Amy Essen is a Calgary based Christian children's music artist, songwriter, singer, pianist, music educator and Mom of 4 kids 8 and under… so she knows first hand what keeps kids & parents engaged. Each performance is fast pace encouraging lots of audience participation with actions & movement. She includes a mix of upbeat & contemplative songs, interactive rhythm exercise, and entertaining introductions often using "Maestro the Monkey" puppet. Children and parents like leave feeling inspired and entertained. She can do solo performances & brings all her own equipment & instruments including professional back tracks. Amy is passionate about music that inspires growth… musically, physically, spiritually. Her debut album Creature Teachers features songs based on animals in 14 different musical genres and encourages listeners to work hard, find peace, and remember that everyone is unique. She holds ARCTs in Piano Performance and Piano Teaching from the Royal Conservatory of Toronto, and over 20 years of experience teaching private music lessons and performing in various contexts. She has worked with many choirs, taught music for young children (MYC), played in churches, schools and other arts organizations.