Bio

Carol, who is known to young children as "Miss Carol," makes her home in the Washington, DC, area. Carol grew up in Baldwin on Long Island (NY) and graduated from Brown University before moving to Northern Virginia to work as a government economist and then freelance writer/editor.

She began leading music in synagogues in the 1990s, and she was a preschool, religious school, and day school music teacher and choir director to countless area children. Her Music Fun program and Encore Summer Performance Camp (1992-2015) are fondly remembered by those who attended. 

Carol retired in 2018 from an editorial position at the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. She continues to lead religious services for adults at Greenspring Village, Springfield, VA and for children at Beth El Hebrew Congregation, Alexandria, VA. In addition, 30 years after founding the program, Carol now teaches a monthly Music Fun class at local libraries.

Carol has directed several youth and adult choirs. In 2001, Carol founded Shir HaLev, the Community Jewish Chorale of Northern Virginia, which she still directs. Click here to see a video of Carol directing combined choirs at the Strathmore Music Center. 

Carol is on the board of the Women Cantors' Network and serves as its newsletter editor.

PUBLICATIONS AND COMPOSITIONS 

Carol began publishing music in the year 2000 to make her music more widely available. Her publishing company is Chai Notes Publications. Carol is a member of ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. She requests that use of her music be reported to JLicense. Carol's publications include the following: 

  • Dayenu! A Passover Haggadah for Families and Children & CD 
  • Sleepytime Sh'ma children's picture book 
  • Voices In Prayer: 50 Liturgical Songs for Congregational Singing songbook & mp3s
  • Healing Service in Song DVD 
  • Gan Shirim: A Garden of Songs songbook & CD 
  • Jewish Life Cycle songbook 
  • Songs from the Heart: Family Shabbat songbook & CD 
  • Several labor force articles in The Monthly Labor Review, including "The Life of American Workers in 1915" (published in 2016) 

AWARDS AND COMMENDATIONS 

Carol’s highly acclaimed music is sung throughout the United States and has been performed worldwide, including Canada, England, France, Argentina, Hungary, and Singapore. 

  • Patriots' Dreams was selected as the alma mater of George Mason University in 2002. 
  • Gan Shirim received a 2004 Parents’ Choice Award and was nominated as “Best Jewish Album of 2006” by Just Plain Folks, which also nominated Modeh Ani for “Best Jewish Song of 2006.” 
  • Shalom Aleichem and Nakum Uvaninu were winners at the First Annual Shalshelet Festival of New Jewish Liturgical Music in 2004. 
  • Israel Lives in Every Jewish Heart was selected for Transcontinental Music Publication's Shalom Israel CD in 2009. 
  • Come See The Candles was selected for Transcontinental Music Publications’ “The Complete Chanukah Songbook” published in 2003. 
  • Brick by Brick was commissioned by Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia in 2008. 
  • Virginia, Ever Enshrined was presented to the Virginia Legislature in 2007 as House Bill 2662 for consideration as the official state song. 

John and Carol at a Greenspring Village Passover Seder

FAMILY 

After moving to Northern Virginia, Carol married and raised three children, who now are wonderful adults. Sadly, her husband of 30 years died in 2010, and the widower she married in 2015 died in 2016 but left her with two lovely stepdaughters. Happily, Carol got remarried in 2018 and through marriage to John (pictured here) became an instant grandma and mom to another lovely stepdaughter and stepson. The grandchild count is now up to 5. Carol's Scottie, Piper (her tenth Scottie), is a constant companion and all-around attention-getter!

Singing at a pediatric ward through the nonprofit, Taffy Presents

Leading a Passover seder on Zoom

Teaching a children's music class at Burke Centre Library

Because who doesn't want to see a picture of a Scottie, especially if it's Duncan? You can see more of the late, beloved Duncan in the "Young Children's Tashlich" video.

Here's Carol's newest Scottie, Piper. She's as sweet as she looks!