About

Jennifer van Gennip

Prima Music Educators was founded in 2011 by Jennifer van Gennip, to bring under one name the various music education initiatives she has been undertaking for the last 20 years. 

She holds a Bachelor of Music degree with Honors in Piano Performance from the University of Western Ontario. During her studies, Jennifer represented New Brunswick at 2 national competitions and won numerous scholarships for both performance and academics.

After graduating, Jennifer joined the Piano Faculty at the Merriam Music Centre in Oakville, Ontario, teaching private and group piano classes, preschool music classes, and helping with curriculum development as the Assistant Head of the Piano Department. 

In 2007, shortly after moving to Halifax, NS, Jennifer was contracted by a music education software company to develop the curriculum, lesson plans, and teacher resources that are used with their software in schools and studios around North America, the UK, South Korea, and India. While in Halifax she also maintained a successful private studio and began adjudicating music festivals. 

Since then Jennifer has become very interested in the many benefits of music groups for children with special learning needs. She has focused her studies on bringing the best of what today's top music educators are teaching and tailoring it for the special needs student, particularly those living on the autism spectrum. She has presented on this topic in both Canada and the US. 

Jennifer now lives in Barrie with her husband and their three children. Besides teaching, presenting workshops and adjudicating, Jennifer is involved with Redwood Park Communities, a local affordable housing charity, and is the Executive Director of the Down Syndrome Association of Simcoe County, where she enjoys assisting this great group in the work they do in the community.