2004 Swan Award Winner: Ginger Covert Colla

Ginger Covert Colla, Director of Rainbow Arts Kindermusik, is a licensed Kindermusik Educator at the Maestro level who loves to share the magic of music, movement and literature with families in the greater Modesto area. Ginger currently teaches Kindermusik classes in four age-appropriate levels: Village, Our Time, Imagine That! and Kindermusik for the Young Child.

Ginger is a veteran music teacher having taught choral music, voice and humanities for more than 40 years. Degrees include a Bachelor of Music Education degree from University of Pacific Conservatory, a Master of Arts Degree in Choral Conducting from Occidental College and a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Illinois. Dr. Colla has taught choral music, voice and humanities at all levels from preschool to university.

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Following her retirement from academia in 1999 she established Rainbow Arts Kindermusik at Trinity United Presbyterian Church in Modesto, California.She loves the holistic quality of the curriculum. Having taught music education courses for a number of years at California State University, Stanislaus, she is convinced that this program is the finest curricula of its kind in the country.
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Ginger also writes children’s stories and songs designed to enhance the Kindermusik curricula. She is vitally interested in developing curricular materials that encourage the natural talent of children. Her research and teaching experience have led her to create the Rainbow Solfège method. It is a logical and functional color system that compliments the age-old aural “Do, Re, Mi” system. An article, Rainbow Solfège, a Color-phonic Approach, was published in the October 2001 edition of Teaching Music, a periodical of the Music Educators National Conference. She has also presented a scholarly paper for the AIC International Colour Conference in Rochester, New York in 2001. An article titled, Rainbow Solfége: New Perspective for Color Theory and Music Education, was published in the Proceedings of the 9th Congress of the International Colour Association by SPIE, Vol.4421 (2002).

Dr. Colla is also in demand as an adjudicator and clinician for vocal and choral festivals and as a conductor of area honor choirs. In addition to Kindermusik she teaches Music Appreciation part time at Modesto Junior College and maintains a private voice studio. She is active in professional organizations: Kindermusik Educators Association, Music Educators National Conference, California Music Educators Association and the American Choral Directors Association. She served as President of the ACDA Western Division and on various committees of MENC and CMEA throughout her career.

Ginger is married to Richard Colla, a fine bass baritone and Minister of Music and Worship at Trinity United Presbyterian Church in Modesto, CA. In addition to administering the Kindermusik program at Trinity, she participates in the Trinity handbell ensemble, chancel choir and sings with and coaches the women’s ensemble, One Voice. Ginger and Rich both love music, of course, but balance all of their musical activities by playing golf, going on biking trips and keeping house for 3 very spoiled cats!