Sing along with 'Miss Cathy'
BY CATEY SULLIVAN | CONTRIBUTOR
Vernon Hills' Cathy Glickman is a morning person. Or at least she is on her first recording, "Mornings with Miss Cathy."
A CD for children, produced and recorded by Deerfield's Derrick Procell, the recording aims to help children sing merrily about their morning routines in songs about making pancakes, heading out in the car with mom or just greeting -- as in the title of one song -- "A Fab New Day."
The recording is an outgrowth of Glickman's work as a Kindermusik instructor at the Highland Park, Deerfield and Vernon Hills park districts.
"I just finished my seventh year teaching. I'll do it until I can't walk anymore," said Glickman, whose "Mornings with Miss Cathy" in available through her Web site,
www.misscathymusic.com, and at cdbaby.com.
She didn't start out to be a music instructor. Glickman has a degree in medical technology, and she spent years 13 working as a microbiologist.
"To this day I ask my mom why I didn't get a degree in vocal performance," Glickman said. "Well, I was brought up by a mom who wanted to make sure I was able to make a living, even though she knew my talent and my passion was in music."
But the music would not be denied.
When Glickman's son, now 11, was 2, she attended a Kindermusik class with him in Lincolnshire.
"That was when I had my big epiphany. I love to be with people, and there I was sitting over a Petri dish in a lab all day. It was one of those moments when I decided to follow my heart," she said. "I can't believe I did the science thing for so many years."
Her heart led her to leave the world of microbiology and become a certified Kindermusik instructor, an international form of music instruction that emphasizes parental involvement, musical play and movement in classes for infants through 7-year-olds.
Today, Glickman estimates she has about 135 students enrolled in the 12 classes she offers.
"I keep saying I won't add any more classes, and every year, I do. I'm just a girl who can't say no," she said.
And while the sessions are supposed to run 45 minutes, they often go overtime.
"Miss Cathy gets carried away sometimes," said Glickman, who often refers to herself in the third person when talking about her musical career.
Her classes led Glickman to Procell's recording studio last year.
"Our daughter Evelyn was in her class," Procell said. "Even more than her voice, what really grabbed me was her enthusiasm and her innate love for music. It was really a no-brainer to do a kids-oriented record."
Some of the songs on the 14-track recording are standards, but many of them are original tunes that Procell and Glickman collaborated on.
Parents are quick to praise the music teacher.
"Cathy's got a magical connection with the kids. Her classes are infectious," said Deerfield resident Sherri Browdy, who has a 8-year-old who just graduated from Glickman's Kindermusik classes and a 3-year-old now taking them.
"It helps," Browdy added, "that Cathy has such a beautiful voice."
'Mornings with Miss Cathy'
Cathy Glickman
$15
www.cdbaby.com
www.misscathymusic.com