Katie O'Dea- Director: "I fell in love!"

Katie’s musical journey began in adolescence, when she discovered a deep love for the performing arts. Starting in theater and choir, she performed at Little Colonels Playhouse, collaborated with various bands, and trained at The Ursuline School of Music and Drama, where inspiring voice and drama coaches helped shape her artistic foundation. She later pursued a degree in Business Management at IWU.

Katie’s passion for music came full circle when she attended Heartland Music Together classes with her two young daughters. What began as a shared experience quickly became a calling. She went on to become an early childhood music specialist and is now the proud owner and director of Heartland Music Together.

Katie has continued her studies in Voice and Music Therapy for Nervous System Regulation, Mental Health Disorders in Infancy and Early Childhood, and Social and Emotional Development. She also holds accredited certifications in Special Education Needs and Special Education Therapy in Early Education. Katie is an active member of NAEYC, NAfME, and KMEA.

In addition to her work at Heartland, Katie contributes to Music Together Worldwide as part of the Music Together In-School curriculum department. She is also a frequent presenter at NAEYC conferences, where she shares her expertise on using music and movement to support social-emotional development, as well as math and executive function skills. She is passionate about helping schools integrate music-based learning—just ask her how your program can get involved!

Reflecting on her first experience with Heartland Music Together, Katie shares:
"As soon as I started the classes, I fell in love. I immediately knew that being a teacher was something I wanted to pursue. I not only loved being in class with my own children, but watching all the other caregivers interact with theirs. The energy and magic created in these classes is something you can’t find anywhere else. Helping families bond through music is incredibly fulfilling."

Contact Katie O'Dea

Lorna Dries -  A love of music and language: an ear for a song

Lorna's father loved to sing, and he shared this love for singing and music with all of his children. Lorna says, "We sang in the car, in amateur talent shows, in the shower. I took voice lessons and sang in my school's choir in high school. When my sister had her four children, I made up a personalized song for each of them."

Lorna pursued her love of music and language with dual degrees in Music History and English, followed by a Master's Degree in Creative Writing. Shortly after her own son was born, Lorna discovered Music Together. She became an enthusiastic  parent in our classes, sharing her love of music with her own child, and when an opening appeared for a Music Together teacher, Lorna jumped at the chance. She has been part of our Heartland community for over a decade. 

Lorna finds fun ways to be creative with a range of ages in the classroom. She also has an delightful wit, and an amazing talent for barnyard animal sounds - both excellent skills for a Music Together teacher! 

Lorna has received her Certification Level 1 status for outstanding achievement in teaching, musicianship, program philosophy, and parent education. 

Contact Lorna Dries

Katie Duvall: "The Heartland Music Together family feels like home!"

Katie developed a love for music and singing before she can remember, listening to stories sung by her mom in the car as a toddler, singing My Old Kentucky Home by age 3, and beginning Suzuki piano lessons at age 4. She continued piano lessons through college, sang with Presentation Academy’s Prezettes, performed in musicals in high school and college, and earned her BA in Vocal Performance from Bellarmine University. After college, Katie performed with: the Blue Apple Players touring company, Stephen Foster productions in Bardstown, CenterStage at the JCC, and the church where she grew up, Epiphany. With encouragement from her husband, Travis, she earned her Master of Arts in Teaching,15 post grad hours in Literacy Instruction, and went on to teach K-2 in JCPS for 5 years. She has since joined the stay at home mom force!

Katie joined the HMT gang as a mom in class with her son in 2014, but it was her sister who initially suggested she consider Music Together teacher training. Katie treasures being able to provide the space in which children and their care givers can bond through musical experiences, and loves that her mom and daughter can join her in the process. The presence of all three generations of music makers within this journey brings everything into a big beautiful circle!

Katie says, "Becoming a Music Together teacher has filled a space in my heart that had been somewhat lonely in recent years, perfectly blending my past loves: music and early childhood education. The Heartland Music Together teachers and families immediately felt like home, and I just wish I'd found them earlier!

Contact Katie Duvall

Sandy Sumpter- "Just sing, be silly, and have fun!"

Sandy’s earliest musical memories are of her grandmother playing the piano and
everyone singing Christmas carols. She took jazz and tap dance lessons from age 8 to
18 and remembers playing her first musical instrument as a kid, a Magnus Chord
Organ. In middle school, Sandy learned to play the flute and went on to play in her high
school Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, and Marching Band. Sandy learned to play
the fiddle, the mbira, and African drums at the Louisville Folk School. 

Sandy is currently a K-12 teacher. She found Music Together while looking into
becoming a music therapist. Sandy says, “I’ve always known that music has the power
to invoke memories and change your mood, but when I saw how my mom’s spirits were
lifted any time I played her favorite ‘oldies’, it really hit me about how much healing
power music has. I just knew that I wanted to do something to share that power.” She
signed up for Music Together classes with her granddaughter and was immediately
hooked. “I love the time we spend singing and just being silly, both in class and outside
of class. It has been a great experience!”
In the future, Sandy would like to teach the Music Together Generations classes and
bring the joy of music-making and community to our elderly population. 

Magda Peña: A love for Latin music!

Magda is a Cuban singer-songwriter who has spent the last six years residing in Louisville, Kentucky. Magda completed her professional music studies, in opera performance, in Cuba, and received a degree in science as well in 2022. Magda speaks Spanish and English and she loves interacting with children as well as having basic knowledge of piano, guitar and ukelele.  Magda has won many awards including, Winner for Best Female Artist at the Latin Music Awards Ky. and she participates in the World Fest with the “Milenio Salsa” Orchestra as well as in different salsa festivals and venues in Kentucky! We are so happy to have Magda as part of our Heartland Music Together family! 

Families say: "Our sessions with Magda in Louisville have been great! We are on our second series now."

Leslie Meng: A Joyous Return!

Music captivated Leslie at a young age. From listening to her dad play Willie Nelson songs on his guitar, to her grandmother playing piano and singing at church, songs rang through her home on a daily basis and instruments were always present. Learning primarily by ear, her high school choir and strings instructors refined her ear while adding some much appreciated classical training. She played open mics as a solo act through college, where she studied biology and horticulture, took up rock climbing, then married and had 2 children.

After a hiatus from music, she co-founded an old time bluegrass band where she drew the attention of a Music Together center director. She was so impressed by the curriculum that she immediately trained and began teaching in Bowling Green in 2014, eventually becoming a center director! She taught until 2020, when the pandemic forced the closing of the Bowling Green center. With Heartland Music Together adding new locations around the state, she is ecstatic to resume sharing the curriculum that she is so passionate about, and we are so lucky to have her!

Clare O'Dea: A Heartland Music Together Grad, Comes Full Circle!

Clare is a proud Heartland Music Together graduate who has come full circle—returning to the very program she first experienced as a toddler. She attended family classes alongside her sister and continued her musical journey through Rhythm Kids^® classes in elementary school, building a lifelong foundation of music and movement. With Heartland being a family affair, Clare has been helping with all things HMT by working at festivals, packing familiy materials, and helping the staff since she was 6 years old!

An accomplished oboe player, Clare has earned several distinguished placements with the Kentucky Music Educators Association. Her dedication and talent have also led her to perform with top honors in Honor Bands at Eastern Kentucky University, Murray State University, Morehead State University, and the University of Louisville. In addition to oboe, Clare has explored a wide range of instruments, including trombone, ukulele, djembe, and piano.

Clare’s strong sense of rhythm extends beyond music—her athleticism and musicality helped her achieve champion-level status as a competitive Irish dancer, before retiring her shoes after more than a decade. She currently excels at school and the field hockey field for both her school team, and the International Field Hockey Club of Kentucky.

Clare is thrilled to begin her journey toward becoming a registered Music Together teacher. She especially enjoys working with children and is excited to assist with Rhythm Kids^® camp during the summer months, sharing her love of music with the next generation of families.

Miriam Klein - Cheers for our founder!

Miriam Klein is the founder and former director of Heartland Music Together. After more than a decade of singing and playing with children, families, and colleagues, she is now pursuing other adventures. If you listen carefully, you might hear her yodeling off in the distance. Helloooo everybody….

Miriam says, "The most important thing I've learned in my amazing journey is that music is for everyone! Music is one of the ways in which all of us - babies, children, and grownups alike - get to enjoy being human beings. Everyone can make music!"

You make the magic happen! 

You may wonder if you can help your child musically, especially if you don't feel that you yourself are musical. Our experience has been that parents and other caregivers are the most essential influences in a young child's musical life. You don't have to be an expert to help your child develop a love for music! If you're having fun playing and making music, chances are your child will too. Enjoy this special time to explore music together, build his/her brain, and find new ways to incorporate music into your daily life. Your gift may last your child's whole life!

"The only thing better than singing is more singing!" -  Ella Fitzgerald