Band
Band
Band Director | Tim Nail, tnail@mbusd.org | ManhattanBeachBand.com
The Manhattan Beach Unified School District offers students an incredible opportunity to participate in instrumental music as part of their elementary education. Students who choose to take band class receive a standards based music education first on recorder, then advancing to the instrument of their choice, including flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, tuba and more.
Playing an instrument requires a significant amount of hard work, focus, and dedication. Students who commit to their musical studies at school are rewarded by their efforts with fruitful group and individual experiences!
Tim Nail is the elementary band teacher. He has been teaching band for over 20 years. Currently the band director for all five elementary schools in Manhattan Beach, he teaches band for fourth and fifth grades and recorder for third grade. He also heads up the award winning All District Honor Band. He also runs an after school middle school and high school honor jazz program outside of the district. Prior to coming to Manhattan Beach, Tim was the Band and Choir Director at Calle Mayor Middle School in Torrance for thirteen years. He directed Musicals with his choir and took his bands to festivals where they won many awards. In fact, the top band, the Wind Ensemble, earned seven consecutive Superior ratings at SCSBO Festivals. The Wind Ensemble also travelled to The Kennedy Center, Orchestra Hall (Chicago), Carnegie Hall and Hawaii (twice).
To find out more about the elementary band program, or to access class materials, find out the latest news, or learn about instrument rental, please visit ManhattanBeachBand.com
Choir
Choir
Instructor | Krista Giffin, kgiffin@mbusd.org | ManhattanBeachChoir.com
The Manhattan Beach Unified School District offers students an incredible opportunity to participate in vocal music as part of their elementary education. Students who choose to take choir receive a standards based music education focused on proper technique, healthy vocal habits, reading music, and more.
Vocal music education requires a significant amount of hard work, focus, and dedication. Students who commit to their musical studies at school are rewarded by their efforts with fruitful group and individual experiences!
Krista Giffin is the elementary Choir teacher for the Manhattan Beach Unified School District. She is a piano, voice, and acting teacher with an MFA in Music Education. She has extensive teaching experience, both privately and with public school students from all ages K-12 and adults as well. While her main instruments are piano, voice, and ukulele, she has also taught band and strings for many years.
To find out more about the elementary choir program, or to access class materials and find out the latest news, please visit ManhattanBeachChoir.com
Strings
Strings
Strings Director | Katie Cavallaro, kcavallaro@mbusd.org |https://www.manhattanbeachstrings.com
The Manhattan Beach Unified School District offers students an incredible opportunity to participate in instrumental music as part of their elementary education. Students who choose to take strings class receive a standards based music education on the violin, viola, cello, or string bass.
Playing a string instrument requires a significant amount of hard work, focus, and dedication. Students who commit to their musical studies at school are rewarded by their efforts with fruitful group and individual experiences!
Katie Cavallaro is the elementary strings teacher for the Manhattan Beach Unified School District. She has been teaching third through fifth grade strings at all five MBUSD elementary schools since the Fall of 2009. Prior to joining the music faculty in Manhattan Beach, Ms. Cavallaro held a similar teaching position as an elementary strings teacher in the Santa Monica-Malibu USD. During her tenure in Santa Monica, Ms. Cavallaro helped revamp the elementary strings curriculum, helping to improve student achievement, enrollment, retention, and instrumentation.
A native of upstate New York, Ms. Cavallaro pursued studies in violin performance and music education at Ithaca College, earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree, both with high honors. She is also an active member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, and has SAA registered training in the courses Every Child Can, Violin Book 1, and Violin Book 2. In addition to her studies on the violin, Ms. Cavallaro’s music experience includes playing cello in her high school orchestra, singing in choir, and playing percussion in the marching band! Like most students in MBUSD, Ms. Cavallaro first began playing the violin in the third grade. She is thrilled to be teaching students who are at the same age when her own love for music was ignited!
When not teaching or playing music, Ms. Cavallaro is an avid long-distance runner. She enjoys running in local race events such as the Los Angeles Marathon, the Grand View Gator 5K, and the Robinson Fun Run. Additionally, Ms. Cavallaro is a nutrition enthusiast. She especially enjoys cooking a variety of plant-based menus using fresh local produce from the Farmers Market!
In addition to Music Performance classes in elementary school, the MBUSD Music Program also has, in the past, offered General Music instruction to students in grades 1 and 2. Certificated instructor Alison Timmers works with all elementary students, providing a basis for a life-long love of music and solid foundation for continued music instruction.
Faculty for General Elementary Music | Alison Timmers, atimmers@mbusd.org