Guitar Instructor

Young Brazilian guitarist Henrique Carvalho is praised for his refined and expressive musicality. Henrique holds a bachelor’s degree in classical guitar from the University State of São Paulo (BRA) and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Guitar Performance at Stony Brook University. There he studies under the tutelage of Dr. João Luiz Rezende.

Henrique has been awarded in many prestigious international competitions, such as The Souza Lima Competition, the National Musicalis Competition, and the Nacional Villa Lobos - Fito. Furthermore, he was a recipient of the Cultura Artistica Scholarship, where he had the honor of honing his artistry with maestro Fábio Zanon.

Carvalho has performed in several cities, such as New York, Miami, São Paulo, Fortaleza, Porto Alegre, Piauí, and more. Henrique has premiered the greatest musical works, including world premieres by some of the foremost composers of the guitar world. One such piece is South Loop by Sergio Assad, which was written and dedicated to him as part of his participation in the Guitar Foundation of America’s (GFA) inaugural mentorship program.

Other works Carvalho has premiered include Prelude no. 2 and Improviso no. 3 by João Luiz; Choro Eterno by Celso Machado; and Cancao en Samba by Aureo Carreño, Preludio & Dance by Joabe Guilherme, among others.

Henrique has also had the honor to take part in many masterclasses by prominent figures of the classical guitar world. These include artists such as Scott Tenant and Sergio Assad, Sharon Isbin, and others. Another brilliant artist is world-class guitarist-composer Benjamin Verdery, whom Henrique had the privilege to study with as part of the GFA mentorship program.

Along with his colleagues, Henrique recorded the album Novos Violões and Retratos Brasileiros, which uses social media to perform and discuss different repertoires on the classical guitar. Carvalho also shares a passion for teaching guitar. He has had much success as an educator, with his students winning prizes in prestigious competitions, such as the National Villa Lobos - Fito and International Souza Lima.

Watch Henrique perform here.

Drum Instructor

BA in music percussion performance and MA in special education.

Over 45 years of teaching, performing, and recording experience with students of all ages and abilities. Well-versed in a variety of genres from Jazz, Funk, Latin, Afro-Cuban, R&B, Hip Hop, Pop, Rock and Metal. Toured Nationally with Dance, R&B, and Pop bands. Played the tri-state area with top wedding, corporate events bands, and the Manhattan circuit with several original bands like The Oooze, Woody and the Splinters, Shadow and Zale.

"I love to play all types of music and enjoy teaching students of all ages and levels of experience. I'm always looking to further my career and play with new and exciting professionals who are also looking to grow and create great music. Always a pleasure to teach serious students who can gain practical knowledge from my years of experience and expertise".

Bass and Ukulele instructor

Zach received his degree from SUNY New Paltz, and as he entered the next steps he knew his true calling lay in the world of music.

Zach boasts an impressive 15 years of mastery on the electric guitar, with his musical journey beginning as a dedicated student. His love for music extends beyond personal practice, as he has served as the frontman – both guitarist and vocalist – in a band alongside two childhood friends. What started as covering songs evolved into creating their original material, resulting in the recording of an EP, three LPs, a split LP, and various singles.

Not only is Zach well-versed in the art of creating and performing music, but he brings over a decade of experience playing live shows with his band. Their performances have graced numerous venues, ranging from bars and basements to other music venues, captivating audiences with their original compositions. In 2019, Zach and his band embarked on their first official tour, spanning a week and taking them to various East Coast states.

Zach’s diverse background in music, performance, and audio engineering gives him a well-rounded approach to teaching sharing his passion and skills.

Piano Instructor

Has given private guitar, keyboard, and drum lessons and has worked closely for over one year with music students and teachers at Music and Arts in Riverhead, NY and Musicology Performance Center in Smithtown, NY. Has experience working with students who have special needs. Owner of record label and publishing company, each named Naiki Takeshi Music, has experience writing, recording, mixing and mastering multiple albums. Plays guitar, bass, keyboards (piano, organ, monophonic and polyphonic synthesizer) and has some experience playing drums but has composed drum tracks for two albums using professional level drum programming software (Superior Drummer 3). Has recorded, mixed, and mastered mixed five albums, three featuring only piano and two featuring guitar, bass, keyboards, and drums, the drums were programmed using software, everything else was recorded using instruments in Logic Pro X.

A multi-instrumentalist, guitarist, singer-songwriter, and violinist. Omar is of Arab descent, born in Canada, raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and now lives in New York City. His influences include Jazz, Rock, Pop, Latin, and Classical music, which are represented on his first release with Mi5 Recordings Buenos Aires to New York in a Day including three songs, “Into the Right Now,” “Expelled from Myself,” and “Good Times Bad Friends.”

Working with Jeffrey Gile, former engineer for Jimi Hendrix and The Doobie Brothers, allowed Omar to enroll in the BFA jazz performance program at The City College of New York, where he studied with John Patitucci, under a full scholarship from the Kaye Foundation, and graduated with honors, including Summa Cum Laude. During the program, Omar studied classical music on electric guitar with Oren Fader and voice with Neal Harrelson.

Omar has toured extensively with The Glory Gospel Singers under the direction of Ms. Phyliss McKoy Joubert, performed Anime-Gospel fusion at the yearly Polymanga Festival in Montreux, Switzerland, and has also performed with several Argentinean stars such as Dany Martin, Pimpinela Duo, and Guillermo Guido.

American artists Omar has worked with include, Klyph Black (member of the Zen Tricksters), Nancy Atlas, Chad Smith-Red Hot Chili Peppers and Mike Stern.

As a string player/guitarist, Omar has recorded, produced and performed with such artists as Elizabeth McGovern, Amma, the Hugging Saint, Bakithi Kumalo. At the yearly Polymanga Festival in Montreux, Switzerland, he has worked side by side with celebrities such as Jack Gleeson, Jennifer Morrison, Billy Zane. His violin studies include the teachers Julio Graña, acclaimed soloist Rafael Gintoli, and New York Philharmonic violinist Fiona Simon.

Collaborations with the following organizations include Inspiration Plus, a 501 (C) 3 non-profit organization based in Sag Harbor, NY that promotes arts, science, and music, the Solar Impressions Juried Exhibition and the International Masters Collection, two simultaneous exhibitions at the Southampton Arts Center showcasing works made on solarplate, a revolutionary method for etching created by Sag Harbor artist and master printmaker Dan Welden. Through UCT International Culture Development, Omar also performs events at the United Nations celebrating achievements toward the U. N. Sustainable Development Goals.

In studio work, Omar has worked extensively at Monk Music Studios with Cynthia Daniels, Grammy-Winning producer and engineer for Paul McCartney, Beyonce, Julie Andrews, Alec Baldwin. Omar’s acting roles include the award-winning film Camera Obscura and the sitcom Los Roldán.