Lianna Berlinger is an experienced early childhood educator as well as a musician. She started My Music Workshop in 2009 by teaching music enrichment classes in preschools. The classes were a hit and the program has continued to grow since then. Lianna studied Early Childhood Development at San Diego State University and has appeared on TV's popular AMERICAN IDOL as a "Hollywood Week Top 100" contestant. As a child Lianna was surrounded by music in her home. She continued her musical interest through the years and eventually learned to play the guitar and piano. A singer at heart, Lianna made her way to the stage and began performing all around San Diego. She was soon a regular at The House of Blues, performing weekly. Lianna also dreamed of teaching music to children. While teaching preschool Lianna was inspired to combine her musical talent with her love of teaching, resulting in the creation of My Music Workshop. Lianna wrote 13 songs in 2013/2014 that became her children's album "Dare to Dream," which is used extensively in My Music Workshop classes as part of the curriculum.
Elias Berlinger is My Music Workshop's co-owner. Elias has always strived to combine his two passions, teaching and music. In 2008 he created a plan to open a music school in San Diego. As this began to unfold, his wife Lianna started teaching preschool enrichment music classes. As this program grew Elias changed course and came on board. He became a teacher for the program and also sought to create a curriculum for preschool children that was unique and fun. This emerged years later as "Little Music Masters," the curriculum used by My Music Workshop. Elias has been a teacher for his entire career, working for large school districts and as a director for a Music School and After School Program provider in Bel Aire, CA. Elias holds a B.S. degree from the school of Business at San Diego State University, and also holds a certificate of music performance in drums and percussion from Musicians Institute in Hollywood. In addition, he has studied Education and Early Childhood Development at the university level and has taught an extensive amount of preschool music classes. He has also spent many years providing one on one and group music lessons to students of all ages.
The couple now has two children, Jay, born in 2013 and Lyra, born in 2018.
My Music Workshop Franchise Owners
Teachers-San Diego/Orange County, CA
All instructors meet preschool teacher requirements and are real musicians!
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Carole Crocco is an impassioned classical singer, songwriter, music educator, and advocate for the arts in the lives of young children. Carole began studying voice at the age of ten with acclaimed vocal artist and songwriter, Michelle Wiley. She was a professional chorister for the Bel Canto Children’s Chorus touring internationally from the British Colombia all the way to the Vatican. Carole Crocco completed the Applied Music Program at Long Beach City College where she majored in Vocal Performance. She was awarded the Students for the Advancement of Music Majors Scholarship, the Helen Dagett Music Scholarship, and was the winner of the Long Beach City College Concerto Competition. Carole has been a featured soloist for LA’s only summer opera festival, Angels Vocal Art and has been a music instructor for a wide array of ages and multiple disciplines. She worked for Tritone Music Academy as a group guitar instructor for elementary aged students. Carole has also worked as a Teaching Artist for All the Arts for All the Kids Foundation specializing in vocal music instruction for students in Kindergarten through Sixth Grade. While Carole delights in teaching music to children of all ages, she is excited to grow in her expertise teaching music to Preschool aged children. She is deeply committed to planting the early seeds of a lifelong love for music in the lives of children. It is her mission to facilitate musical experiences that empower children to gain confidence in their ability to learn new things, promote powerful connections in their developing brains, and allows them to learn through play.
Dakota was born and raised in Dover, Ohio. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Kent State University, and has continued on to receive her Early Childhood Education Units after moving to California. She loved singing and dancing from a young age and began performing with her local dance group. At the age of 6, she was inspired by her elementary school teacher who had a piano in her classroom and would often sing and dance with her students; Dakota wanted to try out music for herself and began playing piano right away. After a few years, she moved to guitar. Her love for music has continued to grow and she is now married to her singer/guitarist husband, Ryder Morris, and the pair love to record original music together. Dakota loves playing her ukulele and guitar for her students. -“I love having a chance to inspire kids to get into music from a young age, just like my teacher did for me all those years ago!”
Stephany grew up outside of Atlanta, Georgia surrounded by music. She was handed a violin and started singing at a very young age and developed a passion for music early in life. She is definitely no stranger to the stage, either. Whether it was singing, acting, or playing violin, she has been performing her whole life. High school brought a lot of new experiences with music! The violin was exchanged for a guitar and performance opportunities multiplied. She performed solo twice at Walt Disney World, sang with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, performed with a band in a national competition that took first place and involved herself deep into musical theatre. She then migrated up north to Ohio for college and earned her BA in Early Childhood Education, all while keeping music close. She was involved in many ensembles, studied voice privately, and was a member of a touring band that represented her university. Before moving to California to fulfill her dreams of working and performing at Disneyland, she taught at an inclusive preschool in Nashville, TN. She has always believed that music has such a strong impact in a young child's life, and is thrilled to have the chance to share music with eager children through My Music Workshop!
San Diego-Ms. Jessie, Ms. Jenna, Mr. Art, Ms. Danielle
