About the Authors
Author, Patricia Melcher Bissell, received B.M. and M.M. degrees in piano and composition from Peabody Conservatory and Yale University. She then received a Fulbright Scholarship to study composition in Paris. Bissell has been a keyboard teacher at Gateway Community College in New Haven, Connecticut since 2004. Prior to that, she taught K-12 music in suburban and inner-city schools, operated piano studios, and served as the floor exercise arranger/pianist for two U.S. Women's Olympic Gymnastic Teams.
​Co-author, Brereton Wadsworth Bissell, received a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Michigan. His career has included management of local non-profit programs and a community-oriented publication. Brereton has assisted Patricia in the preparation of studio, general music, and community college course materials, presentations, and publication. Bissell's contributions to the book include developing unique graphics to illustrate concepts and activities, in addition to co-writing content for definitions and instructions.