Experience

Head of Music (LS)

Wycombe Abbey School Nanjing

Nanjing, Jiangsu, China

2023 - 2025

At the helm of Primary Music in a bilingual British School, directs a dynamic program for students aged 2 to 11. With a focus on music theory, Orff, and ethnomusicology, the curriculum is both comprehensive and enriching.

Responsibilities extend beyond the classroom, encompassing the meticulous organization of concerts for all primary school classes. Personalized instruction in piano, voice, and music theory is a hallmark, fostering individual musical growth. A visionary in education, actively contributes to curriculum development and exhibits a keen proficiency in strategic lesson planning.

Notably, a commitment to restorative practices is evident, reflecting a dedication to fostering positive and inclusive learning environments. This, combined with a forward-thinking approach to music education and the integration of a Dalcroze-based curriculum, defines the innovative globaleadership shaping the Primary Music program.

Notable Achievements

• Founding Member of Wycombe Abbey School Nanjing’s Parents' Association: Played a key role in fostering stronger family-school partnerships, creating a supportive and collaborative school environment that enhances student success.

• Directed a Large-Scale Musical Showcase in China: Successfully coordinated and executed a high-quality performance within just five weeks, demonstrating exceptional planning, organization, and teamwork.

• Led a Winning Team at the Primary School House Music Competition: Inspired students to engage in a healthy competitive spirit, motivating them to achieve top honors and demonstrating leadership in fostering school-wide musical participation.

• World Scholars' Cup Debate Team Leader: Guided Grades 7-11 students to regional and national victories in the World Scholars’ Cup competitions in China, promoting critical thinking, teamwork, and public speaking skills.

• Development of a Bilingual Educational Program: Designed and implemented a unique bilingual curriculum that integrates the IPC, international standards, and the Chinese Ministry of Education’s requirements, ensuring a comprehensive and culturally relevant educational experience.

PYP/IB Substitute Teacher (English/Spanish/French)

Washington International School

Washington DC

2023

Primary School substitute teacher within the PYP IB program, the responsibilities were successfully fulfilled as follows:

Language Instruction:

- Delivered prepared language lessons in English, Spanish, and French, focusing on language acquisition, vocabulary, and communication skills.

Differentiation:

- Adapted teaching methods to cater to the diverse needs and language proficiency levels of students.

Classroom Management:

- Maintained a positive and inclusive classroom environment and effectively managed classroom behavior to ensure a productive learning atmosphere.

In the role of a substitute teacher, the focus was on supporting and continuing the ongoing language instruction and learning activities in the absence of the regular teacher, ensuring a seamless educational experience for the students.

Bilingual Music Educator

Los Niños Primero

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Summer 2022/23

Bilingual Spanish/English usic, dance, and percussion activities for all students throughout the summer session.

Beginning in the summer of 2001, Los Niños Primero has served underprivileged latino children, youth and families living in the Atlanta community. Los Niños Primero is the only latina-led nonprofit in Atlanta that provides academic, leadership, arts and cultural enrichment to this constituency. Empowering Latino students and their families from early childhood to college through holistic academic, leadership, and community programs.

The fine arts enrichment programs encourage Los Niños Primero students to participate year-round in the joys of art, music, and dance. Students explore and discover through the arts while embracing their culture and traditions!

PYP/IB Music Teacher, Primary Choir Director (English, French, Spanish, German)

Atlanta International School

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

July 2021 - July 2023

IB/PYP music educator and primary choir director in an intentionally inclusive IB World School
Individual instruction for piano and voice.
Middle School and High School Musical Theatre vocal coach and music director for musical theatre.
Curriculum design and development.
Long-term lesson planning includes SEL, Restorative Practices, DEIJ, performance techniques, vocal training, and project-based learning.
Choir direction, performance preparation, and repertoire selection in French, Spanish, German, and Mandarin.
Games and active learning activities for all age groups, ensuring that students obtain a love of music and the arts while developing vital social and emotional skills in an intentionally inclusive and culturally aware environment.
Instrumental instruction, Orff method, Kodaly, Dalcroze Eurythmics, percussion instruction.
Show choir choreography.

Head of Music and Afterschool Music Program Director (English, Spanish)

Winpenny School

Mexico City, Mexico

July 2019 - July 2021

Music Director and International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC), International Primary Curriculum (IPC), and International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC) educator for music at a PreK-12 bilingual British School Teaching 500 students, 27 groups per week from ages 2 - 16. Music theory, Orff, and ethnomusicology are taught as well as music education programs Quavers and Musicplay.
Secondary instruction includes sight reading through Musico.io, composition through Flat.io, and current cross-curricular subjects through Teachrock.org.
Instruction is synchronous and asynchronous during the time of quarantine 2020/2021.
The music program includes piano, recorder, and percussion instruction.
After school music program direction and organization, choir director, and choreographer.
Concert organization for all primary school classes, individual music piano, voice, music theory instruction.
Curriculum development and lesson planning from preschool-Middle School.
Official SEP, Mexican Nationally Certified teacher.
Second Step SEL program integration.
Dalcroze-based curriculum development.

Music Director

Camp Regis - Applejack

Paul Smiths, New York

Jul 2019 - Aug 2019

Music director and camp counselor for ages 6-16 at Camp Regis-Applejack.
Music, theater, and improvisation activities for all Campers throughout the summer camp session.

Head of Languages, Opera Academy EOBA (English, French, Spanish, German, Italian)

Mexican National Opera of “Bellas Artes”

Mexico City, Mexico

2018/19

Language specialist for opera singers, including phonetics, pronunciation, and interpretation in Italian, German, French, Spanish, and English operatic repertoire.

Upper School, MYP Middle School, Elementary, and Preschool music educator, Musical Theatre/ Choral Director at IB School

Colegio Eton

Mexico City area, Mexico

Dec 2013 - Jul 2019

• Upper School, Middle School, Elementary Music Professor, and Choral Director at IB School.
  •Program design for Elementary, MYP, and High School Musical Theatre programs.
  •International Bac. training, and professional development. January, 2016
  •Curriculum development for music education with visible results.
  • Long-term performing arts program development
  •Instrumental accompaniment with Guitar and Piano
  •Choral instruction, including technique and diction in Spanish and English
  •Power school program implementation.
  •IB core values integration, and learner profile integration.
  •Student evaluation and visual thinking creation showing class progress through projects and digital and handwritten process journals
  •Prepares high school-age students for musicals and the yearly talent show
  •Vocal and drama class.
  •International program and university entrance exam preparation.
  •Extended essay mentor.
  •Personal project mentor, working closely with students each step of the way during the year-long project preparation.
  •Vocal coordinator for student events.
  •Choral director for the "Himno Nacional" - national Mexican anthem competition. Students won 2nd place on the local level in 2014.
  •IB exam proctor.
  •Choral coordinator for the 25th School anniversary Concert, joining Elementary, Middle, and High School students in popular repertoire representing the core values of the IB through music, dance, song, and theatre.
  •Professional growth focused on the Visible Thinking Project -The Visible Thinking Project is organized around a set of thinking ideals that capture naturally occurring goals, strivings, or interests that often propel our thinking. (Harvard University)

• Responsible for year-long concert preparation with children and teachers, reporting directly to the principals of each section.

Preschool Music Department Founder, Italian Language Department Head, Voice Professor Opera/Lied/Oratorio

Gustav Mahler Konservatorium für Musik

2013

Vienna, Austria

Director of Preschool Music Department, Italian Diction Professor, Voice Professor at Gustav Mahler Konservatorium für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien.

National Austrian Government Certified Educator - Stadtschulrat Wien für den 1. u 3. Bezirk
Works with opera students for career development in opera repertoire in German, Italian, and Spanish, teaches Italian diction specialized in Bel canto Repertoire for singers, and directs original children's music program for children 6 mo - 6 years old. Develops and coordinates early learning music programs in several languages, with emphasis on a non-stressful learning environment, where children are guided through the first steps of music education with care and attention to their age-specific attention span. Mag. Baers' children's program is the only one in the world to combine puppetry, linguistic education, singing, and introduction to instrumental playing for children ages 1 to 6.

Music Academy Founder and CEO

Astra Kids Academy GMbH

Vienna, Austria

2010 - 2013

As founder and director of Astra Kids Academy GmbH, prepare students from baby music education to adult age; adults for their entry into the professional music world.

Supervises all business functions of the school, including budgeting;

monitoring and reporting income, expenses, investments, and cash flow; maintenance of

appropriate records; and assisting the school’s auditors.

• Oversees all employment and human relations matters, such as contracts, salaries, benefits, job

assignments, job orientation, performance evaluation, retentions and dismissals, personnel

records, employee handbooks, etc.

• Oversees the maintenance and cleaning of the buildings, grounds, and all plant operations

including vehicles, grounds, etc.

• Plans and executes all major capital purchases, repairs, and building projects.

Specially designed for the cognitive development of Toddlers, classes are full of movement activities and fun interactive playtime with toddler-friendly instruments.
Specially designed for the cognitive development of Preschoolers, classes are geared towards developing social skills, and team building, and include piano time.
Specially designed for the cognitive development of Primary age children, additional classes are packed with exciting games, music reading activities, and interactive musical time at the piano and guitar. These levels also include movement time.

Private lessons in musical styles include opera, jazz, popular international ballads, Broadway musicals, and sacred repertoire. Courses include basic piano skills, music theory, solfège, music history from jazz to opera, performance techniques, and diction in Italian, Spanish, German, French, and English.

Astra Kids Academy outsourced to the surrounding UN Kindergarten network including, Montessori Children’s House, the Vienna Preschool, and the Little Dolphins Kindergruppe, where Mag. Baer taught all groups in English and German.

PYP Music Educator

American School Foundation

Mexico City, Mexico

2009 - 2010

As Primary School PYP Music Teacher, plan, implement, and assessed learning, contributing to a successful Primary Years Programme (PYP). Fostered an atmosphere conducive to inclusive, transdisciplinary learning through the lens of inquiry, embedding visible thinking.

Teaching PYP Music Curriculum in Primary School

• Collaboratively planned inquiry-based lessons, in a transdisciplinary manner.

• Modeled cooperation and collaboration through the delivery of learning.

• Taught and promoted the joy, knowledge, and skills of music through inquiry. 

• Planned and presented music displays and exhibitions designed to exhibit students’ learning for the school and the community. 

• Developed relationships with students that supported a healthy and inclusive approach to building community and fostering a sense of belonging. 

• Clearly communicated expectations with students, and checked for understanding.

• Assessed learning and documented students' progress.   

• Safeguarded students by monitoring their physical and social-emotional safety in partnership with parents, administrators, and school counselors. 

• Built partnerships with students, parents, teachers, and colleagues to support the culture of “we.”

• Created a safe place of learning.

Founding Head of ESL Department

Ex-scuola media Dante Alighieri di via Siciliano a Nocera Inferiore

Nocera Inferiore, Naples, Italy

1998-2000

Coordinated the ESL program for students who required English proficiency

Provided direction, consultation, and supervision to program employees when needed.

Consulted with centrally based directors/staff and school-based staff to ensure that federal, state, and local policies and procedures as indicated by the Italian Ministry of Education were adhered to at all times.

Developed and implemented short and long range plans for the efficient operation of the ESL program.

Coordinated with school personnel, students, and parents to implement program policies.

Interviewed and recommended teachers and assistants as possible candidates for employment.

Coordinated/conducted staff development as it related to the ESL program.

Attended state, regional, and local meetings and conferences which applied to the areas of English as a Second Language and Foreign Languages.

Monitor program budgeting and funds and made amendments when necessary.

Purchased supplies, textbooks, and materials for the ESL program.

Coordinate and conducted initial and annual testing within the ESL program.

Coordinated and attended monthly department, principal and instructional staff meetings.

Il IV Istituto Comprensivo di Nocera Inferiore nasce nell‟anno scolastico a seguito del Piano di dimensionamento regionale. È strutturato come segue:

• due scuole dell‟Infanzia (Casolla e Montevescovado);

• tre scuole primarie (Casolla, Vescovado e Montevescovado);

• due scuole Secondarie di primo grado “Ilaria Alpi - Madre Teresa di Calcutta”. Nella sede centrale Ilaria Alpi hanno sede gli uffici della Presidenza e della Segreteria.

The IV Comprehensive Institute of Nocera Inferiore is structured as follows:

two nursery schools (Casolla and Montevescovado);

three primary schools (Casolla, Vescovado and Montevescovado);

two lower secondary schools "Ilaria Alpi - Mother Teresa of Calcutta". The offices of the Presidency and the Secretariat are located in the Ilaria Alpi headquarters.