meet our team
Nicole Rodin Jaworski
owner, teacher
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Hi! My name is Nicole and I am a musician and mama living in Evanston, IL. I am a trained classical singer with degrees in Vocal Performance from Rice University and the New England Conservatory of Music. After spending years traveling the country singing opera, I returned to the Chicago area and began to explore additional ways to bring joy, healing and growth to others using music. This pursuit led me to a study of music therapy and, once my son was born in 2015, led me towards teaching early childhood music.
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I spent 4 years creating and growing the early childhood music program at Evanston's beloved play-space, Gather which was sadly forced to close when the pandemic hit. This is when I took the leap to create Jamberry Music. Since 2020, I've been having enjoying growing Jamberry and teaching classes in backyards, parks, park districts, synagogues, living rooms and preschools across the North Shore.
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When not teaching, I love running, hiking, cooking, playing and exploring with my husband, three young kids.
Michael-Ellen Walden
teacher
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Michael-Ellen (Mikey) Walden is an actor, writer, musician, and teaching artist based in Chicago who hails from Kentucky. They began teaching music classes before they had even graduated middle school and thus discovered their love for teaching artistry early in life. He has always been drawn to the sense of play children have and the way that play frees artistic impulses for people of all ages. They studied theatre and gender studies at Northwestern University, serving as Artistic Director and Music Director of Seesaw Theatre Company and Writing Coordinator for the Waa-Mu Show, before graduating in 2021. They have worked as a teaching artist for ImagineU, Stomp & Shout, Jamberry, and Chicago Children’s Theatre. When he is not teaching, Mikey may be found onstage, often acting in experimental and musical theatre, or working on one of his many writing projects.
Allie Demers
teacher​
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Allie is a singer, songwriter, and actor from southern Connecticut. After a childhood filled with singing, dancing, and acting, she graduated with a BFA in musical theatre from Indiana University in 2021. A long time vocalist and actor, Allie also has a passion for teaching young children the joys of music and theatre. While living in CT, they taught various musical theatre and acting classes to children ages four through 17 that concluded each semester with a showcased performance. Allie knows from both personal and observed experience that music can be enjoyed by children of all ages and wishes to impart that same joy onto all of her students.
Allie is a new resident of Chicago and in her free time can be seen playing original music at open mics throughout the city and performing at various regional theatres in surrounding areas. Allie also enjoys reading, crocheting, and cooking delicious meals for their family and friends.
Ayana Cheston
teacher
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A Cleveland, Ohio native, Ayana Cheston is a vocalist, songwriter, and visual artist currently based in Chicago, Illinois. She has loved music from an early age and grew up playing violin, singing in church and school choirs, and acting, singing, and dancing in school musicals. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from The Ohio State University in 2015 and returned to Cleveland to perform and teach. Ayana enjoys sharing her love of music in a nurturing, inclusive, and creative environment and loves witnessing the connections, both intra- and interpersonal, that music can help build in little ones and grown-ups alike.
Ayana also teaches private lessons and group classes at various schools throughout Chicago. When not teaching or performing, she enjoys spending time outdoors, caring for her two rabbits, and creating with crochet, embroidery, and ceramics.
At Jamberry Music, we believe that the most important goals of early childhood music are to foster a love of music in our little ones and expose them to some of the many ways they can engage with music. Music is something to be interacted with - something we can experience no matter our talent or experience. In our classes, we introduce children to the language of music while nurturing and encouraging their natural musical tendencies and instincts. All humans are inherently musical and if we encourage that natural tendency from an early age, all children will grow into adults with the ability to participate in our musical culture – whether it be clapping along to a beat, singing along with a simple song, or enjoying the sensitive intricacies of a live concert.
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Each class is designed with age-appropriate goals in mind. Through structured group music making, your children will experience positive social interaction and work on basic life skills such as turn-taking, self-regulation and following directions. While many of our goals are social-emotional, we of course have musical goals as well. Children will experience steady beat, the differences between high and low and changes in tempo and dynamics. They also have a chance to work on their fine and gross motor skills using our instruments and guided movement.
At Jamberry Music, our classes are process-oriented. There are no wrong notes or rhythms. Participation and engagement in the music look different for every child and we love watching students' confidence grow with each subsequent class.
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A word on behavior / expectations
Kids this age are naturally distractible and have lots of energy. It is okay and expected that your child may get up and wander during class. We encourage the adults to stay involved in the class and attentive to the teacher because this makes it more likely that children come back and continue to participate. Also, just because a child may not appear to be listening, does not mean they’re not soaking it all up! Distractibility is age appropriate and not discouraging. They are still learning!
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What Grown-Ups
Are Saying
Nicole is incredibly engaging and talented! My 2-year-old is transfixed by Nicole's musical ability and playful interactions during virtual classes. Nicole uses vivid expressions and interactive props to keep children interested and learning. My daughter is learning how to keep a beat, hop like a bunny, and count to 10- all thanks to Nicole! We just love her class.
Jenna C, Chicago
Ms. Allie is amazing! She has such a beautiful singing voice and is also so wonderful with the kids. She really knows how to manage a group of 29 kids and capture their attention. We love her already!
Senior Teacher, Wilmette Community Nursery School
Thank you SO much for everything! The party was fabulous and we were so happy you were there to celebrate with us. I know that F & J and the rest of the many kids had a wonderful time singing and dancing together.
Corey S, Wilmette
"I love her songs and her smile, Mama!" My children have been attending Nicole's music classes since they were babies. My three year old daughter has grown up with Nicole as her music teacher, and she has been such a wonderful teacher and inspiration for her. Within this time span, I've seen my daughter's love of music, songs and instruments greatly expand. All of Nicole's classes are engaging, fun, heartfelt, and supportive. To me, what sets Nicole's music apart from other music classes is her genuine love for the children. She has an unbelievable connection with them, whether in person or virtually. My children are hooked from the beginning of the class all the way until the end of the class, which is very difficult to do! ​
Julie Z, Evanston
We are so grateful for the gift of you and your music. Every song is fun and engaging and fills our hearts with joy! Thank you for sharing your talents and gift of music with all the children, parents, caregivers and grandparents. You are the best!
Emily B, Lake Forest
Allie brought the house down!!!!!!!! Thank you for a wonderful day!!​
Liz S, Evanston
I just wanted to say…Ayana was AMAZING!!! She had those littles completely engaged from the first moment. We were all so impressed! Thanks for sending such a lovely person. ​
Stacy A, Evanston
Our kiddo LOVES seeing Music Mikey every week at Robert Crown Preschool... we hear rave reviews of their class every week and we’re singing the songs together all the
time! ​
Nadia G, Evanston
This class really helped us through a very difficult time and I am sure M will be singing some of these songs forever. You really helped me as a mom feel like I was giving her enrichment if only for that 30 minutes once a week and have truly helped foster her love of music. I really felt like you were part of our bubble getting me through and I can’t thank you enough
Courtney G
