Grant is a multi-instrumentalist & composer based out of Connecticut. Specializing in jazz trumpet, neo soul keyboards, and singer-songwriter guitar, he performs frequently in Hartford, New Haven, & New York. His music for film has been a part of festivals in Berlin, Cardiff, Los Angeles, and more. During his time at the University of Connecticut, he studied composition and trumpet with Grammy-winning artists Kenneth Fuchs and Louis Hanzlik, and piano and arranging with Earl MacDonald.
Believing that music should be collaborative & expressive, Grant's focus is growing students that are both proficient musicians and enthusiastic creators!
GRANT
Tyriq is a skilled woodwinds player based out of Waterbury CT. Performing often around CT, he performs at many restaurants, breweries, wineries, and other live music venues across the state. Tyriq predominantly plays alto, tenor, soprano saxophone and is proficient on clarinet and flute as well.
Tyriq graduated from Western Connecticut State University in 2022 with a BA in Music. He has been teaching saxophone, clarinet, and flute privately at music studios in Waterbury and Stratford. While at WCSU, Tyriq has gained knowledge not only on woodwinds performance but also digital music. Tyriq has proficient knowledge of Logic Pro X, vocal recording, instrumental recording and other aspects of pro audio.
TYRIQ
Teresa is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music with a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance. She also holds a Master of Music degree from Ithaca College in Violin Performance with a Suzuki Emphasis. Teresa teaches classical violin, viola and beginner piano and has a lifelong love of popular, Broadway, ethnic and folk music.
Teresa particularly enjoys helping students become aware of their own ability to learn, to discover, and to create.
Teresa has performed with the New Haven and Waterbury Symphony Orchestras, and at the Shubert, Oakdale and Bushnell with popular performers such as Harry Connick, Jr., and Johnny Mathis. She lives in Cheshire with her family and farm animals, pigs, ducks, and chickens. She welcomes students of all ages to come and learn.
TERESA
Sandy holds a Bachelors Degree in Music Performance from Humboldt State University in CA. She has 8 years of experience teaching private lessons and general music to all ages, from preschoolers to adults. Sandy teaches piano and ukulele lessons.
“Hi, my name is Sandy! I'm not just here to teach you how to play, I'm also here to make sure that you ENJOY what you play. My goal is not to craft students into the perfect performer, nor to force a proficiency through strict and rigid practice structures. Instead, I aim to work with my students to find where their interests lie, and curate their lessons to best suit them. Because first and foremost, we play music for ourselves, and if we aren’t enjoying it, what’s the point? Music is something that we choose to do, not something that we have to do.”
SANDY
Luke enjoys teaching all styles of music, and truly enjoys fostering excitement about music in students of all ages.
He is an accomplished professional guitarist that has worked in many styles doing pop, funk, blues, folk, rock, jazz, and world music in a plethora of settings. He has opened for legendary acts such as Al Green, Sun Ra, and Los Lobos, performed on Broadway, composed and recorded for television and film, worked with dance ensembles, cruise ships, theatre companies, and bands.
His latest obsession, gypsy jazz, has been keeping him quite busy these past couple of years. Luke has traveled to the Netherlands to study with Paulus Schafer and Fapy Lafertin, at their Sinti camp, traveled across Europe performing and learning. He has also studied with Jack Peterson, Billy “spaceman” Patterson, Gonzalo Bergara, Stephane Wrembel, Paquito Lorier and performed with many of the above as well. Luke was an instructor at Django in June in 2017 and recently came out with his first gypsy jazz album entitled, “Silk and Steel” which. Jazz Profiles Says is “an homage to Django’s influence accompanied by Luke’s statement of independent creativity.” And The New York City Jazz Record states that his “take on the style is to inject some very modern energy along with judiciously placed non-jazz undertones. That’s the crucial difference between maintaining and enriching a legacy.”
LUKE
Kelsey Marie is a highly accomplished lyric coloratura soprano, choral conductor, and pianist, celebrated for her exceptional talent and unwavering commitment to musical excellence. She recently received her Bachelor’s of Music in Vocal Performance from Western Connecticut State University.
Kelsey's talent has garnered prestigious awards, including the 1st Place Winner of CT NATS Lower College Vocalist in 2022, the 1st Prize Winner of the International Music Competition ‘Salzburg & Barcelona’ Grand Prize Virtuoso in 2023, 1st place winner of CT NATS Upper College Vocalist in 2024 and an honorable mention award in the Salzburg Mirabell Competition with The Patti and Allan Herbert Frost School of Music Program at Salzburg 2024.
With a diverse repertoire and notable performances at venues like Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, Kelsey continues to pursue excellence in her craft. Guided by esteemed mentors and instructors, she remains dedicated to her artistic journey and sharing the power of music with others.
KELSEY
Harry is a highly sought-after multiple woodwind player, chamber musician, and teacher based in Hartford. He regularly performs throughout CT in pit orchestras including the Goodspeed Opera House, Playhouse on Park, The Norma Terris Theater, and the Ivoryton Playhouse. He recently had the privilege of serving as the principal oboist with the Ballet Theater Company of West Hartford for the premiere of Speranza, a new ballet by Mark Mazzarella and Sean Pallatroni.
Harry graduated from the Hartt School in 2017 with a BMus in Saxophone Performance. He has been an adjunct faculty member at Hartt where he taught woodwind methods, and is currently the woodwind instructor at the Rectory School in Pomfret, CT. While at Hartt, Harry won the 2016 Paranov Concerto Competition as a soloist and the 2015 competition with the Resurgam Quartet. He has played with several ensembles including the New Haven Symphony, Waterbury Symphony, the Hartford Gay Men's Chorus, the Farmington Valley Symphony, and the College Light Opera Company of Falmouth, MA.
HARRY
Justin is a percussionist and composer from Hartford, who specializes in drum set. He has been playing drums in the CT and NY area since 2009, opening for acts including Panic at the Disco, Local H and Consider the Source. He loves playing all genres of music, and has been in bands ranging from "Hard Rock" to "Alternative Jazz Hip Hop".
Justin graduated from UConn with a B.A. in Music, studying Percussion. He performed with the UConn Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, and Women's Choir. Since graduating, Justin has been enthusiastically sharing his love of music through education and performance. He believes that improvisation and composition are important to unlock creative freedom in any musician. Other than percussion, he also teaches beginner piano, guitar, and ukulele.
JUSTIN
Ben Yuscavage is a teacher of piano, drum-set, and percussion for over 10 years with students of all abilities and experience levels. He loves making music, and loves helping people to perform and appreciate music even more. Ben performs throughout Connecticut in classical, jazz, pop, and theatre venues. Some of his favorite musical experiences include recording Harry Connick Jr.'s "The Happy Elf" album, performing with the United States Army Field Band, playing kit on his wife’s debut EP, and teaching through The Hartt School Community Division. During the week, Ben is a band and orchestra teacher for talented young musicians. He began his musical journey singing in church, piano lessons at age 5, and playing on his older brother's drum set. He's gained musical experience in countless fields and attributes his strengths and successes to his patient teachers.
Ben's teaching pedagogy gives equal focus to mastering fundamentals, performing favorites, and exploring new styles. Students of Ben perform in recitals, compose new songs, win auditions, fall in love with music, record originals and covers, and practice hard. Students have an equal ownership of where lessons lead and Ben makes sure they have every resource they need to become the musician they've always dreamed of. There's no goal unattainable and lessons will enhance new musicians and veteran artists alike. If you're curious about piano, drum set, or percussion lessons and need a teacher who works hard for you, Ben is excited to meet you and join you on your musical journey.
Outside of teaching and performing, Ben is a video & audio editor, father of 2 dogs and a cat, video game enthusiast, and probably drinking something from Panera Bread.
BEN
Dr. Karen Van Houten has been involved in music as a performer, music director, vocal coach, church musician and music teacher, with experience in both public and private school settings. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree (music education/voice) from Anna Maria College, a Master of Music (vocal performance) from Johns Hopkins University/Peabody Conservatory and a Ph.D. (vocal performance) from NYU. She taught middle school music for 7 years, has been a private voice/piano teacher for 25+ years and serves as Artistic Director for her performing arts company, Simple Gifts Productions. It is in this capacity that she has produced 20 years of dramatic/musical theatre productions, recitals, dinner theatre cabarets and Got Talent showcases, with performers in grades K-12. She has also worked for Long Island’s USDAN Summer Camp for the Arts and John Engeman Theater. While Dr. Van Houten has trained singers of all ages, she has had particular success with child and teen performers. Her students have won national singing competitions, performed on Broadway, in national tours, as National Anthem soloists for professional sports teams and in leading roles in school and regional productions. For over three decades, Dr. Karen Van Houten has been providing training for students who have professional aspirations, just love to perform or simply want to improve their skills!
KAREN
Angie holds a Bachelor's of Music in oboe performance from the Hartt School. A prolific oboe & flute player, she has performed throughout New England. Beginning her teaching career after college, she found a passion for helping woodwind and piano students to reach their goals while playing songs they enjoy!
ANGIE
David’s musical career began in 2017, when he recorded saxophone in a friend’s living room for their indie band’s EP. Since then, he has performed in venues across the country for various bands, most notably with the Rock This Town Orchestra, led by guitarist Anthony Bambino.
In 2020, he graduated with a BA in Audio & Music Production from Western Connecticut State University. There he studied saxophone and flute under broadway musician Dave Noland. Merola used his time at university refining his skills in both jazz and traditional styles of music.
Through the CT Office of Higher Education, Merola acquired a certification to teach music in CT public schools. He currently works as the general music teacher at the Middle School of Plainville, where his primary role is to teach piano, guitar and recording techniques. David is co-director of the MSP Jazz Band, and he also plays an active role in instructing members of the band and chorus at the middle school.
DAVID
Colin is a bassist and composer/producer from the New Haven area. He began his musical journey on the saxophone in middle school before switching to the electric bass and attending the Educational Center for the Arts magnet program for high school. While there he began to study the upright bass, eventually moving on to SUNY Purchase to study jazz, and picking up guitar and piano along the way). While there he was fortunate enough to study privately with Scott Colley, Todd Coolman, and Doug Weiss, as well as perform in ensembles coached by Hal Galper, Ritchie Morales, Ralph Lalama, and David Dejesus. Since then he has performed locally with Fever (wedding/top forty band) and Nick DiMaria (jazz/fusion), as well as around New York and New England with the likes of Sal Valentinetti (The Voice) and Bilaal Avaz (American Idol).
COLIN
Nick is a guitar player and instructor based in New Haven county. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in jazz studies from Western Connecticut State University. Nick started playing guitar at age 10, beginning with rock tunes and the blues. Since then, he has studied a wide range of styles including jazz and classical music with renowned teachers such as Christopher Morrison and Joe Tinari. Nick has played at venues around Connecticut with rock, blues, jazz, and funk bands. He has also played many gigs as a solo guitar player playing everything from the Beatles to Beethoven. Nick has experience working with students of all ages and skill levels.
NICK B