Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Woda.
Hi Jennifer, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
A Cleveland Heights native, Jenny went to Rutgers University as a pre-med major but quickly switched to Music Education. After four years at Rutgers and a year at the University of Akron, she realized her dream of teaching music in the Akron Public Schools but found herself drawn to the stage as well.
While singing with the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, she met Brian Thornton, a new member of the Cleveland Orchestra cello section and they were a perfect match. Brian encouraged her to continue her voice study, and after they married, she completed her master’s degree in Classical Vocal Performance. The following years brought travel, music, and eventually children. Jenny and Brian are adoptive parents of two wonderful young women, Maya (19) and Madelyn (14).
As Jenny continued performing and parenting, she was introduced to Music Together, an early childhood music and movement curriculum. Thrilled that she found a career that married her love of teaching, music, and young children, she founded Sing and Swing with her business partner in 2008. Fifteen years later, Jenny is the sole owner and lead instructor of Sing and Swing. She loves sharing music with young families and empowering parents to be musical role models for their kids.
Performing is still important to Jenny’s life. She returned to sing with the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus after a 25-year hiatus in the fall of 2022 but has had to take a leave of absence to protect her health. She is immunocompromised due to a kidney transplant and has to take extra precautions around any illness, but especially Covid. Jenny is currently planning a vocal recital with her live kidney donor, Jennifer Bromagen for the fall of 2023. Jennifer and Jen’s kidney transplant was September 12, 2019.
This year she has an added role as the host for the Cleveland Orchestra Music Explorers concerts for young families. She loves the opportunity to partner with the world-class musicians of the Cleveland Orchestra to welcome the youngest audience members into Severance Hall, often for the very first time.
Jenny currently lives in Cleveland Heights with her husband Brian, her children Maya and Madelyn, and two crazy border collies Owyn and Bentley.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My main challenge has been dealing with being immunocompromised during a pandemic. While others have been able to go back to a mostly normal life, I have to avoid crowds and stay masked. Because of my suppressed immune system, the Covid vaccines did not work as well for me as others, and the newest variants are not stopped by the antibodies I have.
As a performer and an extrovert, it has been hard to limit my social and performing life, but I am willing to do what is necessary to stay safe.
As you know, we’re big fans of Sing and Swing, LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Sing and Swing offers the internationally recognized Music Together curriculum. Music Together is a developmentally appropriate, play based music and movement class for children birth-five with their parents or caregivers. Their mission statement is to “Make the world a better place by making it more musical.”
I truly believe that every child deserves the chance to develop their musical skills in rhythm and tonality to their fullest potential. This process starts in the youngest babies and is best facilitated by their loving parents and other grown-ups. My job is to empower the important adults in a child’s life to participate enthusiastically in musical activities in order to be excellent musical role models for their kids, no matter how they feel about their own musical abilities.
Music Together classes are 45 minutes with a joyful musical community of other young families. It’s the best job on the planet to be able to lead these classes.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Don’t be shy about talking to people about your dreams and what you are doing to make them happen! You never know who can connect you to someone who can help.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.singandswing.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/singandswingneo/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SingandSwing
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-woda-42767a77/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/SingandSwingNEO
