Sonnet Allen-VanPatten received her Performance Certificate and B.A. in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from The Grand Rapids School of the Bible and Music and Cornerstone University located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. While in Grand Rapids, Mrs. VanPatten was a member of the adjunct faculty of Cornerstone University and Calvin College and worked throughout west Michigan as a freelance accompanist.
Mrs. VanPatten was named Artistic Director of the Keller Cooler Music Series at the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, a summer music series featuring musicians from around the United States. During her five year tenure, Mrs. VanPatten developed student programs and curriculum for the Grand Rapids Musicians’ League as well as the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival. During this time, Mrs. VanPatten also served as a librarian for Excel Charter Academy in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she developed a library curriculum and a school wide program to increase reading for students from kindergarten through eighth grade.
Since returning to Utah, Mrs. VanPatten has been a fourth grade teaching assistant at Ogden Preparatory Academy. This year Mrs. VanPatten will be teaching 8th grade writing at MOPA and creating and maintaining reading intervention programs for students at both OPA and MOPA. Mrs. VanPatten will complete her M.A. in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix in January 2009.