About Martha Meek
Martha is a graduate of:
Rockford Public High School, Rockford, MI
Albion College, Albion, MI, B.A. Religious Studies
Martha’s private teaching is her main endeavor. She has been teaching music lessons privately in the Suttons Bay area and beyond on and off since the late 70’s, and full time since the late 90’s. Martha gives lessons in Guitar, Piano, Band Instruments, Bass Guitar, Ukulele, Mandolin, Theory and Composition for ALL ages!
She has said about herself, “Teaching is my gift, and I really love it! I love watching students grow musically. Some people are born performers, others are composers, still others are great at sound engineering. I am a teacher first and foremost.”
Her dedication to her students is obvious the first day you meet her. Her schedule revolves around their needs. She is constantly finding opportunities for individual student’s interests. She does not have the distractions of a touring musician, and is not in it for the short term. Some of her students have been with her for 10 years! One student started out her first recital with “How Much is that Doggie in the Window”, and through the years has gathered knowledge, experience and wisdom enough to perform before 2000 people
Martha is the Music Director for Trinity United Church of Christ in Northport. She is the founding conductor of The Ukulele Orchestra of Suttons Bay. She also plays with The North Bay Celtic Band.
Martha Meek
About Kaylie Hutcheon
Kaylie is a graduate of:
Saint Louis High School, Saint Louis, Michigan
Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan, Bachelors in Music Education
Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan, Masters in Education
Kaylie spent a combination of eleven years teaching K-12 Music Education for Walkerville Public Schools in Walkerville, Michigan, and Suttons Bay Public Schools in Suttons Bay, Michigan. Though she is certified to teach K-12 Music in the state of Michigan, she currently works full time for the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians’ Education Department doing attendance and academic interventions for Tribal students.
Kaylie is passionate about helping students to understand themselves through the art of music. She believes in tailoring each lesson to the individuals goals and learning style, fostering both technical skill and a life-long love of music. Her former students have gone on to perform in regional band and music theater productions in the northern lower peninsula of Michigan, as well as pursue music experiences at the college level.
Kaylie loves Suttons Bay because it is the heart of Leelanau County. You can find her many places: picking up rocks at the beaches, riding bikes with her son on the TART trail, cheering on her students at their art, music, and sports events, and volunteering with Scouting America (formerly known as Boy Scouts).
Kaylie is a member of Women’s Band Directors International and the Northport Community Band. She will be taking on a limited number of private lesson students in beginning piano, voice, and wind band instruments and would love to hear from families interested in building a strong musical foundation.
Kaylie Hutcheon
Janet Rood Ostrowski
Education
1981-82 University of Tennessee; post-grad work in botany, ecology
1972-77 University of Michigan; BA in German, Art History minor, active in bands
1974-75 Universität Freiburg, Germany, Junior Year Abroad; history, art and literature
1971-72 Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen, MI; clarinet major
1960-71 Suttons Bay Public Schools, Suttons Bay, MI
Background
Jan played the flute (because the case had a blue furry lining) for a few weeks in 5th grade at Suttons Bay Schools and then switched to clarinet, which she happily played through the rest of high school, a year at Interlochen Arts Academy and four years at the University of Michigan. While at U of M, she became a band geek, playing in ALL the college bands including but not limited to Marching, basketball and hockey bands.
Shortly after moving to the east coast, she was working in the music department at MIT when someone set a violin on her desk. Since there were many community orchestras with too many wind players and not enough strings, she decided to switch to violin and dug in. In 1980, she moved with her husband, Pete, to Tennessee and began playing with the Oak Ridge Community Orchestra and was a founding member of the Norris String Ensemble. Jan bought a viola made by a friend of hers in the orchestra and was seduced by its warm and mellow sound. At 40 yrs old, she taught herself to play it.
After moving back to Suttons Bay, Jan showed up at an audition for the then Traverse Symphony Orchestra and consequently enjoyed 11 years playing major literature with them in the viola section. She started the Violin Cellar Music Studio (so local folks didn’t have to drive to Traverse City for lessons) and taught students of all ages in her home for 12 years. Many of her students were interested in fiddle, so she helped form a group called the North Bay Celtic Band, which is still meeting every Thursday evening. Keeping the arts strong in our local school is a passion of hers, and she is president of the Friends of Fine Arts at Suttons Bay Public Schools, a position held since 2001.
Currently, Jan plays lead fiddle in the North Bay Celtic Band; violin in the Festival Strings Wedding Trio; viola in the Benzie Area Symphony, the TC Phil Civic Ensembles, the No Excuses String Ensemble, and in the pit for the Old Town Community Playhouse. Returning to her roots, she also plays clarinet in the Northport Community Band. She has had great fun over her entire life playing music of all kinds with so many different ensembles!
Janet Rood Ostrowski