Even though this has been Mona's first year with Bocca, she is no stranger to music.  She got an early start, performing for her congregation’s musical revue, at age four.  She was the girl in the “Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weenie Yellow Polka-Dot Bikini.”  Throughout grammar school, Mona participated in both choir and band, beginning the flute in fifth grade after being assured “it was hard.”  In high school, Mona participated in both school and community theatre and developed some musical leadership serving as a rank leader in marching band, arranging quartet parts for instrumental Solo & Ensemble and acting as the Assistant Director of Temple Beth Emeth’s Youth Choir.

Since her father had two beautiful guitars in the house (a nylon-string classical and a steel 12-string), Mona took an interest and taught herself to play folk-style.  She currently plays on a vintage 1970 Framus-Werke F-Hole guitar (it looks like a guitar crossed with a violin) that has served her well for the past 10 years.  Adding guitar to her instrumental arsenal helped Mona discover her Superhero power: given enough time with an instrument, she could learn to play it.  Since then, Mona has learned the clarinet, the bowed psaltery, cello, tuba, bagpipe chanter and the banjo.

Always in awe of the power of the human voice, Mona continually strives to find ways to join in song with those around her, be it a college choir or singing around the campfire.  Since there are times when no one is around or interested in her style of music, Mona developed a knack for multi-track recording, first with two cassette recorders and then transitioning to digital recording.

Non-musically, Mona teaches Sunday School and has the cutest baby boy ever!