DIRECTOR, GUITAR, UKULELE, SONGWRITING, CHOIR

Kat White is a musician, songwriter, and longtime music educator based in Oakland, California. Since 2010, she has taught guitar, ukulele, and songwriting, and she brings that experience and joy to all of Magnolia’s programs.

Magnolia Music School grew out of Kat’s vision for a creative, collaborative space where kids can grow as musicians together. She is passionate about helping students discover their own unique musical voices and build confidence through music.

In addition to teaching, Kat has released original music for both kids and adults, and co-wrote a song for The Inventor, a 2023 animated film about Leonardo da Vinci.

PIANO, VOICE, UKULELE

Daniela Rodriguez-Chavez is a professional music director and freelance pianist/accompanist based in Oakland, CA. Originally from Kansas City, she is a classically trained pianist who has been performing for over ten years. Since moving to the Bay, she has worked with theatre companies including Berkeley Playhouse, Contra Costa Civic Theatre, TMC Arts, and Chanticleer’s, and has performed at both the Edinburgh Fringe and Hollywood Fringe Festival, music directing and piano conducting original musicals. She is also the co-music director and pianist of Cantos de Mi Tierra, a group dedicated to sharing Latin American music.

In addition to music directing, Daniela has been a music and voice educator since 2019 and is excited to be joining the Magnolia team. She believes music is a powerful storytelling tool and prioritizes teaching rooted in curiosity and joy, helping students of all ages express themselves authentically.

Outside of music, Daniela conducts mathematical research related to mosquito-borne diseases.

PIANO, UKULELE, GUITAR

Ben Einstein is a professional musician with more than 15 years of live performance experience and a decade of teaching under his belt. As an educator, he specializes in music theory and instruction on piano, ukulele, guitar, bass, and music production. He teaches both private lessons and group classes, with a focus on creating confidence-building musical experiences. His style blends structured, book-based curriculum with classic children’s music, plus modern pop and rock. Above all, he aims to meet students where they are and keep learning fun.

As a gigging musician, Ben plays regularly with the Oakland swing-punk band he co-founded, Van Goat, where he performs on keys and rhythm guitar, sings backup, and often serves as the band’s recording engineer. He also leads his own singer-songwriter project, Neeto, featuring quirky originals, Y2K-era covers, and a collection of homemade musical inventions.

UKULELE, GUITAR, CELLO, WARBLERS CHOIR

Sara Jayne is originally from Albany, New York, and has called California home for the past twelve years. She grew up surrounded by the sounds of Motown and traditional Irish music, and began playing cello at age eight, and guitar in her teens. In her twenties, frequent moves inspired her to pick up the ukulele—a perfectly portable companion—and it quickly became a central part of her teaching and songwriting.

After studing Spanish for several years, Sara Jayne lived in Colombia and Ecuador. She loves incorporating Spanish into her music teaching. Sara Jayne has spent over fifteen years working with children in a wide range of settings, including eight years as a dedicated children’s music instructor. She draws inspiration from both classical music and the soulful harmonies of 1960s Motown and doo-wop. Above all, she’s dedicated to creating a welcoming, supportive space where kids can build confidence and discover the joy of making music together.

GUITAR, UKULELE, PIANO

Josh has been a professional musician for over fifteen years. He has educated students of all ages across the Bay Area as well as worked as a composer, sound designer and performer with various talents, venues and organizations. Performance credits include the San Francisco Philharmonic Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Grammy award winning musician and Oakland artist Fantastic Negrito, legacy Filipino American performing arts performance arts organization KulArts and Brava Theatre for Women in the Arts. Josh also holds an MA in ethnomusicology from CSU East Bay and wrote his thesis on the impact and history of Filipino American musicians on the west coast of the United States.

He is an enthusiastic member of the Magnolia Music School team and loves assisting our young students to treasure and unleash their creative gifts!