We take pride in working with highly-experienced individuals who bring our students incredibly creative opportunities. Our staff have varied and rich backgrounds, adding to their unique teaching styles.
Jill Buchanan is a musician, music therapist, piano teacher, group leader, mom of 2 creative young men and Director of The Meraki Center. She has her Bachelors in Music from UC Santa Cruz and Masters in Music Therapy from New York University. Over 35 years of experience in the field of music for children and adults has given her plenty of opportunities to explore how individuals develop and receive information (Hint; it’s often with more than our brains!)
Jill began her musical journey as a young child, studying piano. As she grew older, she discovered her love for making music accessible to all, and went on to study music performance and later music therapy at university. Jill was the first intern asked to join The Nordoff-Robbins Center for Music Therapy at NYU, under the tutelage of Drs. Carol and Clive Robbins, and subsequently received Level II certification as an NRMT. After graduating, she began working as a music therapist at The Perkins School for the Blind, the All-Newton Music School, and the Brookline Music School. In addition, Jill has directed her own private practice for most of her career. She quickly gained a reputation for her ability to connect with her students and inspire them to discover their own love for music.
Over the years, Jill has worked with a wide variety of students, from young children just beginning their musical journey, to adults who are looking to learn a new instrument or improve their skills. She has developed a unique teaching style that focuses on creating a positive and supportive learning environment, and encourages her students to explore their own creativity and express themselves through music. In addition to her work as a music teacher and music therapist, Jill has also been running music groups for young children for many years. She has a special talent for creating fun, interactive, and educational music programs that bring people together and help them to connect through the power of music. Whether she's working with young children, adults, or families, Jill's music groups are always a hit and have a reputation for being both fun and educational.
An accomplished musician who can play several instruments, Jill is always looking for new opportunities to share her love of music with others and is dedicated to helping people of all ages and abilities discover the joys of making music.
Bio Coming SOON!
Jacqueline (Jackie) Geragonis is a rockstar in the classroom. This year, she became the Teaching Assistant for Piano Classes and all classes run smoother with her present. She grew up here in Oxford, and graduated from Oxford High School in 2022 where some of her favorite school hobbies were cheerleading, volleyball and photography. In addition to holding down the fort in the Meraki classroom, she also works many hard hours nannying for local families. Her free time is usually spent outdoors hiking or fishing, or hanging with family and friends, and listening to all kinds of music.
Abigail (Abby) Normand joined Meraki January 2024 and our classrooms have never been the same! Abby has a gentle yet firm approach to working with our students, particularly those working through more tricky passages. Though most often somewhat quiet in the classroom, Abby has a smile that will light up the studio. Her musical experience includes years of lessons at the piano focused on popular and classical genres.
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info@themerakicenter.org 508-916-6195
175 Main Street /351 Main St, Oxford, MA 01540
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