Jessica Baron, M.A., Founder & Executive Director

Jessica Baron is a lifelong acoustic guitarist, singer and “incidental” songwriter who began playing guitar at age seven, teaching guitar in Junior High, and has never stopped. Trained as a music educator, child development specialist, and psychotherapist, Jess taught at the Old Town School of Folk Music in the early 1980s. played the clubs there, then moved to California where she completed degrees in Child Development and Clinical Psychology and taught music, human development, and community service to students in grades kinder through twelve. In 1998, Jessica officially launched Guitars in the Classroom and has devoted herself to making music more accessible for teachers and children ever since.

Jessica’s passion for sharing music and serving others has shaped all of her work, including six books focusing on music instruction, childhood musicality and creativity. Her 2004 parenting book, YOUR MUSICAL CHILD: Inspiring Kids to Play and Sing for Keeps (String Letter Publishing, 2004) helps moms and dads nurture their children’s innate musicality as part of living well-rounded, balanced lives.

Jessica and her son, Eli (whose father is Rick Turner) relocated from Santa Cruz to San Diego in 2006 where Jess teaches and directs Guitars in the Classroom, adores nature, fusses over many small animals, attempts gardening, and appreciates her friends, family, and living everyday.

Jessica’s books include:

Let's Make Music	SmartStart Guitar	SmartStart Guitar Songbook	SmartStart Guitar (Spanish)	Your Musical Child

Sample Song: Soldier's Pledge

Listen to the song now! (MP3, 6.1 MB)