Teachers
Matty Powell
"Matt Powell is a multi-instrumentalist including bass and guitar, and a graduate from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. As the son of two music educators, Matt knows first hand the benefits of being exposed to interactive music at a very young age.
Through early private instruction, he developed a strong background in classical and jazz bass, leading him to perform with several prestigious groups, including the 2005 NYSSMA All-State Symphonic Orchestra where he served as principal chair. He later was accepted to the Berklee College of Music where he received a degree in Music Production and Engineering.
Over the last 12 years, Matt’s professional music career in Boston has consisted of an eclectic mix of performances, touring, studio gigs, private lessons, production, audio engineering, and composition. Matt has always attributed his versatility in music to the exposure he had to it from an early age.
Matt’s Instruments: Bass, Guitar, Voice, Piano"
Tommy Dempsey
Tommy Dempsey is a multi-instrumentalist including drums guitar and piano. Tommy studied voice under renown vocal therapist Mark Baxter. Tommy has taught music class as a part of Baby Wiggle (Boston Center for the Arts), as well as at the Boston Children's Museum. Tommy has performed at festivals and libraries throughout the North East, singing, playing percussion and guitar as a member of the children's music group -Sara Wheeler's "Little Groove" band.
His energetic classes use a lot of percussion and call and response rhythm training using the voice and hands. Tommy believes that through music, children can learn both about structure, as well as freedom and individuality in a fun learning environment.
As a solo singer and songwriter, Tommy has released 3 CD's touring throughout Europe and Japan. He has just co-produced, and is about to release his first full length solo CD entitled "eleven : eleven
Tommy's Instruments - Voice, Guitar, Piano and Drums
Grace Jenkins
Grace is a singer/songwriter with a performing background and more than ten years of experience working with children. Growing up in a very musical home, Grace started playing piano by age 5.
She picked up guitar and ukulele in her teens and started writing her own songs, performing locally at open mics with her sister. Grace also enjoyed singing and performing in musical theater productions.
As a nanny for the last ten years, Grace has extensive experience working with small children and infants. She attended Little Groove class for five years prior to joining the Little Groove team. Now on the other side of the classroom, she loves seeing the joy and delight the children get from engaging with music.
Instruments: Voice, Guitar, Ukulele, Piano
Sara Wheeler
Sara Wheeler has a music degree from Berklee College of Music. She has worked with children for over 15 years. Sara started working with children in Michigan with the Birmingham Autistic Music program. She has taught music in Japan in Kamakura and in Boston at the Cambridge Montessori School and the Newman School.
Sara studied music at Berklee College of Music in Boston with her focus being songwriting and music education. She has produced and recorded five original adult contemporary folk/pop CD's and has toured all over the world playing music at festivals and schools.
Sara has lived in Boston, Japan and Switzerland. Awards - Parents Choice Award for her CD Building Blocks, Massachusetts Cultural Council Creative Teacher Partner 2005, NACA College Coffeehouse Performer of the Year Finalist 2000, Boston Music Award Nomination for Best Folk Rock Band 1999, Acoustic Underground Finalist 1995, Berklee College of Music Scholarship 1987 - 1991
Sara's Instruments - Trumpet, Guitar, Percussion, Voice and Piano.
Jenny Chu
Jenny Chu is a singer-songwriter, arranger, and music director in the Boston Area. She writes and performs her songs under the artist name JC Alula. She grew up studying violin from the age of 6 and attended orchestras from the age of 9. With the experience of learning classical violin, she encountered the musical world which later on helped her figure out her interest in singing.
Despite her previous studies and career paths in business, Jenny’s love for music led her to study music abroad and later graduate from Berklee College of Music. She was a scholarship student majoring in Performance and Contemporary Writing And Production. During her time at Berklee, Jenny explored and expanded her musical horizons leading her to delve into different genres, including pop, jazz, musical theater, rock, soul, Latin music, and R&B.
Jenny believes that “Music is a language to connect souls” and her journey in music can bring joy and happiness to people of all ages.
Jenny’s Instruments: voice, violin, guitar, and piano.
Skuli Thorsteinsson
Skuli Thorsteinsson started music early with the violin at age 3, and picked up the guitar at age 13. Since moving to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music, he has been performing all around the Northeastern US with his band Congress as well as with the Beantown Swing Orchestra in addition to giving private guitar lessons.
Skuli is excited to introduce kids to the joy of music at Little Groove, much like he was introduced to it at such a young age, and help them grow and develop through music.
Skuli's Instruments: Voice, Guitar, Violin
Amanda Thonn
Amanda Thonn has been studying music her whole life. Her passion showed at an early age and it was clear that it would be the forefront of her life and career.
Amanda is a multi- instrumentalist focusing on violin/fiddle, voice, guitar, ukulele, piano and theory. She has been teaching for over 13 years and has experience working with students of all ages and abilities. She teaches all genres and styles of music from classical, rock, pop, jazz, old time and anything in between.
Not only is Amanda an intuitive teacher, she is also a heartfelt performer. You can find her performing throughout the area in various groups. Playing at music festivals to weddings, she uses her live performance experience to help her students prepare for being in bands and further their education.
Amanda's Instruments- Violin, Voice, Guitar, Ukulele, and Piano
Alex Tagliani
Alex Tagliani is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and music producer currently attending UMass Lowell for Sound Recording Technology with a voice focus.
Alex first started playing piano at the age of five, and has since taught himself guitar, bass, and drums. Over the years, Alex has been involved with musical theater productions, taught music lessons, and played with different local bands around the North Shore and Boston area.
Alex now writes and records music with his current band, as the lead vocalist and guitarist. He is thrilled to be working with Little Groove!
Alex’s Instruments: Voice, Guitar, Piano, Bass, and Drums
Addison Chase
Growing up in rural New Hampshire, Addison got his start playing local open mic nights in more populated areas like Concord and Manchester. Gaining confidence in his abilities, Addison quickly began to pack the bars wall-to-wall for his own shows in his home town of Hopkinton, NH.
Addison soon began taking his act further and started recording and playing local clubs in Boston, MA. Quickly after moving to Boston, Addison started a band, began touring nationally, and opening for some big acts like Dr. John, Quite Riot, and Foghat to name a few.
Addison has released multiple albums under his own name, as well as with his band “Dressed for the Occasion” and continues to be a staple in the New England local music scene.
Addison's Instruments: Guitar and Voice
Zoey Gulotta
Zoey Gulotta is a singer/songwriter and a current student at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts to major in Professional Music with tracks in Songwriting, Jazz Composition, and Performance and double-minor in The Business of Live Music and Philosophy.
She has performance experience singing with jazz bands where she grew up in Long Island, New York and various groups from her high school, her favorite being a collegiate-level a cappella group. She is currently working on recording her first album of music, inspired by the genres of R&B, Jazz, Neo-Soul, and Mid-Century Pop.
Zoey is super excited to be a part of the process of introducing music to children. Most of Zoey’s skills as a vocalist and instrumentalist were self-taught until she was able to support herself to gain professional training, and she is super grateful to help provide children these musical opportunities she used to long for in her younger years. She loves spending time with the children and seeing the happiness music brings them.
Zoey’s instruments include: Voice, Piano, Guitar.
Dylan Travers
Dylan is a musician and performer, with over ten years’ experience working with children. Starting with guitar as a child, music has always been a point of identity and inspiration for him. It was actually children's entertainers like Raffi and Fred Penner that inspired him to first pick up the guitar!
He has also worked with children, both in daycares and as a nanny, since just after college. Now with Little Groove, it feels good to know what a caretaker is looking for when they bring a child to a class or show!
Dylan is also an actor, and has appeared in several Movies and TV shows that have recently shot in Boston. When not playing on the Little Groove stage, he still regularly gigs around Boston.
Dylan's Instrument: GUITAR!!!
Jen Aldana
Jen Aldana is a singer-songwriter, worship leader, and teaching artist based out of Greater Boston area. Jen has been working with young people for over 5 years in private lessons, after school programming, and now at Little Groove! Working in the community and inspiring the next generation is near and dear to her heart.
Jen graduated from Berklee College of Music with a degree in Songwriting. Upon graduation, she became the Season 5 Winner of The Voice on Snapchat, a social media extension of the live television show. She’s toured with American Idol winner Kris Allen, opened for Kool and the Gang, and was a featured artist at the Apollo Theater. In her career in Christian Music, Jen has shared the stage with world-renowned worship leaders (Kari Jobe, Paul Baloche, Leeland, etc.) amongst performing and speaking engagements at churches and music festivals.
When she isn’t performing as a solo artist, you can find Jen leading worship at her church in Medford, MA or upcycling clothes with her brand Wünder Brand Boston.
Keep up with Jen on Instagram at @jenaldanamusic and find her music online anywhere you find music.
Samantha Young
Samantha Young is a singer-songwriter, performing original music up and down the east coast. With over 10+ years of guitar playing and extensive experience with child care & teaching, Samantha is excited to share her skills with Little Groove.
She recently returned to Massachusetts after living in DC for over 6 years. When she isn't working with Little Groove, Samantha spends her time as a full time Realtor with Coldwell Banker in Newburyport.
Samantha's Instruments: Voice, Guitar, Omnichord
Krista Wheeler Chewter
Krista Wheeler Chewter is a certified Yoga teacher, and is Little Groove's official kids Yoga expert!
She graduated from Michigan State and is an avid cycler, runner, and outdoor adventurer! She loves working with children and has taught Little Groove's Yoga class on Zoom since early 2020. She is a Michigan native and currently lives there.
Little Groove Yoga is a beginning Yoga class that will introduce children to some basic yoga poses in a super fun way! Children will engage in yoga games and learn animal yoga poses. In this playful yoga class children will learn about mindfulness and do breathing exercises which cultivate a calm mind, increase strength and flexibility, improve gross and fine motor skills and improve concentration. Children can do this on their own or with a caregiver. No equipment needed. Yoga mat recommended.
Mariana Iranzi
Mariana Iranzi is a professional bassist, composer, teacher and mom based in NYC. Originally from Buenos Aires, she graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2005, where she was honored with a best achievement scholarship and a Bachelor's Degree in professional music (education & performance). She has been involved in multiple professional projects for the past 20+ years, collaborating with musicians and audio engineers from a variety of styles including Rock, Folk, Jazz, Reggae, Blues and Latin rhythms.
Her well-received releases “Primavera,” “Aventura Collage,” and “Hola Hello” took her to perform at Austin City Limits, Brooklyn’s KindieFest and renowned Regatta Bar in Cambridge, MA. With regular appearances at public libraries and children’s museums all around New England, Washington, DC and the Tri-State area of NY/NJ/CT, Mariana has shown to be an expert in the bilingual family music world.
Currently the lower school world music teacher at the Calhoun School in Manhattan, Mariana also composes music for “Spanish For You”, plays the bass in two "grown-up" bands and performs regularly locally and abroad.
Mariana's instruments: Voice, Guitar, Bass
Lindsay Garfield
Lindsay Garfield is a singer, songwriter, and musical educator from Boston, MA.
She has toured nationally and overseas with the country rock band Or, the Whale, and with her solo project Paige & The Thousand. She has performed live on Good Morning America and NPR Mountain Stage, as well as the historic Fillmore West Auditorium in San Francisco.
She has been a vocal coach and guardian/child music teacher for the past four years, and she is currently performing in a duo called Tiny Dogfight.
Lindsay's Instruments: Guitar, Vocalist