Proud of Our Faculty
Studying Music at the Music School of Westchester will introduce you to a breadth of approaches to music, while challenging you to deepen your current skills and interests.
Dr. Vladimir Babadzhan: Co-Founder of the Music School of Westchester, Piano
DMA, Rimsky Korsakov Conservatory of Music, St. Petersburg (Russia). Thesis devoted to early music education. Concert pianist currently performing in Europe and US.
Albina Isufi: Voice & Piano
B.M MM, Stockholm University of Arts, Sweden. Classical, Pop & Rock.Taught at Taby Music School, Norrtalje Sweden. Performed at Royal Opera in Stockholm, Mozart “Cosi fan tutte” as Fiordiiligi, Rossini “Il Viaggio a Reims” as Corina in Helsinki, Puccini “Turandot” as Liu, Stockholm.
Kaori Tanioka: Piano, Jazz, Composition
MM, BM, Berklee College, Jazz Performance & Jazz Composition, Aaron Copland School of Music. Certified as a music education specialist at YAMAHA Music Education USA. Commissioned four chamber pieces written for young musicians, which were performed at Lincoln Center in NYC.
Luke Enders: Composition, Guitar, Piano, Drum, Voice
BA Calvin College, MFA New York University
Has performed in venues all around the county. As a songwriter, he has had works across NYC including off-Broadway.
Antongiulio Foti: Piano, Jazz, Composition
M.M. Manhattan School of Music
Native of Roma, Italy. Antongiulio is now actively performing musician based in NYC, featured in 55bar, Fine&Rare, Birdland Jazz Club. Album of original compositions, ” Hold Fast”
Molly Kiser: Piano, Violin
D.M.A , M.M , B.M Julliard School, New England Conservatory of Music, Curtis Institute of Music. Gold medal winner of numerous international competitions in the U.S., including the World Piano Competition, the Kingsville International Young Performers Competitions and the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition. Solo debut recital at Alice Tully Hall. Appeared as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the U.S., Japan, Mexico and the Czech Republic.
Elizaveta Kopelman: Piano
B.M, M.M Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, Performance Certificate Diploma. Won the prestigious Young Concert Artist Trust Competition in London. Appeared as a soloist throughout the UK, Europe, USA, South America and the Middle East. Performed recitals and concerti at the Wigmore Hall, Royal Opera House, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Barbican Centre, La Salle Cortot, Concertgebouw, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall with such orchestras as the London Philharmonic, London Chamber Orchestra and New York Chamber Symphony.
Benjamin Larsen: Cello
B.A. MM. Manhattan School of Music
Has performed with many diverse ensembles. Performed at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, the Quartet Program, Music@Menlo and Pacific Music Festival. As an orchestral musician he has performed with the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong, Ensemble 212, the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra and the Union City Philharmonic. Awarded the Hans and Klara Bauer Scholarship and the 2011 Pablo Casals Award.
Jonathan Reisin- Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Early Childhood Education
MM, BM, Berklee College,The New School. Educator based in Brooklyn, New York. Throughout his career, Jonathan had the opportunity to collaborate with notable artists such as Francisco Mela, Kris Davis, Anat Fort, Val Jeanty, Cooper Moore, and many more, with appearances at the Vermont Jazz Festival, Forward Festival (Brooklyn), Yearot Menache Festival (ISR), Gangneung International Art Festival (South Korea) and venues around the world.
Alexander Margolis- Violin
B.M., M.M. Oberlin Conservatory, Indiana University, Northern Illinois University. Praised by the Washington Post for his incisive, vibrato-rich tone chamber music with members of Corigliano, Pro Arte, Arianna and Maria Quartets. Concertmaster at Spoleto Festival USA for U.S. premieres of rare operas by Janacek, Bellini and Donizetti. Current member of Glimmerglass Festival Orchestra, and former member of Honolulu Symphony. Performed Berg Violin Concerto with Robert Spano conducting. Leads Jewish music ensemble Big Galute, and writes for Springs and Chamber Music magazines.
Samuel Martinelli- Drum, Music Therapy
B.M., M.M. Music Therapy. Jazz Studies. City University of New York- Queens College. has performed with Grammy nominated and Latin Grammy awarded artist such Alcione, John Lee, Nilson Matta, Hendrik Meurkens, Marcus McLaurine, Dr Andre Thomas, Maestro Maurice Peress, at major music venues like main stage of Carnegie Hall, major Jazz Festivals in NYC area. Recently recorded his first album as a leader, Crossing Paths.
Tonino Miano: Piano, Jazz Piano, Composition
B.A, M.M. University of Bologna (Italy), V.Bellini Music Conservatory Catanissetta. Performances: New music throughout Italy, Stork Music Festival, Roulette, Knitting Factory. WKCR Records:”Zambra”, “Fannan”, Network, Vol.1″, “55 Music Miniatures”
Dana Scofido: Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar
Attended Berklee College. His recorded work includes CDs, videos, and studio recordings for a Nickelodeon television series. Founding member of the jazz organ trio In the Dream. Appeared in concerts with the renowned musicians Bo Diddley, Jeffrey Osborne and children’s composer John Farrell. His guitar work is featured on the 2009 CD Erubescent Nights.
Alla Sherbakov: Violin, Chamber Music
M.M The Gnessin Institute (currently Russian Academy of Music) in Moscow. Performed with New York City Symphony Orchestra, West Side Chamber Players, Bronx Arts Ensemble, Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra, Greenwich Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of New Jersey, Amor Artis Orchestra, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, St Patrick’s Cathedral and Metropolitan Museum of Arts. Has appeared as a guest artist on Saturday Night Live in 2014. Toured in Russia, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, and Japan. Numerous chamber music ensemble engagements include Long Island String Quartett, Classical Strings, Sussex String Quartett and Azure String Quartett. Member of The Brooklyn Music Teachers’ Guild, Inc.
Becilia Wong- Piano
M.M., B.M. Manhattan School of Music, Fellow, Trinity College (London), Licentiate, Royal Schools of Music (UK). Voice coach and staff pianist at the New York State Summer School of the Arts, pianist-in residence of Telesis Contemporary ensemble. Has frequently been featured in solo and chamber performances, as a pianist and a singer. Is currently the Event Coordinator of the Young Maestro Competition, a licensed examiner and class instructor specialized in early childhood musicianship training for Yamaha Music education USA, and Music Director and Choir Director at the Church of Saints Peter and Paul- Saint Ursula in Mt. Vernon, NY.