Piano Lessons

Danny began playing piano at a very young age. His ear enabled him to be able to play nearly any song he heard, without even reading music. After taking pianos lessons for twelve years Danny began to take interest in other instruments such as guitar, drums, and trumpet. All throughout middle school and high school Danny played in various rock bands, and the school jazz band. These experiences helped Danny learn how to play music along with other people. Danny attended Purchase College where he worked on his composition skills, and musicianship. He now works as a teacher at Purchase College, and Whitby Elementary School, as well as teaching private lessons. Danny has played in venues such as Irving Plaza, and the Gramercy Theater with his band Urban Fetch.

After completing a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Melbourne, Australia, Justin was immediately employed by the Victoria State Opera and Opera Australia, where he worked for three years as an accompanist and vocal coach. He was appointed Director of Music at the National Theatre in 1997 and went on to conduct and musically direct several Broadway productions playing in Australia, among them "Fiddler on the Roof", "The Boy from Oz," and "Forbidden Broadway." When not touring with these productions in Australia, Justin maintained a busy schedule as a piano teacher and accompanist, working regularly with celebrated Australian singers and major choral ensembles including the Melbourne Chorale, for whom he was the official accompanist for five years. A faculty member since 2001, Justin's students have not only done exceptionally well at the NYSSMA competition but have also gone on to become outstanding musicians in their own right.

Sharon received both her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Eastman School of Music, along with a Performer's Certificate. She has performed in music festivals and solo and chamber recitals throughout the United States, Japan, Canada and France. Aside from performing, she has taught both privately and at the Long Island Suzuki Program. She enjoys both teaching and performing and believes in bringing a love of music to every student.

Woodwind teacher and early childhood specialist, Aaron Kruziki was born to a family of teachers and artists. He began his music studies on piano, and at age 12 discovered his father’s alto saxophone. Inpired by the sounds of barbershop and sacred music, Kruziki’s approach to the saxophone, clarinet and flute family came into fruition at The New England Conservatory, with guidance from George Garzone, Ran Blake, and many others. In 2010, Kruziki toured North America with New York based pianist Andy Milne and Dapp Theory. He has performed in Norway, Luxembourg, Tunisia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Canada, and extensively throughout the American Mid-west, East and West Coast. With experience in early childhood education, Aaron’s gentle, caring, and sensitive approach to music pedagogy is warm and inviting, a positive environment for children and adults alike.

Nobu started playing the piano at age 4, when she told her mother, “I’m going to become a piano teacher!” Since then she has earned a Bachelors degree in music at Indiana University , Bloomington , and a Masters degree in ethnomusicology at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London . She has performed throughout the UK , Japan , USA , and Belgium , including the City of London and Glastonbury Festivals. As an active educator, Nobu loves teaching piano and flute to people of all ages. With a background in diversity education and creative education, she encourages students to explore music from all over the world, try different genres, compose, and improvise at all levels of their studies. Her goal is to foster happiness, confidence, and respect through music.

An active performer and dedicated teacher, pianist Monica Ohuchi has been on the Music in Chappaqua faculty since 2004. She has performed at Lincoln Center 's Alice Tully Hall and Peter Jay Sharp Theater, Bargemusic, and Meany Hall of Seattle. She has been featured as guest soloist for the New Millennium Symphony Orchestra of Spain, Orchestra Seattle, and Corvallis Youth Symphony, and is the first prize winner in the 2006 William Garrison Competition among many others. Beginning in the 2010-2011 season, Monica will be premiering Kenji Bunch’s piano concerto with the Colorado Symphony, Winnipeg Symphony, and Marin Symphony. In addition, Monica placed 22,450th in the 2008 ING NYC Marathon. www.monicaohuchi.com

A master at working with beginning piano students, Nina especially loves working with children and enjoys being a part of their musical growth. Nina recieved her BM and MM at the Manhattan School of Music and has been an active teacher in the New York area for several years. She has also been a guest Artist at the Yokohama International School in Japan. Nina has been on faculty with Music in Chappaqua since January 2008 and also had the honor of performing the National Anthem for the Memorial Day Parade in Chappaqua.

Called “a real musician, hearing the music as a whole conception and putting her part of it in absolute harmony and balance” by Canada’s Hamilton Spectator, and praised for her ability to “draw in the attention of the audience” by the New York Concert Review, Dr. Zisk has performed throughout Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Italy, Hong Kong, Canada and the U.S. as concerto soloist, chamber musician, and in solo recitals.

In North America her performances have included Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Klavierhaus, World Financial Center, the Juilliard School, Steinway Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, University of Buffalo Center for the Arts, Goethe Institute, and Roy Thomson Hall among many other prestigious venues. Dr. Zisk is a winner of numerous competitions including First Prizes from the Kiwanis Music Festival, Canadian Music Competition, and “Stars of Tomorrow” Concerto Competition. She is the recipient of the Yamaha Scholarship, Sinclair Radio Laboratories Ltd. Award, as well as the Artists International Presentations, Inc. Award. Her solo recitals have been broadcast on CJRT-FM radio in Canada as well as the Bravo! TV channel, and her CD recording, Alexander Gedike’s arrangement for Piano Trio of Tchaikovsky’s Seasons, was released by Fidelis Records, Ltd. in 2002. In 2010, Dr. Zisk and her two-piano ensemble Duo Cornelia embarked on several concert tours in Canada and the U.S. to showcase a commissioned work by Canadian composer Michael Pepa.

She has given masterclasses at Universities, Colleges, and Music Festivals, and has adjudicated Music Competitions in the U.S., Europe, North America and Hong Kong, including the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival, International Competition for Strings and Piano in Canada, International Chamber Music Competition in Cambridge, MA. In 2008 she was invited to join the College of Examiners and became an examiner for the National Music Certificate Program and the Royal Conservatory of Music in the US and Canada.

Dr. Zisk has served on the piano faculty of Manhattan School of Music (NYC), Hartwick Summer Music Festival & Institute (Oneonta, NY), International School for Musical Arts (Canada), and Tchaikovsky Summer School (Cambridge, MA), where she became the Program Director in 2006. She has also collaborated with the Boys Choir of Harlem, Inc., Songs of Solomon Academy for the Arts, Christine Jowers’ “Moving Arts Projects”, Tchaikovsky Music Society, and The New Stage Theater.

Galina Zisk holds a Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music Degrees in Piano Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, and a Bachelor of Music Degree in Piano Performance from the University of Toronto, Canada.

Katsura Tanikawa is an active solo pianist and a chamber musician, who is also strongly committed to music education. Katsura has performed extensively in the US, including John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. D.C., Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, the Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Caramoor Performer’s Showcase Series in New York, as well as in major cities in Europe and Asia. She has been featured as a soloist with the Frankfurt State Symphony, Brandenburgisches Staastsorchester in Germany, Moscow State Symphony in Russia, the Philharmonia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra in New York among others, and she will be featured as a soloist with the New Tokyo Philharmonic in the 2009-2010 season. In 2005, Katsura released a CD titled “Beethoven Complete Works for Cello and Piano” with a Viennese cellist Adalbert Skocic, and most recently in 2008, she released a solo piano album of all Liszt music titled "Katsura Tanikawa plays Franz Liszt." Katsura holds a BM from The Juilliard School in New York, and a MM from Yale University. Her keen interest in art history has culminated to a BA degree in Art History from Columbia University. Katsura is very passionate about teaching, and enjoys sharing her love of the piano with her students.

Pianist Nina Yenik began studying music at a young age in her native Japan. When she was 15, she came to the US to pursue her piano studies and completed her high school degree at the renown Interlochen Arts Academy. Upon graduating, she continued her Bachelors Degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music and later at Manhattan School of Music. She received her Masters degree at Manhattan School where she studied with the acclaimed pianist Andre-Michel Schub. A versatile performer of repertoire ranging from Baroque to new music, Nina has performed solo and chamber music recitals at festivals in China, Italy, Japan, U.S. and France. She has been an active pianist and teacher in the New York area for several years and has experience teaching piano at all levels. A strong believer of education enhancing our lives, Nina is passionate about music and art having a positive affect and broadening our perspectives in every way. As an educator, Nina is enthusiastic about adapting to find the ideal teaching method for each student. Through her kind and perceptive manner, it is Nina's goal to make music lessons an enjoyable and inspirational activity for each student.