Nick M.

(800) 417-4620

Nick ’s Bio
Student Reviews 8

Piano Teacher

Influences: My major influences range from Bach and Mozart to Chopin and Debussy, from Gershwin and Jelly Roll Morton to Chick Corea and Amahad Jamal, from James Taylor, Billy Joel, and Carol King to The Spinners, Bill Withers, & P. Funk, from The Beatles, The Who and Led Zepplin to U2, Hedwig and Outkast. As a musician and more importantly as a composer, I think it is vital to continue to listen and let music influence you.

Voice Teacher

Influences: My influences here range from Rodgers and Hammerstein and Rodgers and Hart, to Bernstein, Sondheim, and Flaherty and Ahrens to John Cameron Mitchell.

About Me:
My teaching philosophy includes the standard answer of most music instructors... building strong technique, theory, rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic understanding, and a strong musical repertoire. My first priority is to instill a love and enjoyment of music. Lessons and music should be fun, yes hard work, but fun. I want a half hour, or an hour or 45 minutes to go by and the student to not even realize it. I think there is a musician in everyone. We all have musical ability it's just a matter of tapping into it.

Ages:
Elementary School, Pre-teen, Teenage, Adult

To inquire about lessons with Nick , please fill out the Inquiry Form on this page, or call us at (800) 417-4620.

Experience:

The Browning School for Boys Encore Program, After School Music Faculty, Piano [2004 - Present]
Brainwright teaching service, Piano, Voice, and Music technology instruction [2004 - 2005]
Electronic Music Foundation, Music Technology and Music Composition instruction [2003 - 2003]
Sweetwater Center for the Arts, Piano Instruction [1997 - 2000]
Piano Academy, Piano and Music Composition Instruction [1997 - 2000]
Private Teaching of Piano, Music Technology, Music Composition, Music Theory, and Audio Engineering [1993 - Present]

Education:

Bachelor of Music Technology w/Concentration in Composition (BM ), Duquesne University School of Music [1995]

Studied With:

Lorenzo Malfatti (Voice) [1992 - 2000]
David Budway (Jazz & Classical Pianist) [1993 - 1999]
Anthony Di Vittorio (Classical Piano & Pedagogy) [1989 - 1993]

Seminars and Workshops Attended:

BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop, Broadcast Music Inc. [2000]
Advanced Admission Program , Shenandoah College and Conservatory [1990]
Berklee College of Music , Summer Performance Program [1989]

Awards:

Innovative Theatre Award Nomanee for Best Theatrical Composition and Sound Design - Innovative Theatre Awards [2009]
Sound Designer for Coca-Cola Refreshing Filmmakers Award Winner - Coca-Cola [2004]
Innovative Theatre Award Nomanee for Best Production of a Musical - Innovative Theatre Awards [2004]

Discography:

Musical Cast Recording Demo - "Plagued or How to Survive Persecution at the Hands of An Angry Mob" [2009]
Musical Cast Recording Demo - "The Paperback Musical" [2005]
Xavier and Me (children's story CD) - "Xavier and Me: One and Three and Three and Three" [1996]

Scholarships:

Duquesne University Academic Scholarship [1991 - 1995]
N.E.E.D. foundation Academic Scholarship [1991 - 1995]

Student Reviews for Nick

Write an online review and share your thoughts with other students.

Nick M. Is A Fantastic Teacher! - January 6, 2010
Reviewer: ANA - NEW YORK, NY
Instrument: Piano
Nick is phenomenal piano teacher for children. My four year old daughter has thrived under Nick's teaching, and she never wants to skip a lesson. Nick's ability to get through to children the basic concepts of music theory and practice is extraordinary. He makes the lessons fun, even exciting, but has a gentle firmness about him that engenders a sense of of student to teacher respect, and keeps the lessons productive. He always arrives on time, and he is a very nice person. Can't recommend him highly enough!

Great Instructor - December 9, 2009
Reviewer: DASHAUN YOUNG - NEW YORK, NY
Instrument: Piano
Nick is a very talented and patient teacher and also a nice guy. He is very smart in the way that he teaches, using different techniques to get you to understand and enjoy the world of music. I also love that he really focuses on what your goals are for yourself and the best way to get you there.

A Great Teacher! - December 7, 2009
Reviewer: HEATHER - NEW YORK, NY
Instrument: Piano
My children love their lessons with Nick! They look forward to it every week. I can't believe how much they have learned in the past year and a half that Nick has been teaching them. He obviously loves what he does. I wish I had his patience!

Adult students take note! - December 6, 2009
Reviewer: LARRY - NEW YORK, NY
Instrument: Piano
I'm an adult returning piano student, who had not played in more than 25 years. Nick started me on scales, and very easy Bach, and we have continued apace for the last 18 months, adding repertoire as my skills have returned or developed. Nick is patient (enough) but know when to focus me on working toward my mark. He is especially strong on teaching me the "time values" of a given piece, not my strength. (I hadn't known that the dreaded triplet shows up in both Debussy and Charlie Brown's Christmas!) I recommend Nick; he's an experienced and strong teacher.

nick's a great teacher - December 3, 2009
Reviewer: NIKA - New York, NY
Instrument: Piano
nick has a very effective technique for teaching both adults and children.
he understands the attention span of a child and makes the lessons fun and engaging. he is also prompt and professional.

Nick M. - December 2, 2009
Reviewer: Dr. Joseph Sachs-New York, NY
Instrument: Piano
Nick M. has been working with my family for the last 2 years. My seven year old daughter has been taking piano and vocal lessons from him. My 5 year old twins (boy and girl)have been taking piano. Nick constantly demonstrates patience. He is motivating and challenging all at the same time. He also is my piano instructor. I have not played since I was a child and he has helped bring it all back. I look forward to our weekly visits. As a family we all thank Nick for the beautiful music he brings to our home.

The Mac Gyver of Piano Teachers~! - December 1, 2009
Reviewer: Sandira Blas
Instrument: Piano
I'm an adult student that's been studying w/ Nick, once a week for the past 8 months. If you're new to Piano or have a passion in music of ANY genre, trust me, definitely consider him.

Not only does he have a great amount of patience for crazy off-key students like me, but regardless of my random struggles, he had the ability to identify the source of the issue and provide a solution. A MacGyver of piano teachers.

He constantly challenges me - I'm the type of person who tends to decline in what I am or am not interested in doing or willing to do. But I've always left satisfied, patient and hopeful that my music career will be successful one day. With Nick it's not just about learning piano and songs, but the core root of music in general-- theory and composition that I badly need as an artist.

I definitely look forward to continuing my studies with Nick.

Inspirational Teacher - December 1, 2009
Reviewer: LAURA - NEW YORK, NY
Instrument: Piano
Nick is a great piano teacher. He inspires my son to practice longer, try new things, have fun playing and generally feel more motivated about playing piano. His progress has been much greater than with either of his previous 2 piano teachers and he enjoys his lessons much more. Nick's style is to tailor the work to the student, so that the student works on material that is instructive and challenging, but also enjoyable. Nick's firm, but kind approach motivates students. My son will sit down and just play for fun, because the work is so well suited to his level and his interests. I highly recommend Nick.

Gift Certificates

Why not give the gift of music to someone in the area? We have lesson Gift Certificates available in groups of 4, 6, 8, 12, and 16 lessons.

If you need the gift certificate instantly we can send it to you by email as a PDF file. Or if you'd prefer, we can send it by regular mail.