Staff & Faculty

Mr. Jenkins is the Executive Director of Música Franklin. He was previously a full time performing artist, and a manager and Teaching Artist at several educational arts programs in New England. His music has been featured in publications in England, Italy, Germany, Japan, Puerto Rico, and the mainland United States, and he has been conducting and arranging for string ensembles since he was 13 years old. He is also a genealogy researcher and published author with a passion for social justice and community unification.

Rachelle Ackerman is Música Franklin's Associate Director. She holds a BA in International Studies and Sociology, and a MS in Managing Mission-Driven Organizations from Marlboro College. Ms. Ackerman has managed her own massage therapy practice since 1992. She has extensive experience working with children as an international folk-dance teacher, early childhood educator, substitute teacher, and mentor for youth in foster care.

Ms. Bekka plays Classical, Folk and Bluegrass music professionally. She holds a BA from the University of Rochester with a minor in music and has completed extensive Suzuki method teacher training. Bekka brings over 28 years of teaching experience on violin and cello.

Annierose Klingbeil is a violist with a love of chamber music. She is a Suzuki trained violin and viola teacher with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from UMass Amherst in violin performance and music theory. She also studied piano, viola, chamber music, and music education throughout college. She has a passion for pedagogy, which she has used in her work as an aural skills teacher for the past five years at UMass Amherst and Amherst College. She is the general manager of two non-profit concert series in MA and CT and organizes the UMass Suzuki Teacher Training and String Pedagogy Workshops. In her free time, Ms. Annierose enjoys doing puzzles and playing soccer. 

Ms. Gedeon was an avid singer/performer throughout her middle and high school years. She attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan, NY. However, with dreams of being an educator, she eventually attended and graduated from New York University and taught high school in the public school system for over 20 years. When struck with the 'performing bug,' she gets involved in the arts assisting the youth. Currently, she is an AmeriCorps member working with Música Franklin assisting and vicariously enjoying the beauty of music through the eyes of the students.

Ms. Citron, an avid chamber music player, has taught for over 40 years in after-school music programs, community music schools, and a private Suzuki studio. She is past president of the statewide association of MA Suzuki teachers and families. As the founder and Artistic Director of Música Franklin, she is deeply committed to music and social justice. Ms. Citron holds a BM from Brandeis University and a MM in performance from UMass Lowell.
 

Ms. Matlock began her music career at the age of five, when she sang in a family choir directed by her mother and learned to play hand drums. She became the official rhythm keeper of the Robinson Singers and has been singing and drumming ever since. She has led and taught at workshops throughout the United States, including at the United Nations. According to Ms. Matlock, the healing power of the drums and the inspiring melodies of her ancestors’ Spiritual Songs are gifts of history which speak to the soul and should be shared.

Ms. Kurland has been playing the violin since the age of five. Classically trained, she has branched out to play folk, jazz, fiddle and klezmer music. She is a member of a band that provides musical performances and workshops in elementary schools and summer camps. She loves watching the joy that music and dancing elicits, and appreciates the friendships and connections that are formed through making music together. She has her BA in Sociology and her MS in Environmental Science. She currently spends much of her time nurturing her three year old daughter and infant son.

Aidin Martinez is from Puerto Rico and has lived in Massachusetts for 5 years. Her main language is Spanish, but she has learned English and learns something new every day. Ms. Martinez started in a school as a volunteer to work with children. She loves helping children learn something new and continuing to reinforce their skills. She currently volunteers in a program called PEER Ambassador to help families in the community by sharing information about resources they need or that exist in the community. She has known the Música Franklin program for three years and her children belonged to the program. It is a pleasure for her to belong to Música Franklin as part of its faculty.