Who Are You?

Hello internet! I'm Jane. Nice to e-meet you.

All Six or None is a page where I will post info relevant to the classes that I teach at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. It's a nifty place where, for over 50 years, zillions of people from every imaginable walk of life have come to learn how to play music with each other on just about every instrument ever conceived, and in every style. I started taking classes there in 2006, and in February of 2013 I joined the faculty as a guitar instructor.

I was into trucker hats and ukeleles
WAY before anyone else

So who am I? I grew up in the Chicago 'burbs, the only child of a pair of extremely artistic teachers. According to legend, a jolly, Santa-like piano tuner came to our house when I was only two, and--after I got underfoot and sang along with his work--advised my mother to "get that kid into music." She obeyed, and I began piano lessons at the ripe old age of 2.5. (Thanks, old dude!)

I studied classical piano through the Suzuki program for the next 10 years, followed by another 5 under award-winning pianist Annie Sherter. At some point in there, I also picked up the oboe and played it for about 8 years, studying with Debra Freedland. I performed in a number of youth symphonies, decorated school bands and orchestras, and even a jazz band--though, alas, I don't have any particular aptitude for jazz piano.

I came down with a bad case of being 18 and went off to college, abandoning my formal musical training for quite a few years in order to be an egghead and earn a couple of degrees in non-musical fields, followed by a non-musical marketing career.

Music came back into my life around 2004 when I was asked to play keyboards in a rock and roll band. After awhile I realized that  I wanted to be cool like the guitar player in my band, so I signed up for Guitar 1 at the Old Town School--and I was hooked. Nowadays, I still perform with that same band--called Vamplifier--on keys, synthesizer, guitar, bass, and vocals (though not all at the same time).

Those are my credentials, such as they are, for teaching music. If you've signed up for one of my classes, welcome! We are going to have a lot of fun together. And if not--think about it! Anybody can learn and everyone is invited. My e-mail address is posted here somewhere. Send me your questions, comments, concerns, and smart remarks. Now let's go make some noise together!