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©2004 Rainbow Songs Inc.

Mike Whitla spends most of his time singing to children. He is the founder of Rainbow Songs®, which runs participatory music programs for the very young with their parents.
For the past 15 years Mike has been a Toronto based performer, composer, producer, and teacher in many different musical idioms including jazz, classical, Indian, Latin-American, folk, and popular styles.

Mike has a degree in Music from York University, has studied the Orff method of early childhood music education and studied classical guitar at the Royal Conservatory. Travels to the coast of the Black Sea to study Georgian singing introduced him to a rich tradition fusing aspects of European, Asian, and Middle Eastern music. In Bali he immersed himself in the complex and delicate styles of the South Pacific and South East Asia. In frequent visits to the Caribbean he gained a deep appreciation of Latin rhythms and harmonies. Proficient in a wide range of musical styles, Mike uses a wide array of instruments, common and unusual, in teaching music to children. He has taught music appreciation and exploration classes at the Royal Ontario Museum summer camp, and teaches guitar privately. His studio, Deep Down Productions, specializes in recording Classical and World Music performances by Toronto musicians. In 2000 Mike recorded his first CD of music for children, "Elephants Have Wrinkles".
Mike's love of all music is apparent in that he does, and he has been an inspiration to thousands of adults and children who have had the opportunity to experience his unique approach to learning music.
For more about music for children, click the elephant's nose




Click here to read an article about work Mike is doing with disadvantaged moms

Jessica Vigars is a graduate of McGill University in the department of Education. Her rich, diversified background in music includes studies in piano, guitar, vocals, dance and dramatic arts.
Jessica has been playing the guitar, singing and performing for audiences for seven years time and she enjoys composing her own songs. Jessica has expanded her musical knowledge and repertoire by traveling to places all over the world such as the Caribbean, Europe, South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand. She has incorporated these cultural influences into her musical style and compositions. Jessica's passion for kids and music is demonstrated through her extensive training and work in children's music and play development programs. Jessica is entering her third year of teaching with Rainbow Songs.
Marta Aratangy has a bachelor in Music Education from the University of Sao Paulo and an advanced Early Childhood Music Education Certificate through the Ryerson University and The Royal Conservatory of Music where she studied Orff, Dalcroze and Kodály.She has been a music educator for the past 18 years, teaching from infants to adults. Marta plays guitar, flute, piano and recorder. She also has a grade VII certificate in voice from the Royal Conservatory of Music. As a singer and guitar player she performed at the Toronto Fringe Jazz Festival (2002), Harbourfront Centre (2001 and 2000), Centro Cultural Sao Paulo, Hilton Theatre, Cultura Television and others. Mother of two, she was born in Brazil and speaks French, Spanish and Portuguese.



 
Sara Marlowe is a graduate of the University of Toronto, where she studied Vocal Music performance and education and received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She has been performing and writing music for the past 10 years. Her debut CD, recorded with her band, Pendilemn, has been heard on CBC radio. She is currently working on a second album with her band as well as a solo project. Sara has traveled extensively, performing as a vocalist and dancer on cruise ships as well as participating in youth cultural exchanges, where she had the opportunity to learn music from other cultures - Taiko drumming in Japan and traditional Indian dance, and as well teaches traditional Canadian music.
For the past seven years, Sara has been a facilitator and educator with people of all ages and cultural backgrounds, both in Toronto and abroad. In the fall, she will be pursuing a Master's Degree in Social Work at the University of Toronto, with a focus on working with children and adolescents and music therapy. She loves children and music and is thrilled to be playing and making music with children through Rainbow Songs.