Holly Gundolfi

Storytelling, dance and art

Award winning educator and artist Holly Gundolfi is a pioneer in bringing creative arts to education.  Holly inspires enthusiasm for her subjects and communicates with passion and humor.

If you can walk, you can dance.If you can talk, you can sing. - Zimbabwean proverb

Holly Gundolfi playing the ukeleleHolly Gundolfi playing conga drums outside in front of a like

From a young age Holly loved singing and in 1990 decided to add more musical expertise by training in Orff Schulverk in Manhattan. Orff is an educational method for children that emphasizes combining music, movement, drama, and speech to make lessons mirror children's play. With her certification she brought more musicality to her dance and drama classes as well as teaching music classes for all ages.

Her interest in African music has led her to study with such amazing musicians as Nigerian master drummer Babatunde Olantunji and South African singer Joseph Shambalala of Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Her collection of percussion instruments has traveled from senior centers to schools and she leads drum circles for any community event.

While percussion and rhythm are her greatest passions, she has also learned to play piano, recorder and ukulele, and regularly incorporates these into her ensemble.

Below is a sample ukelele lesson offered at a senior center with chord changes, tuning up, and a sample song.