Welcome To Williamsburg Music Studio

Nicki’s passion for teaching piano reflects his joy for performing, composing and song-writing. He received his bachelors degree in piano performance on a full-scholarship at the Oberlin Conservatory. Since moving to New York, Nicki has collaborated with fellow performers at venues including Jazz at Kitano, Jazz at the Lincoln Center, the Knitting Factory, ShapeShifter Lab, the Sedona Jazz Festival and the Hopscotch festival. He is an dance accompanist at Mark Morris, Martha Graham and Marymount Manhattan, a vocal accompanist for Marcelino Feliciano and arranges for the future-folk band, The Oh Ones while leading his own ensemble, GADADU.

Kaz first learned to play guitar at age thirteen from his father, an accomplished amateur classical guitarist.  Growing up in South Orange, NJ and later Yokosuka, Japan, he studied clarinet, piano, electric bass and snare drums, before continuing his studies in guitar at Duquense University where, as a scholarship student, he studied with world recognized jazz guitarist, Joe Negri. Later transferring to Mason Gross School of the Arts, the conservatory of Rutgers University-New Brunswick, he studied with Vic Juris, Stanley Cowell, Ralph Bown, and Conrad Herwig. Upon graduating, Kaz has been teaching guitar to students of a variety of ages and skill levels. He is devoted to helping students accomplish their goals in the most direct and achievable way possible. As a composer, he recorded his first album In February of 2014, which is deeply steeped in the jazz tradition and features compositions that combine lyrical melodies and colorful harmonies with swinging, propulsive rhythms.

Will Baughman possesses an irrepressible passion for discovering, creating and sharing the joy of musical expression through piano. At the age of 6, he began studying with Nancy Bachus. He developed a passion for traditional and modern jazz through his teen years while maintaining his roots in classical performance, performing regionally with his family band since the age of 9. Will continued his classical and jazz training at Kent State University under Steinway Artist Dr. Andrew Le. In 2022, he won the Kent State University Concerto Competition and performed with the Kent State Orchestra. Will’s vast experience in performance has continued as well as collaborations with musicians and ensembles including The Madtown Jazz Expansion, The Colin Palmeri Trio, Scott Keo (Michael Bublé Tribute Band), South Street Jazz Company, Gateway Worship Band, Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple, and The Michel Weber Show. In addition, he frequently performs at public and private events adding his unique style to each musical endeavor.

Melanie is a musician with over 20 years of professional experience and has a passion for both education and performance.  She holds a B.A. in Music Education from Western Illinois University and an M.M. in Opera/Music Theater Performance from Southern Illinois University.  Her performing credits range from off-Broadway theater to choral work.  After teaching in multiple schools in New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York, she is so happy to be a voice instructor, piano teacher and director at WMS!

Nisha Patel Caiozzi is a singer, musical improviser, multimedia artist, and dedicated voice teacher. Originally from Denver, she holds a Master of Music in Vocal Arts from Bard Conservatory. As a performer, she has appeared as a young artist with Central City Opera, where she sang Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro. In 2026, she participated in Carnegie Hall’s Song Studio, performing in master classes with Anthony Roth Costanzo and Bryan Wagorn. In 2024, placed second in the songSLAM competition, where she performed a partially improvised art song of her own composition and poetry in collaboration with Michael Yang-Wierenga. In addition to her experience as a performer, Nisha has five years of teaching experience. In 2023, she received the Ruth Cogan Memorial Scholarship from Oberlin Conservatory in recognition of significant work in voice pedagogy. Her teaching is deeply informed by her own exploration of the voice as a versatile and expressive instrument, including her work in improvisation and contemporary styles of singing. She is committed to helping students develop healthy, flexible technique while cultivating confidence, curiosity, and individual artistry. Her primary goal as a teacher is to help students discover vocal and musical freedom, giving them the technical foundation and creative tools to approach music with as many possibilities as possible.

Isabel Sky Meyer is a musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist and vocal educator originally from South Dakota. She received her BFA in Musical Theatre with a concentration in Vocal Studies from the Institute of the Arts Barcelona. She has since been teaching voice for over 5 years in New York. Her teaching approach is holistic, combining vocal technique and musical knowledge with creativity, compassion, and somatic awareness. She believes in developing the voice as an integrated part of the whole body, helping students build connection, confidence, and freedom in their singing. Encouraging students to discover their own voice and express themselves authentically.

Thomas Meyer is an accomplished pianist and composer from San Diego, California, specializing in classical, rock, R&B, salsa, and jazz. He recently completed his bachelor’s degree at California State University Northridge. Thomas has studied with mentors such as Sam Hirsh, Irving Flores, Gary Fukushima, and Otmaro Ruiz and has performed with artists including Tito Puente Jr, Rob Thorsen, Gilbert Castellanos, and Leonard Patton. His current projects include a series of original ocean-themed compositions titled “Songs from the Sea”, his working jazz trio, and regular performances as a side musician throughout New York. As a teacher, Thomas prides himself on personalizing his lessons to each student, making lessons fun, and holding his students to a high standard both musically and personally.

Scott Sewell is a singer, composer, and educator based in Brooklyn, NY. Having endeavored in music since he was eight years old, Scott is no stranger to the adventures and experiences that music can offer us all. Beginning with piano and guitar as a child, Scott laid a wholesome foundation to pursue degrees in percussion and voice at the University of Arkansas. Scott has toured both nationally and internationally with the University of Arkansas music ensembles, taught multiple private studios of his own, and garnered experience in public and charter school classrooms. Having moved to New York City to pursue the arts and teach, Scott is excited to be a part of the Williamsburg Music Studio.

Rachel Marie Snyder is a lifelong music lover. She is a fourth generation pianist and grew up in a house full of singing. Rachel has been teaching voice, piano, and musical theatre for over 5 years at studios in New York and across the country. She shares her passion for musicality and self-expression in the classroom and on the stage. Rachel has performed internationally as a vocalist with Aida Cruise Lines and regionally in roles such as Mrs Lovett in Sweeney Todd and Nancy in Oliver!. She continues her lifelong music training in Brooklyn and loves to pass on her knowledge to the next generation of young artists.

Efrat Berestizhevsky is a performer, educator, and musicologist. She received her Masters in piano performance from NYU. Efrat believes in a well rounded and tailored musical education which always keeps the student’s interests in mind! She hopes to foster creativity, self-expression, and long lasting motivation to continue learning. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Musicology at CUNY and continues to perform and work with composers around NYC.

Eden Mastriani-Levi is a pianist, educator, and composer with over five years of experience teaching private lessons and group classes. At an early age, he was a featured performer with the Junior Jazz Foundation and Rialto Youth Jazz Orchestra. Since then, he has continued to work with these organizations as a faculty member in addition to leading group clinics with the Georgia State Summer
Workshop and Martha Ellen Stilwell School for the Arts. He completed his Bachelor’s degree at Georgia State University in 2022 and moved to New York City in 2024 to earn his Master’s degree at Queens College.