Our Staff

Mate Marcina is the Music Director and a piano teacher at Grace Music School, where he has been a member of the faculty since 2015. He is an accomplished classical and jazz pianist, an award nominated composer and arranger, and a dedicated educator, who has studied and honed his skills in Europe and the US. […]

Chris Cuvier has been a professional pianist and composer since 1993, and a piano teacher since 1998. He graduated with a B.A. in music and English from Dowling College, and has studied with the world-renowned jazz pianist Fred Hersch. Chris is currently the full-time musical director for Messiah Lutheran Church in East Setauket, where he […]

Izem Gurer was born in Istanbul, Turkey. She started to study piano with concert pianist Birsen Ulucan at the age of eight. She has been prize winner of numerous national and international piano competitions between the years 2012-2020 and she was a semi-finalist in the Epinal International Piano Competition in France in 2017. In 2013 […]

Logan Slansky is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, performer, and educator in the Long Island/New York City area. After receiving his Honors Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Music Education from the University of Delaware in May of 2024, where he graduated summa cum laude, he is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Jazz Performance (Piano) from […]

A popular and award-winning piano teacher, Grace Casey (Heaphy) has been teaching piano since 2006 with students ranging from ages 3 to adult. Grace has previously taught and maintained a successful piano studio in NYC and Long Island. She currently teaches piano lessons virtually at Grace Music School and in Charleston, SC. She is also […]

Shiori Chazono, bassist, pianist, composer, arranger, and piano tuner, is currently teaching at Grace Music School and Kellenberg Memorial High School. Originally from Japan, she studied at the Tokyo College of Music, where she received a Bachelor of Music degree in composition. She received her B.M. from LIU Post in Music Performance and was a […]

New to Grace Music School, music teacher Patricia has enjoyed a varied musical career incorporating teaching and performing, having begun both before entering college. A scholarship student at the Manhattan School of Music and studying violin and piano with professors at that school, Patricia went on to earn Bachelor of Fine Arts, Master of Music […]

Cameron Keym is a dedicated music educator, bringing over 25 years of enriching musical experiences to students of diverse ages and skill levels across the U.S., Europe, and Mexico. With a deep-rooted passion for music education, Cameron emphasizes the importance of identifying each student’s current musical inspiration. His teaching approach revolves around building a solid […]

Caitlin Francis has been teaching voice, piano, and violin lessons at Grace Music School since 2017. She graduated from LIU Post in 2015 with a degree in music education with a focus in vocal studies. While there she was very involved in the jazz groups such as the Long Island Sound Vocal Jazz directed by […]

Naomi Pierro is a singer and actress who grew up on Long Island. She has performed in many different recitals, concerts, musical theater shows, operas, and churches around NY. She has also won various singing competitions, including one at Carnegie Hall. Naomi has been a vocal and piano instructor, as well as a Music Fun […]

Nicki is a vocal and piano teacher at GMS, priding herself in finding the unique balance between foundation and fun in each student’s lesson. Besides being an enthusiastic and dedicated educator for the past 15+ years of her life, Nicki also works in children’s theatre, both onstage and off. On the weekends you can find […]

Sam began to play the piano when he was only three. When Sam was seven, he started his formal training as a vocalist. He enjoys singing and playing a variety of genres including classical, jazz, and country, while simultaneously crafting original songs. Along the way, Sam has performed at notable venues including Citi Field, Madison […]

Frenie Acoba is an actress, singer, and dancer, where she has been involved in theater and entertainment for over a decade. Frenie has performed professionally in the National Tour of “South Pacific” and in the Original Broadway Cast of “Matilda the Musical”. She has also performed in numerous off-Broadway productions such as in “Mother Jones” […]

As an educator, Brit Schlude (he/they), loves to build relationships that encourage progress and celebrate growth. Growing up he studied piano and cello, and worked towards his goal of being an orchestra teacher. Brit graduated from LIU Post in 2012 with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education, studying cello with Maureen Hynes. He was […]

Eliza Stoehrer is a passionate musician and teacher from Long Island, New York. Primarily a percussionist and vocalist, Eliza has also studied guitar and piano from a young age. Eliza recently received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Therapy from Molloy University, where she will also receive her Master’s Degree in 2026. Eliza is a previous […]

Erik’s unique and colorful tenor voice has been described as “youthful, amusing, and crowd-pleasing.” Hailing from Brentwood, New York, he aims to inspire a world of goodwill through live performance and education in the arts. Equally at home with a variety of genres including opera/classical, musical theatre, pop/rock, and more, Erik has experience teaching students […]

Napoleon, one of ten children hails from Staten Island, NY where his mother filled their home with an eclectic array of music, “My mother did not discriminate when it came to music, If it was good music, it was played.” He discovered his voice in church and honed his musical talents there and at school […]

Michael Alvarez is a freelance musician and a private teacher at Grace Music School in Woodbury, New York. He is a multi-instrumentalist who plays saxophone, piano, guitar, and a variety of other woodwind and string instruments and is also an accomplished vocalist. Alvarez graduated magna cum laude from Long Island University with a Bachelor of […]

TJ Moran teaches orchestral strings, piano, and ukulele at Grace Music School, where he has been a member of the faculty since 2018. He served as principal cellist at the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, New York, where he was a founding member of the Potsdam Trout Quintet and studied cello performance under Dr. […]

Steven Madonia is a music educator who completed his undergraduate studies at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music and his graduate studies at SUNY University at Buffalo. He has conducted and organized several concerts, held seating auditions for competitive youth groups, and worked with grade levels K-12 in both general music and orchestral conducting. Steven […]

Babylon based percussionist Patrick Roche is an active performer and educator in several sides of the percussion world. As a chamber musician, Patrick has appeared with the Four as One, Avalon, and Mirage percussion quartets. Patrick was awarded first place with the Avalon Percussion Quartet in the 2018 Crane Chamber Music Competition. He has also […]

Michael is a versatile and eclectic guitarist based in the New York area. His performances have taken him throughout the United States and Canada. Equally comfortable on the classical and electric guitar, his playing experience ranges from standard classical guitar repertoire to jazz, rock, blues and world music. He has been a guitar instructor for […]

Jessica has seven years teaching experience in public schools in Maryland, Delaware, and New York. She has taught at both the elementary school and high school levels, and has taught a variety of classes such as general music, elementary chorus, elementary band, piano, music production, high school concert, marching, and jazz bands, and steel band. […]

Vincent Basileo is a music educator specializing in cello performance, as well as lessons in beginner-intermediate violin, viola, piano, guitar and music theory. A student of such acclaimed cellists as Maureen Hynes, Julian Langford, Arnold Choi and Lauren Posey, Vincent spends his time educating at various music schools across Long Island, as well as his […]