About Us
Our Mission
TCW Resources exists to create music teaching materials designed to inspire teachers and students to reach beyond the ordinary. We are committed to producing quality products that utilize sound educational principles.
With the knowledge that music can enhance every Child's life, we offer students and teachers fresh new tools that will promote their love of music and make music a valued gift for the rest of their lives.
TCW Resources L.L.C. was founded in 1993 by Laura G. Zisette, Charlene Zundel, and Kathleen Lloyd to create teaching materials that are thorough, easy to use, and fun and stimulating for students. The materials are age- and level-appropriate, well-paced, and employ multiple approaches to accommodate varied learning styles.
TCW materials are piloted through the Utah State University Youth Conservatory, a music preparatory program for community children. This conservatory serves over 250 students, ages 5-18, through group theory classes and individual piano lessons. Its curriculum offers weekly group theory classes and individual piano lessons as well as many other extra-curricular programs. The National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) stated that "the USUYC should be a national model for music preparatory programs."
TCW materials are used in many other preparatory programs and conservatories around the United States and Canada.
Laura G. Zisette
Laura Zisette, general partner, served as a faculty member in the Utah State University Music Department from 1985-2003. Laura is a co-author and developer of TCW products, including Keyboard Gymnastics, Technic Gymnastics, and Theory Gymnastics. She has taught private piano for 24 years and served as Director and Coordinator of the USU Youth Conservatory. She also served on the curriculum board and taught varied levels of music theory classes.
This background, along with an invitation from the next Conservatory Director and the enthusiam of two colleagues (Charlene and Kathleen), provided the impetus to develop teaching materials to meet the specific needs that were continually being identified.
Laura is active as a clinician, lecturer, adjudicator, and performer. She received her Bachelor of Music degrees in Piano Performance and Piano Pedagogy at Utah State University where she studied with Gary Amano. She is a member of the Music Teacher's National Association, a Past President of her UMTA chapter, and has served as State Convention Chairperson. She and her students have participated in many masterclasses with presenters such as Nelita True, Jeffrey Hollander, Martin Canon, James Tocco, Daniel Pollack, Andre-Michel Schub, Charles Rosen, Leon Fleisher. A favorite memory is when she played second piano with Claude Frank, when he performed a Mozart concerto.
The Zisettes recently moved the business office of TCW to Virginia. They have five children (three young enough to move with them and two out of the nest). The family enjoys many hobbies (they are excited to be only 20 miles from the Appalachian Trail). One important hobbie, of course, is music. Collectively, the family plays or dabbles at piano, violin/fiddle, flute, piccolo, irish whistle, guitar, banjo, mandolin, accordian, upright bass, and other interesting and rare instruments. As relief from the intensity of classical music, Laura plays in a dance band called Leaping Lulu! Laura is the TCW representative you usually reach in the office.
Charlene Zundel
Until July of 2000, she was on the faculty of the Utah State University Youth Conservatory where she taught individual piano lessons and various group music theory classes for 14 years. She served on the committee for selecting curriculum for the Conservatory and was an adjunct faculty member at Utah State University. Additionally, she has maintained a large private piano teaching studio for over 20 years.
Charlene has co-authored numerous teaching materials, including the Keyboard Gymnastics Achievement Program and the Kreative Keyboard Collection. She has presented at the MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) National conference on numerous occasions. TCW keeps her busy presenting at several state and local MTNA conferences each year, with multiple appearances as a keynote speaker.
Charlene was educated at Ricks College, in Rexburg Idaho (now BYU Idaho), and Utah State University where she was a student of Gary Amano. Charlene is a member of MTNA and a past president of the UMTA Northern Chapter. She completed training and taught the Musikgarten curriculum for young children for many years. She has participated in master classes with many notable teachers and artists, including Nelita True, Jane Magrath, Claude Frank, Daniel Pollack, Leon Fleischer, Andre-Michel Schub, and Charles Rosen. She is active as a clinician, adjudicator, and performer.
Charlene is currently the Director of the first statewide Arizona Youth Piano Competition. She was pleased to be asked by the Keogh Health Foundation to direct this new competition for Arizona's young pianists where students compete for over $12,000 in monetary prizes.
Since moving to Arizona, she has been active in the PMTA (Phoenix Music Teachers Association) and has served on the state board of the ASMTA (Arizona Music Teachers Association). She now serves as assistant editor of all ASMTA state publications. She currently volunteers on the PMTA Ensemble committee and is a conductor for several annual performances.
Charlene is an independent piano teacher now residing in Cave Creek, Arizona with her husband and their three children. She runs marathons in her spare time and is working toward completing one in every state.
Kathleen Lloyd
Kathleen Lloyd is a graduate of Utah State University where she earned her Bachelor of Music Degree. Upon graduation she was recipient of the Irene Peery Award--an award given to the outstanding pedagogy student. She has taught applied piano at Utah State University and at the USU Youth Conservatory.
She has been instructor for every theory class level at the Conservatory and in her private studio. She has served on the committee for selecting curriculum for the USU Youth Conservatory for several years. Ms. Lloyd is co-author of the Keyboard Gymnastics Achievement Program and the Theory Gymnastics Series. She has co-developed and distributed numerous games and teaching materials offered through TCW Resources.
She is an active clinician, performer and adjudicator and is a member of the Music Teacher's National Association. She is a past president of her Utah Music Teacher's Association chapter.
Kathleen lives in Smithfield, Utah with her husband, Paul--the fisherman who sings but can't read a note, her two children--both talented musicians, and five adorable cats. She has recently been blessed with the addition of a son-in-law and a beautiful granddaughter. She has enjoyed teaching both piano and violin for 20 years and currently maintains a large piano studio. For fun she plays the violin in the Cache Chamber Orchestra. Her new adventure is playing 1st violin in the newly formed Con Allegra String Quartet.
Kathleen is the TCW representative who is the "Pun Queen" and inspires the corny jokes that liven up the theory and games!