Emily MefortI am a certified music teacher with a bachelors in Music Education from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. I taught Elementary Music in Colorado Springs for six years. As a school music teacher I taught over 500 students in grades K-6 each year. Each day I incorporated singing, movement, playing instruments (rhythm band, recorders, xylophones, guitars and more), and music reading and writing into my classes. I also directed a choir of over 40 students. In addition to teaching students I taught music technology workshops to other music teachers and contributed to writing district music standards, assessments and curriculum.
My special certification is in the Orff-Schulwerk method of music education, which incorporates singing, movement, instrument playing, rhythm, speech and drama to allow children to make music as natural a part of their lives as talking and walking. I was a member of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association (AOSA) and was the Secretary of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of AOSA for 2 years. I incorporate many of those techniques into my piano classes by using speech, rhythm patterns, and movement as much as possible to teach concepts to children, as well as encouraging improvisation and composition. After the birth of our first daughter I moved from public school teaching to focus on piano lessons. Currently I am a stay-at-homeschooling mom to my three girls (Eliana, age 15, Natalie, age 12 and Clara, age 9) and I run my home-based piano studio. In 2017, after over 10 years of private piano and guitar teaching I converted my studio to group classes. My studio now offers both group and private lessons to best meet the needs of all students. I am a previous member of the Lincoln Music Teacher's association (LMTA) and have entered students in their district festival in past years. |
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Jack Carlson
Originally from North Platte, NE, Jack Carlson is a teacher and performer with a versatile background. Having earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music at the Glenn Korff School of Music, he actively continues with Professor David Neely at the school for a master’s degree on a Hixon-Lied College Fellowship.
At UNL, Carlson has constantly engaged with young learners. In 2022, he worked in the UNL/LPS String Project instructing elementary beginners. Privately Jack has taught in the Emily Mefort Beginning Piano studio, engaging with students from kindergarten to high school for the past three years. During the previous two summers, he partnered with the North Platte Public School District offering professional string development for recent hires to the music program.
Although, he is a dedicated violinist, Jack performed Alto Saxophone with the Cornhusker Marching Band for five years! He served as a Rank Leader of his section during his final two. Notably he has earned experience as Principal Second in the UNL Symphony (2023), a section violinist with the Hastings Symphony (2023-present), and as an apprentice to the National Music Festival in Chestertown, MD.
Jack thoroughly enjoys chamber music as well. He has performed regularly in GKSOM’s Chamber-Fest and the Flyover New Music Series. Jack is fortunate to now be a member of the Ravnan Quartet, of which his naming petition was selected for a quartet of instruments commissioned by alumni Yi Xue. Through teaching and performance, Jack strives to meet students at their developmental level, foster self-confidence, and help others have meaningful musical experiences for life!
At UNL, Carlson has constantly engaged with young learners. In 2022, he worked in the UNL/LPS String Project instructing elementary beginners. Privately Jack has taught in the Emily Mefort Beginning Piano studio, engaging with students from kindergarten to high school for the past three years. During the previous two summers, he partnered with the North Platte Public School District offering professional string development for recent hires to the music program.
Although, he is a dedicated violinist, Jack performed Alto Saxophone with the Cornhusker Marching Band for five years! He served as a Rank Leader of his section during his final two. Notably he has earned experience as Principal Second in the UNL Symphony (2023), a section violinist with the Hastings Symphony (2023-present), and as an apprentice to the National Music Festival in Chestertown, MD.
Jack thoroughly enjoys chamber music as well. He has performed regularly in GKSOM’s Chamber-Fest and the Flyover New Music Series. Jack is fortunate to now be a member of the Ravnan Quartet, of which his naming petition was selected for a quartet of instruments commissioned by alumni Yi Xue. Through teaching and performance, Jack strives to meet students at their developmental level, foster self-confidence, and help others have meaningful musical experiences for life!
Kiersten Gustafson
Hi there! My name is Kiersten Gustafson, and I am a senior in Music Education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. My emphasis is in violin, but I have greatly enjoyed playing the piano for the last 12 years. I was born and raised in the town of Hays, Kansas where I was homeschooled up until my senior year. There, I had the majority of my piano experience through taking lessons, and then also teaching some students of my own during my last two years of high school. In Lincoln, I am involved in various string activities including the UNL Symphony Orchestra and the UNL String Project. I am so excited to get back into teaching piano and I am very eager to learn and have fun together this year!
