LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Vocalist Cynthia Rose, one of the performers at the Lake County Symphony Association’s Christmas Concert this weekend, grew up in a musical family and community.

She enjoys playing piano, saxophone and singing. She was guided by excellent musical mentors: her father, local pianist Tom Ganoung, and renowned public educator Nick Biondo, who taught at her school.

From elementary school through college, Rose was involved in concert bands, concert choirs, jazz bands and jazz choirs, and has traveled as far as Rio de Janeiro to perform.

When she’s not instructing her students at Healdsburg High School (she’s taught Spanish and English in public schools for nearly 15 years for all grade levels) or busy at home in Sonoma County with her two children (Evette, 6 and Damon, 2), she likes to sing with a few local bands.

She has performed with “California party band” the Funky Dozen for six years. “I am one of the three female vocalists with the Dozen,” said Rose. “My first performance with them was at the Kelseyville Pear Festival. All the traffic was cut off, so it was like this huge block party. It was awesome!”

The Funky Dozen plays frequently at private and public local events in Lake, Sonoma, and other nearby counties. You can find information about them on Facebook or at www.funkydozen.com.

Rose has also been a part of the more intimate “Blue Hour” group for the last three years, which plays at Andre’s in Lakeport once a month.

For information about their schedule, go to “Blue Hour Bay Area” on Facebook.