Private Music Lessons

Annie Chen is an internationally renowned educator and performing artist who helps students to show creativity in themselves by using music and language.

She received a Masters Degree from Queens College in 2014, New York, and speaks three languages. With over 10 years of teaching experience at many international schools, Annie strongly believes music and language can heal people’s hearts and enjoys introducing the beauty of music and language to all students.

Annie teaches voice and piano from beginning to advanced levels in English or Mandarin. For those interested, she is qualified to help prepare pianists for the Royal Conservatory of Music Examination from level Primer to level 8.

Hailing from Barcelona, Spain,  Eva Novoa is a classically trained, professional jazz pianist and composer who studied Jazz at ESMUC (Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya). She has recorded and produced six albums with her own music as a leader. 

Eva has been a piano teacher since 1999. Her broad teaching experience has made her work with kids and students all ages. Although teaching young children is what Eva loves best, she has also taught at the college level, at the Royal Conservatoire of The Netherlands -Koninklijk Conservatorium- where she was a jazz piano teacher in the Jazz Department in 2012.

Her teaching method is very comprehensive but most of all, fun! Eva always adapts as much as possible to the student and his/ her needs. She can teach improvisation with the more advancing student or beginning songs to the younger ones. She also teaches her young students to compose and write their own songs. She works on classical repertoire with her students as well. 

She teaches piano in English, French, Spanish, Catalan and Dutch.

Website: http://evanovoa.com

Nataliya Zaytseva is a Brooklyn based Ukrainian born pianist, arranger and educator.  Her inventive approach to piano is spontaneous, soulful and intelligent.  She draws inspiration from a variety musical influences (TS Monk, C Mingus, Dexter Gordon, Chopin, JS Bach, Red Hot Chile Peppers) as well as the wider surrounding world  (art, city sounds/ rhythm, babies, nature, city nature, etc).   

Nataliya’s  musical journey began in her native city of Odessa singing in children’s a cappella group followed by piano lessons shortly after.  Upon moving to the US in 1996, she graduated from Hollywood High Performing Arts School focusing on piano and voice. A graduate of  San Francisco State University with a degree in music, Nataliya is influenced by jazz, world, and Afro-Cuban music.   She focused her thesis on the compositions and music of Thelonious Sphere Monk.  In New York, Nataliya enjoys teaching piano, as well as arranging, composing and performing in the  La Madrugada Quintet and the Nataliya Z Jazz Band.

An experienced music teacher, Mr. Eric Akif holds a BA in Music Education from The Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in his native Bulgaria, as well as a MA in Music Performance from Marshall University, Huntington, WV. Since graduating in 2004, Mr. Akif has been providing private music instruction, as well as actively teaching Music (piano, cello and vocals) in several public, private, and parochial schools in New York City. 

Dara fills her life with the joy of music and has many years experience teaching children ukulele, voice, piano, guitar, bass guitar, trumpet and songwriting. 

With a BM in Jazz Violin Performance from Manhattan School of Music (2015), Benjamin Sutin is a sought after jazz/latin jazz/klezmer/rock violinist and music educator throughout the greater NYC area, performing in venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Apollo Theater and appearing on a Grammy Nominated album. He’s additionally released two albums of his own as a leader with his Jazz/Klezmer fusion band, Klazz-Ma-Tazz. 

Music education has been a passionate and integral part of Benjamin’s life from an early age. He has experience teaching private and group lessons to students of all levels and ages for approximately ten years, including students on the autism spectrum, specializing in private instruction, jazz strings, beginning to intermediate classical violin/viola and beginning piano and music theory/composition. 

Lessons always focus on fun and effective practicing techniques, music theory and exciting yet demanding approaches to instrumental technique including tone production, intonation, phrasing, articulation and musical expression. Regardless of style, level, instrument or students goals, instruction is always catered to the specific needs and personality of each student and developing their unique musical voice while providing a learning environment full of passion, excitement and challenging yet positive encouragement. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing the weekly progress, growth and joy emanating from students. 

In addition to being on faculty at Greenwich House Music School, Benjamin runs a successful private teaching studio throughout the greater NYC area. His students have been admitted to LaGuardia High School, Special Music School, NYSSMA, High School Jazz Academy, ISO, YoungArts Merit Award and New England Conservatory. 

Website: https://www.bensutinmusic.com

Rafael is an accomplished composer, guitarist, arranger and educator who has been teaching music for the past 10 years in Brooklyn, New York. He is a member of the Guitar Faculty at Long Island University and has taught in schools and colleges such as NYU, CUNY, Saint John’s, The Brooklyn Music School, Stevens Cooperative and his private studio: The Brooklyn Rock Academy. Among others, students have been admitted to Berklee College of Music, Wells College, Indiana University.

His debut as a leader “Portrait” (2014) was co-produced by Multi-Grammy Award Winning Bassist/Composer John Benitez and was awarded 4 stars from both international and local publications. “Portrait” features a cast of master musicians who bring together Puerto Rico’s Bomba and Plena rhythms, Jazz harmony, and rock’s aggressive nature to form a unique and original canvas of sound beyond the normal clave. Rafael is currently putting the finishing touches on his second album as a leader titled “Axiomatic: Music For The People” set to be released in the Fall of 2020.

Website: https://rafaelrosamusic.com

Nick Russo is a full-time professional musician, educator and father in NYC. A member of the Jon Batiste Band on the Colbert Show, Nick has performed with artists such as Paul McCartney, John Lithgow, Rob Morrow, The Hot Sardines, Antonique Smith, Deep Singh (Katy Perry, Sting, Robert Plant), and many more. Russo was the guitarist for legendary jazz organist Jimmy McGriff and leads The Scooches (Banjo Nickaru & Western Scooches), Hot Jazz Jumpers & Nick Russo+11.

You can find Nick on ABC’s Good Morning America, in films: PBS Masterpiece: The Chaperone & Sam Mendes: Away We Go. Nick plays guitar/banjo on PBS Kids: Peg + Cat, is the author of Metallica’s Legendary Licks series (vol. 1 & 2), editor of GRP arpeggios (Hal Leonard).  Currently, Nick is creating/shooting a blues guitar video course for JamPlay and will be recording Rhapsody in Blue with an orchestra with Princess Anne as the honoree. He has been an adjunct professor at Essex College, teaching artist at The Duke Ellington School,  Louis Armstrong Middle School, at The Queens Y,  Midori & Friends, PS144 and PS 101. Russo has conducted/taught residencies at many schools through Queens College: Kupferberg Center, one-on-one lessons and band classes.

nickrusso

Ukulele demo

Betina Hershey is an accomplished performer, musician, writer and educator who loves encouraging others to express themselves through music, song, dance, writing and theater.  

Betina has been teaching for many years, running the Garden Players Musical Theater Program for Kids in Forest Hills, Queens since 2002. She has been writing an original musical every year since then. Five of her original musicals have been published by Beat by Beat Press with over 2,000 performances in 35 countries.

Betina’s career includes co-leading The Scooches (originals, folk, Americana) and 1920’s band Hot Jazz Jumpers (rave reviews in Downbeat Magazine and London Times), performing as Meg in the National Broadway tour of Phantom of the Opera, singing with NY Gilbert and Sullivan Players at City Center, and appearing as principal dancer in feature films: Julia Roberts’ Mona Lisa Smile and in Disney’s Enchanted.

Betina has studied opera with Metropolitan Opera soloist Betsy Norden, Broadway vocal technique with Victoria Clark and John Baylis, jazz vocals with Miles Griffith, guitar with Howard Morgen and Nick Russo, has a BFA in Acting from Marymount Manhattan College, and is an alum of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Writing Workshop. She enjoys the journey of being a Mom of boy/girl twins and the joy of leading her students to discover creativity and confidence through the arts.

betinahershey.com 

Marius is a wonderful and sensitive musician captivated by the resources music can offer. He also is an educator who believes students can develop their musicality and creativity in a fun, stimulating and relaxing way.

Formally trained in music at age of 8, Marius started his musical journey with classical guitar. He finished his four years of undergraduate in Musicology and Music Education in Geneva, Switzerland. As he studied for his undergraduate degree, he already was performing with his own project and teaching private students as well as small ensembles.

In 2012, Marius came to New York, the capital of jazz, to start new collaborations with musicians from all over the world. He earned his Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance in 2014 at the Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College after studying jazz guitar with music masters such as Miles Okazaki, Jacob Sacks and Ohad Talmor. He recorded six albums, acclaimed by the international and specialized press.

Marius strongly believes the study of music can help develop personal skills in countless ways, which translates in a more creative and happier life. Through the years he developed his own methodology based on improvisation, active listening and composition. Students typically learn sight reading, proper instrument technique and music theory through the study of a large and varied repertoire. He has taught for over 10 years both children and adults; private lessons, ensembles and masterclasses in French or English.