms. Not only has she participated in several MusikGarten trainings, ECCMA workshops, and education seminars but she also attended the Graduate Summer Music Institute at the University of Hartford. During this course, she furthered her education in Music Learning Theory by Edwin Gordon a Music Education Theorist on which much of our curriculum is based. One of Tamara’s main passions is working as an outreach teacher with our Elliot’s Song program. She provides weekly music instruction to at-risk preschool children in the WJCC area.

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YOUNG MUSICIAN 2, BEGINNER KEYBOARD

Ginger Barr has been a longtime active member of the Williamsburg United Methodist Church as well as the Williamsburg Music Community. During her undergraduate studies, she was a member of the William and Mary College choir. She is currently active with WUMC Sanctuary Choir, Williamsburg Women’s Chorus & Choraliers, and Cantori Choral Ensemble.

Ginger has been employed by ECMS since 2006. For years she participated as a classroom assistant in several of our levels. Through her time working with our teachers, she grew to be extremely well-versed in several of our curriculums. Ginger solidified her knowledge through the Musik Garten certification program and works with our Young Musician 2 levels as well as our beginner Keyboard levels. One of her favorite parts of our program is how the keyboard classes bring a holistic approach to playing the music, understanding the theory, and introducing reading music in a fun and attainable format. She also enjoys having 4 grandchildren participate in the program.

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BABIES, TODDLERS, AND EXPLORERS

Kathy Parisi has been teaching at ECMS for over 15 years. Kathy has been a violinist almost her entire life and continued her studies at Hofstra University in Homestead, New York where she received a Music degree in Music Management. Upon arrival in Williamsburg, she has been active in Williamsburg’s music community. Kathy has been a professional violinist at Busch Gardens, and groups around town, as well as grown her own flourishing Violin and Viola studio.

While attending music classes with her boys Kathy enjoyed how ECMS laid a strong foundation for music learning with young families. Since then she has been certified to work with several of our classes and excels at all of our parent and me classes. She has also been an active teacher in our outreach program Elliot’s Song since 2011.

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