Nicholas K
Instruments: Guitar, Voice, Bass Guitar, Ukulele, Music, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Styles: Classical, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Gospel, Musical Theater, Opera, Funk, Electronic, Showtunes, Spirituals, Reggae, New Age, Punk
Nicholas K
Instruments: Guitar, Voice, Bass Guitar, Ukulele, Music, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Styles:
Classical, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Gospel, Musical Theater, Opera, Funk, Electronic, Showtunes, Spirituals, Reggae, New Age, Punk
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 10-80
2014 - William McIver Award for Excellence in Teaching
2013 - Nickel City Opera Young Artist Award
I'm a dedicated and passionate educator and performer of music of all styles. I have degrees in Vocal Performance and Literature (doctorate and master's) from the Eastman School of Music and Music Education (Bachelor) from SUNY Buffalo State College. I have performed as a professional opera singer for over fifteen years singing multiple styles in famous venues around the United States, including the prestigious Carnegie Hall. Along with my singing career, I have played guitar professionally for nearly twenty years. I love working with many students and guiding them to achieve their goals. If you're looking to learn an aria, nail a riff, or play chords at a campfire, send me a message and we'll reach that goal together.
I started teaching fifteen years ago when I was getting my Music Education degree in Buffalo. Even though I was training to become a choir director (which I still love doing!) I found teaching one-on-one lessons and building connections was my true calling as a music educator. Since then, I have taught lessons privately in students' homes and online. In addition to my private studio, I have been a collegiate music educator training professional musicians. I started as a teaching assistant at Eastman and have since gone on to teach at prestigious music schools, including the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam and currently at Nazareth University. My students have gone on to win competitions and sing in leading, supporting, and chorus roles with professional and community companies.
Voice: The voice is a fascinating instrument. We use it every day from the moment we're born and it is constantly changing as we progress through life. I love guiding singers through these changes and unlocking their true voice with individualized curricula that cater to what the voice needs. Exercises and songs are carefully chosen and provided sequentially based on the singer's current ability and specific goals. I start lessons with an assessment that helps me determine the technical abilities and musical abilities of the singer. From there, we create a plan to help you get to where you want to be, whether that be fundamental (breathing, embouchure, articulation, registration), advanced (riffing, ornamenting), musically (ear training, theory), or stylistically (classical, musical theater, pop, rock, etc). Guitar/Bass/Ukulele: I usually start beginners with the Hal Leonard method books, but also incorporate riffs and chords of your favorite songs from the very first lesson. Methods and techniques are needed to take your playing to the next level, but you also want to jam with your favorite songs! Those that are more advanced, I like to hear from you where you feel stuck or what your goal is. From there, we create a curriculum of exercises and songs that will help you reach that goal.
I love seeing my students succeed and share in their joy when they have reached a goal they have worked so hard for. My biggest philosophy is creating an individualized curriculum that focuses on the student's goals and providing detailed instruction in lessons for their practice sessions. Songs and exercises are fun and sequenced in a way that makes goals attainable for the student. This keeps the students motivated to keep practicing and ultimately meet their goals. I always encourage my students to record their lessons with some kind of audio device. Sometimes we need to hear how far we've come to see how much closer we are to our goals. This always motivates my students to keep practicing and keeps their passion for knowledge as strong as their passion for music.
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