Desiree Melegrito
Cranbury,NJ
Summary
Experienced music educator with 20+ years working in an independent school setting and leading children's choirs. Committed to building community, fostering student agency, pursing musical excellence, and educating through DEI-informed practices.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
Work History
Interim Artist Director, Trenton Children's Chorus
Capital Harmony Works
Trenton, NJ
09.2022 - Current
- Provide oversight of artistic staff and their delivery of program excellence.
- Program and coordinate performance opportunities in the greater Princeton/Trenton Area, as well as Newark, DE and New York City
- Work collaboratively with other arts organizations to plan collaborative events
- Identify and pursue appropriate performance and enrichment opportunities for choristers at all levels.
- Engage with students, staff, and caregivers to ensure participants are thriving musically, academically, and socially
- Organize and manage daily operations for 2-week music camp of 35 students students, including scheduling, staffing, and resource allocation.
Teaching Artist, Trenton Children's Chorus
Capital Harmony Works
01.1999 - Current
- Provide twice weekly choral instruction to students Grades K - 12, with emphasis on individual student growth, ensemble skills, vocal technique, ear-training, music reading, and performing.
- Program culturally and stylistically diverse music that also promotes musical development.
- Lead joint rehearsals with all choirs to prepare musical performances.
- Lead community-building activities for all choir levels.
- Collaborate with other conducting faculty to program concerts that promote musical and cultural diversity and innovative performance practices.
- Communicate with families regarding student progress, and work with other staff and care givers to provide support where needed.
- Communicate and instill organization's core values to empower students at all levels to be ambassadors and leaders in their community.
Lower School Music Teacher
William Penn Charter School
Philadelphia, PA
08.2024 - Current
- Co-teach weekly general music classes to students Grade PreK - 5th; organize Winter and Spring concerts to showcase curricular work
- Work collaboratively to design student-centered lessons that draw from culturally diverse materials, Orff, Kodaly, and Music Learning Theory methodologies and DEI informed practices
- Work collaboratively with other staff members to support individual students' social and emotional growth
- Work collaboratively with other Performing Arts staff to develop and advance curriculum
- Encourage student growth through relationship-building and fostering of Quaker principles (simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, stewardship)
- Communicate regularly with families about classroom activities, rehearsal and performance information, and individual student progress.
- Provide formal written documentation of student progress to families with twice
yearly progress reports. - Co-direct afterschool Handbell Ensemble for 4th and 5th graders
Music Teacher
Chapin School Princeton
Princeton, NJ
08.2003 - 06.2023
- Directed Choruses for Grades 4 - 8; Structured rehearsals to provide opportunities for vocal development, music-literacy, part-singing, and performance.
- Prepared choirs for concerts, assemblies, graduation, adjudicated festivals, and community outreach performances.
- Selected repertoire that is developmentally appropriate, culturally and stylistically diverse, and allows for student choice.
- Co-directed spring musical for grades 5 - 8.
- Provided bi-weekly general music instruction to students grades PK - 4.
- Responsible for managing music budget to purchase and maintain instruments, purchase music scores and other teaching resources, hire accompanists, and fund field trips.
- Served on Diversity Task Force and co-led DEI professional development for faculty and staff.
- Organized first student-led Black History Month Assembly.
- Served on search committees for current Assistant Head of School and incoming Head of School.
- Mentored Music Education majors from Westminster Choir College to help fulfill student-teaching requirements.
- Helped implement school-wide event focused on community-building through art projects, folk dancing, poetry, and music.
- Developed current PK - 4 music curriculum that scaffolds students' skills and knowledge.
Camp Music and Drama Instructor
Blue Mountain Music Festival
Trenton, NJ
07.2021 - Current
- Provide music and drama instruction as part of 2-week summer camp to students Grade 1 - 8, through lessons that develop vocal and ensemble skills, improvisation, creative movement, and dramatic play.
Camp Music Instructor
Country Dance And Song Society
Ogontz, NH And Poland, ME
08.2018 - 08.2024
- Provided music instruction to students ages 2 - 10 at week long music and dance camp.
- Led all-camp community singing.
Music Faculty
Westminster Conservatory
Princeton, NJ
09.2000 - 06.2003
- Provided choral instruction to students K - 1st grade.
- Provided private piano instruction to students 1st - 12th.
Elementary Music Specialist
Montgomery County Public Schools
Garret Park, MD
08.1995 - 06.1998
- Taught general music classes to students grades K - 5; prepared students for both Winter and Spring performances.
Education
Master of Music - Music Education And Piano Performance
Westminster Choir College
Princeton, NJ05.2000
Bachelors of Music - Music Education And Piano Performance
Ithaca Collge
Ithaca, NY12.1994
Skills
- Choral conducting
- Concert programming and coordination
- Song leading
- Piano accompanying
- Vocal Instruction
- Lesson planning
- Kodaly Certification, Level 1
- Orff-Schulwerk Certification, Levels I, II, and III
- Mentoring beginning music teachers
- Proficient with digital technology (Google, Microsoft 365, Garageband, iMovie, Seesaw, and Classkick) on Windows and iOS devices
- Committed to professional growth
- Collaborative approach
Timeline
Lower School Music Teacher
William Penn Charter School
08.2024 - Current
Interim Artist Director, Trenton Children's Chorus
Capital Harmony Works
09.2022 - Current
Camp Music and Drama Instructor
Blue Mountain Music Festival
07.2021 - Current
Camp Music Instructor
Country Dance And Song Society
08.2018 - 08.2024
Music Teacher
Chapin School Princeton
08.2003 - 06.2023
Music Faculty
Westminster Conservatory
09.2000 - 06.2003
Teaching Artist, Trenton Children's Chorus
Capital Harmony Works
01.1999 - Current
Elementary Music Specialist
Montgomery County Public Schools
08.1995 - 06.1998
Master of Music - Music Education And Piano Performance
Westminster Choir College
Bachelors of Music - Music Education And Piano Performance
Ithaca Collge