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Leadership
MADOLYN ACCOLA
President
Madolyn Accola teaches music at Friends Seminary and is an associate conductor for the National Children’s Chorus. Prior to joining the Friends Seminary faculty, Madolyn worked at VOICE Charter School where she prepared choirs to sing at renowned performance venues such as Symphony Space, El Museo del Barrio, Nassau Coliseum, and Madison Square Garden. As a Kodály and Orff-Shulwerk certified practitioner, Madolyn has continued her studies internationally in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Ghana, and Bulgaria. She has led sessions for the Organization of American Kodály Educators, the New York State School Music Association, Hunter College, and several other music education organizations. Her writing is published in Kaleidescope, a Collection of Standards-Based Lessons for the K-8 General Music Classroom, The Orff Echo, and The Review (The Parents League of New York). Madolyn holds a Master of Arts degree in music education from Hunter College and a Bachelor of Music degree in music education from New York University. As an avid choral singer, rounds party attendee, and Balkan folk dancer, Madolyn believes in the power of communal music making to promote social change.
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DAN DOUGHTY
Treasurer
This is Dan Doughty’s seventh year as a member of the KONY board and his 19th year in music education. For the past 17 years, Dan has taught at Poly Prep Country Day School where he teaches 5th-8th-grade general music, 7th-12th-grade choirs, directs the Upper School Musical, and is the Director of Music, overseeing Nursery through Grade 12 music curriculum and programming. Dan completed his Kodály certification at NYU in 2012. He holds a Master of Arts in Music Education from Brooklyn College and a Bachelor of Music from Westminster College. He is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, the Organization of American Kodály Educators, the National Association for Music Educators, and the New York State School Music Association.
KRISTEN BURNETTE
Secretary
Kristen Burnette is an elementary music educator based in Manhattan. She received her Bachelor’s in Music Education from NYU in 2020, and has been teaching at Columbia Grammar School since! She completed levels 1 and 2 of Kodály training at the University of St. Thomas, and is thrilled to pursue her Kodály certificate next summer. She is passionate about fostering relevant, accessible, and justice-oriented music-making experiences with her students. One of her passions outside of the classroom is writing and performing her own music. She looks forward to connecting with the Kodály and music educator community in New York!
JOHN SAMONTE
Member at Large, Website
John Samonte is a choral director at the Shoreham-Wading River Central School District. He conducts the 6th Grade Treble Choir, the 7th & 8th Grade Chamber Choir, and directs the elite show choir and all-male singing group at Albert G. Prodell Middle School.
He has taught general music, choir, and orchestra at both the elementary and secondary level. John received his Kodály certificate from the Hartt School in Hartford, CT. In addition to his studies in Kodály, he has studied Orff Schulwerk, World Music Drumming, Suzuki, and holds several certificates with FAME. He is currently the Past President of the Long Island American Orff Schulwerk Association, the Secretary of the Choral Society of the Moriches, and one of the Co-Vice Presidents of the Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association.
John earned his Bachelor of Music from the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, NY. He majored in Music Business and Music Education, with concentrations in Voice, Violin, and Special Music Education. In addition to his applied music studies, John holds a Master of Arts in Music & Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.
SARAH MEADOWS
Past President
Sarah Meadows teaches musicianship classes for the National Children’s Chorus and recently completed her term as President of the Kodály Organization of New York. She taught preschool music at the Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and has also taught elementary music in public schools in Maryland and Virginia. She holds a Master of Music degree in Music Education from Peabody Conservatory and a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Spanish from the University of Virginia. She completed her Kodály Certification at George Mason University and has taught musicianship for the summer Kodály Teacher Training program at GMU as well. Sarah performs as both an accompanist and a choral singer. She sang as a member of The Washington Chorus in Washington, D.C. and The Oratorio Society of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Get Involved!
We would love to have you on the board! Email konylist@gmail.com to get started.
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