Chicago-based pianist, vocalist, and teacher with 10+ years of private teaching experience.
Nick has been teaching privately since 2012 — more than a decade of one-on-one work with students from complete beginners to advanced players, ages 6 through adulthood. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas and a Master of Music in Performance from Western Michigan University, and is on faculty at the Chicago Academy for the Arts and the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic.
He’s an active working musician, not primarily a teacher who occasionally gigs. The harmony isn’t theoretical. The advice about sitting in front of an audience comes from someone who did it last week.
His approach to piano is rooted in jazz but spans every contemporary style. His approach to voice is grounded in Somatic Voicework™ — The LoVetri Method, Levels I, II & III.
In-person students work in a private studio in Ukrainian Village — an acoustic piano, a Fender Rhodes, a Hammond B3, and recording capability for the moments when something is worth keeping. More about the studio →
Students here don’t learn to play correctly. They learn to play.
“He fostered a true love of music and learning. We are so grateful for the positive impact he had — I would highly recommend him to any family looking for a warm, engaging, and talented instructor.”
“He was instrumental in teaching my son to sight-read and develop his own voice on the piano. Five stars plus!”
“He’s done an amazing job at building my skills and understanding from the ground up. He paces what I am learning very well so that it can feel challenging but doable.”
“He always provides repertoire that matches your current level while still challenging you to grow technically and musically. Excellent at guiding students through improvisation in a way that feels approachable and rewarding.”
“Nicholas was my daughter’s voice teacher… For her, this meant audition preparation for musical theatre and choir, but also allowing her to celebrate her love of Taylor Swift. He’s very perceptive at quickly getting to know a student as a unique individual.”
A teacher who performs regularly brings something different into the lesson room — current vocabulary, current ears, current relationship with the music. These are venues where Nick plays.
