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Meet the Educators
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Catherine Marcus Huser, Director, has been teaching Kindermusik since 1996. Cathy has extensive vocal training and sang in various choral groups in high school and college. More recently, Cathy has been a soloist and has sung in many choral groups in Northeast Ohio including Western Reserve Chorale, PAND, the Renaissance Feasts at Stan Hewitt Hall, The Cleveland Music School Settlement Chamber Choir and Madrigal Singers. Cathy co-owned a retail business for 11 years, and retired to raise a family. She realized that Kindermusik of Cleveland would be the perfect way to bring together her love of children and music.
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Cheryl Eitman's main love is musical theater and she has performed in several local community theater productions. She studied French horn for several years and also has studied voice with several different coaches. She received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, where she studied music for one year. While at Indiana University she performed with the show choir, "The Singing Hoosiers". She is a cantorial soloist with The Temple Tifereth Israel, and a soprano soloist with the Park Synagogue Choir.
Cheryl and her husband, Scott, have four daughters. As a parent of a special needs child (her oldest has Down Syndrome), Cheryl has gained a strong knowledge of child development and the importance of early intervention. Cheryl is excited about her career in Kindermusik and the opportunity it brings to help other parents give their children the best possible start in life!
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Colleen Hogan has been involved with music her entire life. As a young girl she sang with Cleveland’s Singing Angels, touring China, Japan and Europe with them. She currently sings with the Western Reserve Chorale and her church choir. She is also a cantor at Gesu Church in University Heights. After receiving her degree from John Carroll University, Colleen taught for 6 years at Ruffing Montessori School, before leaving to raise her family as a full-time mother. She and her husband James have 5 children. Colleen brings her experience as a seasoned mother and teacher, as well as her love of music, to young children through Kindermusik.
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Debbie Laukiavich has been a licensed Kindermusik instructor since 1997. She is a vocalist and sings in her church choir. Debbie enjoys playing piano and continues to broaden her musical knowledge and skills by pursuing music education courses. She has worked with special needs children and currently teaches music in the preschool and toddler rooms at Lakeland Community College. Debbie loves seeing the positive effect Kindermusik has on her students and families. |
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Gabriela Agostin is happy to return to the Cleveland area with her husband and twin daughters after almost 10 years on the east coast. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from The Boston Conservatory and headed to New York to continue singing and performing. Her previous experience also includes teaching voice and piano lessons to beginners. Gabie became a Kindermusik Educator in 2001 and has taught Kindermusik in private studios as well as in a preschool environment. As a child, Gabie was a member of Cleveland’s Singing Angels for 10 years and was a featured soloist for most of those years. Having such wonderful musical experiences as a child, she understands the importance of music in children’s lives and how it can enrich their whole life. As a Westlake native, she is very excited to return to the Cleveland area and is very excited to be a part of Kindermusik of Cleveland!! |
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Kate Buddenhagen is anxious to share her love of music with Kindermusik families. Born and raised in Independence, she studied private piano at Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music from ages 5-18. Kate also sang with the Cleveland Orchestra Children’s Chorus as a child and studied voice, trumpet, percussion and the French Horn throughout her school years. She attended the University of Miami (FL) where she double majored in PR and Vocal Performance. There, she performed with the UM Chorale, touring the U.S. and England and recorded with the London Symphonia. Kate has a Masters degree in Journalism and Communication from The Ohio State University. She currently works as Sales and Marketing Manager of Contemporary Design Group and also assists Slider at Indians games at Jacob's Field. You may also see Kate perform in local musical theater productions at the Beck Center for the Arts. Even though Kate has a full schedule, no matter where she is, music continues to play an important role in her life. |
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Kristi Mathews received her Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Music and Theatre from Heidelberg College in 2005, and will receive her Master of Arts degree in Theatre Studies from Kent State University in August 2007. Kristi devoted much of her undergraduate life to performing in various musical theatre productions and singing ensembles, including the Heidelberg College Concert Choir. In addition to Kindermusik, Kristi enjoys teaching theatre and plans to one day run a drama program at the high school level. She and her husband Jason currently reside in Stow, and they enjoy attending music, theatre, and dance events throughout Northeast Ohio. Kristi is very excited to join the Kindermusik community and to exercise her strong belief in the power of music and the arts to enhance the lives of children while shaping countless possibilities for the future. |
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Leanne Smith is excited to be a part of the Kindermusik of Cleveland team. Before moving to Cleveland Leanne spent ten years performing in many Chicago Theatres. She also worked with The Children's Theatre of Deerfield, specializing in exposing children to the theatre experience. While in Chicago, Leanne studied voice with Vince Lonergan and trained in all disciplines of dance. After receiving her BA in Theatre from Miami of Ohio she spent a summer teaching children's theatre classes. Leanne continues to perform here in Cleveland. Having been exposed to theatre, music and dance at an early age, Leanne feels this is very important for all children to experience, and Kindermusik is a wonderful way to start that exploration.
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Priscilla Kaczuk comes to Kindermusik with a life-long love of music and an extensive background in Speech Pathology. She was most recently employed as a speech therapist for the Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, working with children birth to three and their families in their homes. She earned a Master’s Degree from Bowling Green State University in Speech Pathology and recognizes the importance of family interaction, routine, and play in a child’s language development and how music can bind all of that together.
She retired from speech pathology in February, 2006 and is enjoying the time to work at her voiceover career, pursue her love of photography, sing with the Master Singers Chorus and Chorale in Akron, and do those many projects that were put off till “later”. She lives with her husband, Ed, in Solon and enjoys precious time with her three grown children and two grandchildren. She is looking forward to participating again in the lives of children and their families and helping them grow together in the love of music.
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