Director, MM II, Piano, Music History, Theory

Crissy Hawthorne founded the Music Education Center in 1982.  While her varied degrees in English, Music, and Education have equipped her to train and supervise a large staff of music instructors, it is her own classroom teaching that she loves with a passion. Crissy continues to hone and implement her comprehensive curriculum, which includes solfege, vocal ensemble, ear training, theory, history, and piano instruction all within a weekly music lesson for compatibly experienced children.  She has created specialized course offerings including the History of Broadway Musicals, Chanson en Francais, short courses on the study of specific genres of music, paired with relevant Classical composers, and elite string ensembles for students with trained ears, vocal, and piano proficiency.

Graduates of Crissy’s classes are remarkably gifted musicians in orchestras, bands, choirs, and piano studios throughout Charlottesville and surrounding counties.  Additionally, Crissy coaches and accompanies for auditions, gigs, recitals, soirees, and impromptu jam sessions.

In her free time, Crissy enjoys time with her grandson, gardening, traveling, reading literature, classical concerts, and most especially, opera.