Today we’d like to introduce you to Carol Ann Ashley Birtwell.
Hi Carol Ann Ashley, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born into a lively, Irish Catholic tribe of seven kids, I adored the beautiful woods, gorgeous ocean, and our beloved bustling downtown that we were lucky enough to live close to., in Westport Connecticut.
Putting on plays with my siblings for my parents and their friends in our living room, was one of my other big joys, as a kid.
I was so lucky because my parents really loved the arts and took me to many musicals., like Oklahoma, Carousel, South Pacific, so I developed a big love of music, dance and singing at a very young age.
Fast-forward, I went to the University of Northern Colorado, and received my teaching degree in psychology and theatre.
I ended up being the first woman sales rep on the East Coast for IBM in Worcester, Massachusetts, and learned a lot about business, people, and received excellent training in sales.
I took that success and moved to California in my early 20s..
My yearning for the arts landed me right smack in the middle of children and music.
I was a Gymboree and Kindermusik Educator for years, teaching music and movement to young children and their families.
My trip to India found me at the Taj Mahal and although there were signs stating that singing and talking were not allowed, I started singing “Amazing Grace “ because I knew it was one of the seven wonders of the world and I would hear myself echo seven times over.
I was then escorted out by two Gentlemen, who wasted no time, each gently lifting each of my arms and plopping me outside the door , but it was so worth it.!
I sang a concert for 100 blind children in Kolkata, India, which was life-changing in the most enchanting, goosebumps, kind of way.
On my return, I opened my own music business called “Ashley’s Musikids, and I taught music and movement to young children and their families in Florida, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and northern and southern California, and also found myself writing 4 children’s books..
Then came the pandemic.. oh I left out the part that along the way I got married and have an amazing son named Dakoda. The marriage didn’t last too long., but the splendid blended family we now have is truly a gift, especially for my son.
I have retired my music business for a few years now and have been fortunate enough to travel and spend time with family and friends all over the place.
I have discovered that I love watercolor and I am having great fun, creating paintings and learning new things..
Throughout all this, I have been continuously active in theatre, film, and VoiceOver work.
. North County players is the theatre troupe . I have performed with for Christmas plays at the Escondido Center for the Arts, for the last three years.
My next dream, since I love storytelling is , I am now creating a little recording studio in my home to do a podcast and voiceover work. I was the spokes person voice for the Florida lottery for many years..
Ok Boom!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh my .. struggles. Well after my marriage broke up, I needed to work full-time versus part-time.
I had an interview to be a preschool teacher. The unique part about the interview was it was in the dark because all the kids were sleeping. It was in the nap room. That was really the beginning of my career of teaching/music/ and children.
Thanks to my training with IBM I was able to be successful at the business end as far as running my own music and movement business.
I am much more of a dramatic, creative arts kind of person so being organized, working with numbers/ finances, and marketing were not my first choice, nor where I wanted to spend my time, but I learned the necessity of discipline and persistence and creating goals, and to keep going no matter what the obstacles.. I’m really grateful to this day that I was able to blend my love of teaching and music with the structures of continuously creating a successful business.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I think what I’ve been known for and what sets me apart from others is my passion and excitement for what I do, my deep caring for the children and their families, my unique speaking voice and singing voice, and my unique way of teaching.
I have always used the Montessori style of teaching, which involves learning through doing, not someone telling you how to do something, as we all learn differently.
I seem to have a deep intuition with children and people, so I am able to zone in on how each child learns best and welcome them in with who they are and what they have, so they feel safe and delighted with how they learn, and of course fun has to be a big part of it.
One of the things I’m most proud of is I have always known when a young child… I’m talking like 2 to 3 to 4 years old has had a hearing problem. Many times I have known before the parents and I have found diplomatic ways to convey this to the parents, and help get the children the best resources and also help through our musical activities in class.
What sets me apart from others.. I am very unconventional and always try to have happy surprises in store for the parents and the children. I have helped many parents participate fully and sing and dance their way through my classes, just by my tender, kind actions… this has helped them come out of their shell which of course helps their children come out of theirs.
I have always lived by that Zimbabwe proverb “that says “if you can talk you can sing. If you can walk, you can dance.”
Dancing and singing are my language that I lead just about everything with..
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memory was when we lived in Tenafly, New Jersey and we had a big backyard with bunny rabbits.
Honestly, I think I was about four or five years old and even though I am the third oldest, my mom always spent quality time with each of us, which was no easy task when there’s seven kids, and my mom and I would sit out in the backyard in the grass and we would eat tomatoes from the garden that she grew, and she would bring a salt shaker, for the tomatoes, and we would sit outside and wait for the bunnies to come scurrying across the grass which they always did And we would laugh and eat our delicious tomatoes together.
Another one was we would watch old black-and-white TV and we would eat saltine crackers with peanut butter.
Pricing:
- I Need A Hug! Book on Amazon $9.99
- Bananas Make Me Wanna Dance! Book on Amazon $9.99
- Freddie and Bibelle and the Big Feather Drum Amazon book $9.99
- Freddie and Bibelle An Extraordinary Encounter Amazon Book $9.99
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/mamalushka/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashleysmusikidshooray
- Youtube: https://YouTube.com/watch?v=egup9k8RqEM
Image Credits
Pictures of kids ~ credits Carol Ann Ashley Birtwell
