Mary has been teaching Music Together® consistently since 2014 in NYC after attending classes as a parent to her then 7 month old daughter. Fast forward to her family's move to Erie, PA in summer of 2021 where she decided to start her own center in January '22. She is so proud to share the greatest early childhood & family music program in the world with you right here in Erie County! A little more background...

Mary is a classically trained singer and has performed on many professional opera company and concert symphony stages throughout the US, Europe, and Mexico. She landed in NYC as most professional theater folks do! NYC was her home base from 2003 - 2021 where she sang, taught private voice lessons, started a family and found - & eventually taught - Music Together. She has been awarded with Certification Level I status as a Music Together teacher, having demonstrated outstanding achievement in teaching, musicianship, program philosophy, and parent education. 

Mary holds a Master of Music in Vocal Performance and an Artist Diploma in Opera Performance from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from The University of TX at San Antonio. She has won many awards in competitions for singing throughout her career. Mary has completed all the necessary background checks, fingerprinting status protocols and is fully vetted and licensed to teach children in the state of PA as well as in the US.

Mary is  passionate about sharing this program and helping others support their child's musical journey. "The research behind the the Music Together curriculum surpasses all other children's music programs, and I have seen firsthand what a difference it makes - both in the child from birth - 8 years old, and in that child's whole family. I love my job!" ~ Mary

Mariana Mathewson Bernstein is a musician, composer and music educator. She teaches K-5 general music at Grandview Elementary School, along with beginning band, orchestra and chorus. She also coaches three levels of string ensembles with the Erie Junior Philharmonic and is an active performer and composer in the area. Her main instrument is cello, but she loves to sing and has appeared in musicals at the Erie Playhouse and at Dramashop. She also is a composer, whose works have been performed on numerous concerts in northwestern Pennsylvania. 

She earned her Music Together Certification in 2018 and has taught Mixed Ages classes for Yellow House Music Studio in Jamestown, New York with Karen Suber as well as Rachel Sparrow Studio in Evanston, Illinois. She completed her apprenticeship with Ms. Mary in Fall of 2023 and started teaching solo classes at Music Together with Ms. Mary in Winter of 2024. 

Mariana holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Mercyhurst University as well as a masters’ degree in Music Education from Northwestern University. She lives in Erie with her husband and two cats.