About Smorgasbord
Meet Audrey Klein
I am a founding member of the seminal multicultural folk dance band Shenanigans. For the past 40 years, I have gained experience leading folk dance in the community and in schools; performing as a multi-instrumentalist, teaching Music in pre-school and Primary school in both the public and private systems, and training Music teachers in the Orff approach to music and movement education. I have, at various times, served as President and Treasurer of the Victorian Orff Schulwerk Association, performed for Arts Councils in Tasmania, Queensland and Victoria, attended folk dance seminars in Croatia and Hungary (as well as locally) and have recorded on a number of albums as a multi-instrumentalist and singer in such diverse languages as Hebrew, Greek, French, Macedonian and Hungarian. I have also had the pleasure of performing in schools in USA and Germany.
My formal qualification is a Bachelor Degree in classroom and instrumental Music Education, as well as being an accredited Orff Levels teacher of Recorder, Movement and Dance and Technique and Improvisation.
Even after all these years, I have maintained my passion for helping people at all ages find their way into participating in music, whether through playing an instrument, dancing, singing in choirs or discovering their individual, innate creativity.
In the immortal words of Bob Marley:
“One good thing about music, when it hits, you feel no pain”
Creating situations – and, now, resources – that enable participation in music for all, is my driving force.
Welcome to the feast!
This project has evolved in response to the many changing needs of educators of all kinds – the Arts teacher who needs to be able to teach across all Specialist areas, home schooling parents, as well as those teachers who are simply looking for new and different resources to enable the Arts to become more integrated into broader school life.
After so many years of involvement in Music Education, I have never ceased to be amazed by how profoundly traditional music and dance from any culture can connect to children in the classroom. What is now known as “World Music” has a deep and abiding way of touching people and connecting them to each other in a way that has become more important than ever.
By utilising traditional music, songs and dances in some of my products, as well as creating my own stories, songs and dances in the folk music style, I am confident that you will find delicious, inspiring material to help you on your journey.
I welcome feedback, questions, requests for types of items – positive interaction of all kinds.
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If you feel there is something I may be able to provide that you don’t see offered, please ask.
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If you are a less experienced teacher looking for mentorship/support, please ask.
I have always been guided by these great words from Richard Gill:
“Music teachers have the potential to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, sparking imaginations at every turn. You never know when this happens with a child, which makes every lesson special, no matter how hard it seems at the time”.
Meet the “Behind the Scenes” guy
Tai Jordan
Hi I’m Tai,
I’m the behind-the-scenes guy making sure the sound, picture, lighting, continuity, editing and producing are all correct. I was gratefully offered this role by Audrey the founder of Smorgasbord Music and Dance, learning new skills along the way. My main gig is composing music for film and television and being a music educator, which includes teaching trumpet, trombone, and French horn, teaching music theory, and music tech. I have successfully taken this teaching model to an online platform and I am always open to new students across the world.
Meet The Artist
Rayne Jobling-Paitai
My name is Rayne Jobling-Paitai, and I am a university student currently undertaking a Bachelor of Creative Writing at Deakin University. My enthusiasm for writing is complemented by my passion for illustrating the characters described on the page. Illustrating has always fascinated and excited me, as I like to think I can create a reciprocal relationship between words and images.
This is my first professional job in the illustrating field, and I couldn’t have asked for a better project to work on. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to work with such a creative individual like Audrey Klein – her flow of words in both song and literature, spoke volumes to me as an artist. It is so wonderful to be a part of the team that helps bring Audrey’s extraordinary visions to life!
Contact info:RJPillustrations@outlook.com
Meet The Artist
Kelly Mrocki
Kelly Mrocki is a dedicated mother of 2 and has worked in the early childhood sector for nearly 10 years. Over that time, she has written 3 children’s books, run sustainability programs for kindergartens and won the 2018 Victorian Premiers Sustainability Awards. Kelly’s childhood years were spent growing up in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges sparking a lifelong love of nature that she shares with her family.
The Girl Who Saved The Frogs and The Boy Who Saved The Whale are books based around Kelly’s children and their dedication to the animals they chose to help look after. Kelly’s daughter Charlie chose to look after frogs when she was 3 years old and has done many things to raise money for the zoo’s frog breeding program and create awareness about the plight of our frogs. Kelly’s son, Josh, chose to protect whales and has worked with Sea Shepherd to raise support and funds for their campaigns at sea.
Kelly’s 3rd book Ew Yuck is about her niece and nephew, who love all creatures, great and small.
In her spare time, Kelly loves going camping with her husband and family, singing with the Chocolate Lilies choir and painting Australian birds.
Meet The Singer
Aviva Barazani
Hi,
I’m Aviva and I’m a singer and singing teacher. I was thrilled to be asked to record Audrey’s songs for this wonderful and innovative website, and am looking forward to our continued musical collaboration!
As a singer with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus for the past ten years, and recently also with the Melbourne Chamber Choir, recording these songs has given me the opportunity to work with a very different kind of repertoire, which has been great fun!
As a singing teacher, I see my role as being to enable my students to reach their full musical and vocal potential, while preserving and cultivating the unique quality of their voice. I place a strong emphasis on musical expression and connection with text, alongside my teaching of vocal technique.
Contact details:
Meet The Web Guy
Paul Wagstaff
I’m Paul Wagstaff, the Website guy for Smorgasbord Music and Dance.
It’s been a fascinating challenge to work with a creative like Audrey, bringing her myriad of fabulous
ideas into a website that just keeps evolving. I’ve been in this business for 16 years designing and building website and really love being able to be part of new ventures like this one.
Contact details:info@cultivatedigital.com.au