The Instructors

All members of the Trinity Early Childhood Music staff have been trained and certified by Musikgarten.  We are proud to have a dedicated and professional staff of teachers working with our children and families.

Valerie Hamlin holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with a minor in vocal performance from the University of North Texas. After singing professionally in Dallas, she volunteered with the Colorado Symphony Chorus for six years and still performs as a soloist in the Denver area when time allows. Valerie works as the PR/Communications Director for the Central City Opera and became certified as an educator with Musikgarten in 2007.  She and her husband have enjoyed being a part of the Trinity ECM classes with their son, Keegan, and are looking forward to bringing their new twin boys, Griffin and Declan, to classes this fall.  Valerie looks forward to sharing her joy of music with our families as she continues teaching for her fifth year.

Jackie Ives holds a BA in Human Development and Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay as well as an elementary teacher’s certification from the graduate school at the University of Colorado-Denver.  She has been teaching Musikgarten classes at Trinity since 1997 and acts as the director of our program.  In addition, Jackie is the director of the Primary Joyful Voices children’s choir at Trinity and teaches elementary music classes at St. Elizabeth’s School.  Her sons, Neil & Kyle, are in college while daughter, Claire, is a sophomore in high school, and all three share their parents’ love for music and the arts.

Kathy Ives has taught for ECM at Trinity for eleven years.  Kathy also serves as the director of Trinity's children's choir, Joyful Voices, and as accompanist for the Youth Choir.  She has earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Colorado-Boulder. She works part time as a Music Assistant at Trinity United Methodist Church.

Kurt Lausman began his early music career on culinary instruments in his mother’s kitchen. He has a B.S. in Environmental Policy from Michigan State University. He has extensive experience teaching children and young adults from Michigan, to South Africa, Germany, and Sri Lanka. Kurt currently enjoys playing the guitar/harmonica and drumming on his steering wheel.  He is ecstatic about his first year with ECM and the opportunity to make little booties shake. He owns a coffee roasting business and stays at home with son, Berkley.

Carrie Nicholas teaches general music to grades 1-5 at Kemp Elementary School in Commerce City, Colorado.  She earned her Bachelor of Music Education degree at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, IL and began teaching Musikgarten at Trinity in 2006. Carrie is a member of Trinity United Methodist Church where she sings in the Chancel Choir and Trinity Chamber Choir.  She and her husband have a son, Kason, who loves coming to music class at Trinity.

Shelley Rothcomes to us with over 13 years of musical training and over 16 years of working with small children.  She is trained in classical piano and the flute as well as being part of various musical groups such as her high school band and jazz band.  She has been taking part in Trinity ECM classes with her children since 2006, although you might also recognize her from working in the Trinity nursery or various preschool programs around Denver.  Shelley is extremely excited about teaching these wonderful ECM classes and sharing this music with our ECM families for a fourth year.

Sharon Scheminske brings 17 years of musical training to the Early Childhood Music program at Trinity.  She is trained in classical piano, and participated in French horn and vocal performance through college as she earned her degree at the University of Colorado in Boulder.  She has been attending ECM classes at Trinity with her children since her daughter was three months old, and she brought her son when he was just three weeks old.  Sharon delights in being able to bring the gift of music into the lives of her young children through the ECM program at Trinity, and is excited to pass this gift along to all the parents and children attending classes for a second year.