Meet our Instructors

Cathy Glickman

"Miss Cathy" is a recent Bucktown transplant after playing suburban wife and mother of 2 for 25 years. Cathy's theatrical home is Big Deal Productions in Buffalo Grove where she appeared in Steel Magnolias, Seussical and Annie. She has music directed many shows for Big Deal and Bannockburn School. Cathy is a proud member of Chicago Cabaret Professionals and has performed several solo cabaret shows to sold out crowds at Davenports, Skokie Theater, her favorite being a tribute to Linda Ronstadt which she also had the honor to perform at Stevenson High School, her children’s alma mater. Cathy made her NYC debut in April 2021 with fellow cabaret singer Anna Palermo and continues to be a diverse vocalist singing everything from Classical to Billy Joel from Carnegie Hall to Don’t Tell Mama in New York City. In 2005 "Miss Cathy" recorded her solo CD entitled Mornings With Miss Cathy of mostly original children's music to WORLDWIDE rave reviews from children and adults. 

Miss Cathy is the second of three FEMALE business owners at Kindermusik Northshore. She is honored to pass the torch to her longtime friend and musical theatre buddy, Ms. Kara Spector.


Kara Greenberger-Spector

Kara Spector has been a local music educator for over 20 years.  She graduated with honors from Northwestern University with a BM in Music Education and a BA in Creative Writing, and later received her MAEd in Gifted Education from Northeastern Illinois University.  While at NU, Kara was conductor of the SAI Music Fraternity for Women's Beta Chapter Choir, where she was a Sword Of Honor and College Honor Award Recipient. She also served as the assistant conductor of the Cantores Minores Chicago Boys Choir.  Her career began as a public school music, language arts, and gifted education teacher. Kara’s passion for teaching and performing in musical theater fostered a 20 year career as a local music director for various schools and theater companies, including Big Deal Productions, Big Noise Theater, and Adlai E. Stevenson High School. Kara also maintains a private voice studio of dozens of talented young and adult singers from across the Northshore, and directs the Crescendo Choirs.  Her Kindermusik journey began when Miss Cathy, a friend from the community theater scene, invited Kara and her new babies to class, and the rest (as they say) is history!

Kara is delighted to bring the life-enriching experience of Kindermusik to you and your children as the new director and 3rd female business owner of Kindermusik Northshore. She is eternally grateful to Diane Naftzger and Cathy Glickman for introducing her to this joyful vocation.


Samantha Gatwood

Miss Sam is delighted to be part of the Kids Music Northshore team! Sam is a born and raised Chicago-suburbs girl with big dreams and a big voice, gracing the stage and living rooms since two years old.

Sam attended Drake University for Musical Theatre and Directing where she performed, worked behind the scenes, and taught whenever she could. Upon returning back to Chicago in 2017 she proceeded to work towards her Masters of Education in Early Childhood Education and Developmental Therapy at DePaul University. She taught enrichment music and theatre classes as well as led her own classroom of 3 and 4 year old students. Now Samantha is a mother of two incredible girls and music constantly fills their home- especially Frozen The Musical.

Her love for working with children has been a centerfold in her life since high school and she was so excited to find Kindermusik with her oldest daughter. It is the perfect marriage of her love of music and teaching and her passion for helping parents find the joy and peace of being parents. She is so excited to bring high-energy and love driven Kindermusik experiences to your family every week!


Tovah Goodman Razowsky

Ms. Tovah is excited to expand her toddler fanbase through Kindermusik Northshore! Born and raised in Pasadena California, Tovah has been singing and dancing since she got her first karaoke machine at 2 years old.

Tovah attended University of Nevada, Reno for Creative Writing and Music Performance. She has a background in songwriting, including original musicals and many improv children's songs. She has been a camp and retreat songleader, preschool and elementary music teacher for the past 15 years. She gets to find new love for early childhood music education every day interacting with her twin boys and all their friends.

Tovah's creativity and energy creates an open environment for all children to participate and find value in development through music. She truly loves all the children in her classes and thrives in all things silly.



Paula Grzebień-Ciężobka

Paula Grzebień-Ciężobka received her B.A. in Music and Business Management from Loyola University in Chicago, and her M.M. in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from Northern Illinois University. She has attended piano masterclasses at Warsaw University in Poland, taught at the Merit School of Music, worked as a jury at Merit’s Piano Solo Competition, and continually accompanies classical musicians throughout the Chicago area.

As an alumni of the Paderewski Academy of Music, she devotes most of her time teaching there as piano-faculty, although she has previously devoted time to accompanying the choir and teaching theory. Summers are spent running musical piano camps.

As a mother to two wonderful toddler girls, she found a new musical avenue: Kindermusik! Certified in 2024 and working with Kindermusik Northshore ever since, she’s discovered that musical journeys start with our youngest, nurturing their curiosity in the universal language of music.