Holly Heise, Creator
Leonard Wolf, Creator
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Award-winning composer and interactive multimedia designer, Holly Heise has an inter-disciplinarian Masters degree in Music and Computers from the University of Illinois and studied under one of the pioneers and leaders of modern music education (she also has a BA in Music Education attending Augsburg and Belmont Colleges). This education led her to designing authoring software for AT&T and interfaces/software at IBM. Since high school, she has taught music to many children, directed numerous plays and music programs, and composed and written songs. Holly is a recipient of the prestigious Pixie Award and has also received awards for her film and TV music with three Emmy nods and a Gold Addy.
Leonard Wolf, composer, producer, and engineer has been well known in the Nashville Film and Television community for over 20 years. He's received much recognition for his work including 4 Emmys. His music is heard all over the world in television shows, feature films and advertising. As a professional musician for over 35 years, Leonard has worked with a wide variety of artists including Garth Brooks, Reba, Dr. Hook, Don Everly, Lynn Anderson, Lee Greenwood, Billy Crystal, and Tiny Tim. As a songwriter he has had songs cut by Della Reese, Gospel great Shirley Ceasar, Jazz singer Jaimee Paul, and others domestically and abroad.
Cruiser is committed to music "edu-tainment"
for children
Goals
• Teach and entertain
• Inspire creativity and acquisition of musical knowledge and skills.
• Enhance confidence and increase a sense of belonging through participation.
• Develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.
• Reinforce positive social messages such as hope, peace and friendship.
• Promote cross-disciplinary connections, e.g., with science and reading.
Audience
For children 3 – 13 years old
About Interactivity...
About The Educational Advisory Board...
About The Books...
Our interactive products, "The Skallywaggle Tails Musical Adventures",
are available in iBooks/Amazon and run on iPads, iPhones, Smart
phones and computers.
In "STAR SONGS" an orphan-boy learns to use the power of music and love in a galactic fight against the evil Silencers. An all animal cosmic rock band, the Skallywaggle Tails, are touring the galaxy when a teen-age guitar-playing stowaway appears aboard their spaceship. He wants to join the band and needs their help to search for his long lost parents. Their adventures bring them to the secret musical planet of Aria where they encounter new friends, wonders and romance. But when a sinister force stalks them and threatens the fate of Aria and the galaxy they must find the power to destroy this universal evil!
In "The Skallywaggle Tails and the Musical Planet" young children are introduced to the musical world of the Skallywaggles.
About The Development Team...
The main goal of the Board is to ensure the educational and entertainment value and enhance the creative approaches used by the Skallywaggle Tails™ design team. Board members include:
Music is magical: it influences emotionally and intellectually. The main goal is to have children be entertained and learn from the music and the stories. “The Skallywaggle Tails” is a potentially far-reaching brand with multiple revenue streams. Using music as the central theme is not only novel, it provides a positive environment for children to learn and grow.
Dr. Jennifer Vannatta-Hall - professor of music-education at MTSU
Dr. Judy Klass - writer and professor at Vanderbilt and Nossi
Nick Jaworski - music education instructor at the University of Illinois
Dr. James M. Perdue - motivational speaker, teacher, and coach
Irene Erickson - retired Kindergarten teacher
Lou Spoltore - president Gallatin Arts Council, vice president Live On Stage
Marjorie Halbert - professor of musical theatre at Belmont College
Dr. Peter Hendrickson - professor of music at Augsburg College
Brian Hull, Artist
Aurora Siegl, Editor
Brian Hull is a writer, animator, illustrator, puppeteer and musical actor. He founded Wishing Chair Productions at Nashville Public Library in 1997, continuing the library’s tradition of story-telling with puppets begun by Tom Tichenor in 1938. Currently in his 12th season writing and directing shows at Dollywood, Brian has worked in the theme park industry for three decades.
The Skallywaggles are a unique band of animals that live on the musically charged planet, Harmonia. Captain Cruiser, the alpha-dog and guitar playing leader; Natasha, the feline navigator and keyboardist; Precious, the canine communications officer and bass player; and Vargot, the scientific robotic dog need the children at home to power their ship and world. By engaging in song and dance and playing music, kids may assist the Skallywaggle Tails in generating the power that can only be created by performing music. We hope you will join the band on the musically propelled S.S. Skedaddle and keep the music playing in order to create power and aid in their defense against the Silencers, their main nemesis. “Music does make this world go round."
copyright © 2022 by Skallywaggles™
Dr. Jennifer Vannetta-Hall, Educational Consultant
Jennifer Vannatta-Hall is a music-education professor at MTSU and received her doctorate from the University of Illinois after teaching music in public schools. Her research interests include music psychology, early childhood music education, and problem-based learning. She is master level in the Orff-Schulwerk approach to music education as well as the Smithsonian Institute's World Music Pedagogy and an officer in the Association for Kodály Educators (MTAKE).
About The Skallywaggles...
Keech Rainwater is a video director and performing musician. He has been shooting videos for thirteen years and runs Rainwater Films. He is also a founding member of the multi-platinum award-winning group Lonestar.
Aurora Siegl received both her BA in Communications and her MA in German literature from Florida Atlantic University. After studying piano composition on a Rotary International Scholarship in Vienna, Austria, Aurora worked for IBM as a technical writer, editor and course developer.
Jules Wortman, PR & Markecting
Jules Wortman is a veteran public relations and marketing strategist who has developed a number of national campaigns for record labels, authors, music and sports clients. She has headed PR and Artist Development departments at major record labels including Warner Bros. and MCA as well as a top professional wrestling promotion seen in over 100 countries weekly. As an industry leader, Wortman has served on the board of the Country Music Association (CMA), TJ Martell Foundation and been an active member of Leadership Music and National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS).
Her clients include Chevrolet, Country Music Television (CMT), Heidi Newfield, Third Day, Red Light Management, Big Kenny, gubernatorial candidate in Tennessee, Phil Vassar, SHeDAISY and others. Wortman has previously worked with Capitol Records, Sony Music Nashville , Time Life Music, Adams & Reece, Kid Rock, Faith Hill, Vince Gill, Billy Ray Cyrus, The Charlie Daniels Band, Uncle Kracker, Pat Green, John Michael Montgomery, Big & Rich, Rita Coolidge, award-winning songwriters Gretchen Peters and Tom Douglas, Scene Three Media Works alliance, and more.
Keech Rainwater, Director of Photography
