MUSICAL MINDS
Our Team
Our Team
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My name is Warren Mendes, and I am the Director and founder of Musical
Minds. I began offering after school music programs back in 2001, after spending a
few years as the Director of Marketing for the music education division of the
Rhodes Music Corporation. At Rhodes I worked to promote the highly acclaimed
teaching methodology of the legendary Harold Rhodes, developer of the famous
Fender Rhodes piano. Before that, I was a recording artist, a session musician and a
songwriter. I was lucky enough to have several of my compositions recorded by
successful artists, and I was able to work with many "big name" artists, but I was
always frustrated by the state of the music industry. Growing up in the United
Kingdom and the West Indies, and being exposed to so much incredible music as a
youth, I developed a huge passion for all things musical. I studied law at university
(my pragmatic side made that decision), but my understudies were always music
courses. As soon as I graduated I promptly sought out a career in music. My
friends and I soon secured a record deal, and away we went!
By the time I became involved with music education, my passion for being in the
mainstream of the music industry had significantly mellowed, and I believe that in
the realm of teaching I had found my knish. I love working with kids and showing
them how to experience a little of the passion for music that I have enjoyed through
the years. I'm a strong advocate of music and art as two key formative building
blocks of childhood development. I believe that for kids, music is one of the keys to
self confidence, self esteem, creative thinking (essential for problem solving in
subjects like math and science), and even social awareness. I have seen all kinds of
kids in our program - gifted and talented kids, slow learners, kids with behavioural
issues, autism, ADD, ADHD, shy kids, happy kids, you name it. They all love
music, and they all enjoy learning to play music and they get so much joy learning
to make music.
From the very first class that I started in West Los Angeles I could see the vision of
bringing a high quality program to schools everywhere. Slowly I assembled my
team, and together we have grown steadily, so that our program can now be found
in schools up and down the West Coast, from as far north as Seattle all the way
down to San Diego.
Minds. I began offering after school music programs back in 2001, after spending a
few years as the Director of Marketing for the music education division of the
Rhodes Music Corporation. At Rhodes I worked to promote the highly acclaimed
teaching methodology of the legendary Harold Rhodes, developer of the famous
Fender Rhodes piano. Before that, I was a recording artist, a session musician and a
songwriter. I was lucky enough to have several of my compositions recorded by
successful artists, and I was able to work with many "big name" artists, but I was
always frustrated by the state of the music industry. Growing up in the United
Kingdom and the West Indies, and being exposed to so much incredible music as a
youth, I developed a huge passion for all things musical. I studied law at university
(my pragmatic side made that decision), but my understudies were always music
courses. As soon as I graduated I promptly sought out a career in music. My
friends and I soon secured a record deal, and away we went!
By the time I became involved with music education, my passion for being in the
mainstream of the music industry had significantly mellowed, and I believe that in
the realm of teaching I had found my knish. I love working with kids and showing
them how to experience a little of the passion for music that I have enjoyed through
the years. I'm a strong advocate of music and art as two key formative building
blocks of childhood development. I believe that for kids, music is one of the keys to
self confidence, self esteem, creative thinking (essential for problem solving in
subjects like math and science), and even social awareness. I have seen all kinds of
kids in our program - gifted and talented kids, slow learners, kids with behavioural
issues, autism, ADD, ADHD, shy kids, happy kids, you name it. They all love
music, and they all enjoy learning to play music and they get so much joy learning
to make music.
From the very first class that I started in West Los Angeles I could see the vision of
bringing a high quality program to schools everywhere. Slowly I assembled my
team, and together we have grown steadily, so that our program can now be found
in schools up and down the West Coast, from as far north as Seattle all the way
down to San Diego.
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David Carruthers is one of those unique individuals who employs both
sides of his brain equally. He has an extensive background in business and
finance, having been a Chartered Accountant in Canada (the equivalent of
a CPA in the United States), and he's held the post of chief financial
officer of various prominent corporations during his lifetime. On the other
player with numerous jazz outfits and big band orchestras in the Los
Angeles and Orange County areas, and before that in Toronto, Canada.
David is a lovable guy whose heart is completely in this program, and he
brings that good Canadian sensibility to Musical Minds. He's well liked by
kids, parents and school officials alike, and he wears many hats in the
organization, so his true job can best be described as our operations
manager (or maybe the heart of the program).
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR (SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGION)
Kristin Manna
Kristin has a B.A degree in Communication: TV & Film Production and worked as
an an assistant editor and editor in the LA area for many years working on
M.O.W's, documentaries, and feature films. One of her important tasks as an
editor was creating a soundtrack to market versions of the film to sell the cut to
the producers! She developed a strong love for music and the emotional power it
has on its audience! She has also worked as the Events Coordinator for Diamante
Music Group. She worked as the liason between the music labels and the music
distribution group. Kristin is a mom of three great kids, so she also brings her
parental talents to the mix.
Kristin Manna
Kristin has a B.A degree in Communication: TV & Film Production and worked as
an an assistant editor and editor in the LA area for many years working on
M.O.W's, documentaries, and feature films. One of her important tasks as an
editor was creating a soundtrack to market versions of the film to sell the cut to
the producers! She developed a strong love for music and the emotional power it
has on its audience! She has also worked as the Events Coordinator for Diamante
Music Group. She worked as the liason between the music labels and the music
distribution group. Kristin is a mom of three great kids, so she also brings her
parental talents to the mix.
With over 100 trained Musical Minds instructors, we feel that we have more depth in musical experience
experience, with degrees from venerable music institutes such as USC Thornton School, New England
Conservatory and Berklee College. They are classically trained, jazz players, roll & rollers, singers and
instrumentalists. They are teachers and performers and composers.
Most importantly, they are the kind of music instructors who we feel will bring a positive exuberance
and energy to each and every single session.
experience, with degrees from venerable music institutes such as USC Thornton School, New England
Conservatory and Berklee College. They are classically trained, jazz players, roll & rollers, singers and
instrumentalists. They are teachers and performers and composers.
Most importantly, they are the kind of music instructors who we feel will bring a positive exuberance
and energy to each and every single session.
PROGRAM COORDINATOR (SANTA BARBARA COUNTY)
Erich Tomkinson
Erich Tomkinson is a graduate of UC Santa Barbara with a degree in English Literature
and Music. He has been an avid guitar and piano player for nearly ten years and really has
a passion for music. Erich started his career in music during middle school playing tenor
saxophone in the school band, as well as guitar in the school's jazz band. He eventually
progressed into teaching himself piano based on prior knowledge of the guitar and sax.
Ask him nearly any question about The Beatles and he will have an answer for you. He
loves his job as a music teacher and proudly supports the positive enrichment for children
that is Musical Minds.
Erich Tomkinson
Erich Tomkinson is a graduate of UC Santa Barbara with a degree in English Literature
and Music. He has been an avid guitar and piano player for nearly ten years and really has
a passion for music. Erich started his career in music during middle school playing tenor
saxophone in the school band, as well as guitar in the school's jazz band. He eventually
progressed into teaching himself piano based on prior knowledge of the guitar and sax.
Ask him nearly any question about The Beatles and he will have an answer for you. He
loves his job as a music teacher and proudly supports the positive enrichment for children
that is Musical Minds.
PROGRAM COORDINATOR (NORTHWESTERN REGION)
Elise Witek
Elise is a firm believer in young musicians as she was one herself. After starting guitar
lessons at age 5, Elise spent the last 19 years expanding her musical knowledge in theory,
composition and performance. Beyond guitar, Elise finds piano, bass, drums, banjo and
mandolin wonderful second choices. She has performed her own music in many venues
around the world including youth camps in Albania, Romania, Czech Republic and the
USA, and orphanages in Botswana and Lithuania. She is a graduate from Westmont
College in Santa Barbara, where she studied English and Theater. Her album “Beak to
Bark” was released in October 2008. She has recently returned from a US tour playing
banjo and mandolin for The Way Much. Elise has recently moved from Musical Minds
Santa Barbara to Musical Minds Seattle, and is thrilled to spread her love for kids and
music to the young musicians of the Northwest.