MEET OUR TEACHERS

Nicole Russo

(Piano, Trumpet, Clarinet, Saxaphone)

Nicole is always accepting new students!

Nicole Russo has a Master's degree in Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory and a Bachelors degree in Performance and Education from the Crane School of Music, New York. She also completed her multiple subject teaching credential at SF State University. Nicole is an energetic person teaching students of all ages throughout the Bay Area.

Noelle Lanser

(Piano, Voice, Clarinet)

Noelle is currently accepting new students!

Currently finishing up her degree in music education at San Francisco State University, Noelle has extensively studied classical, musical theatre, and jazz voice, as well as piano, clarinet, music theory, and choral/instrumental conducting. She has sung in the Modesto Symphony Chorus, and currently sings in the SF State Chamber Singers, and the student acapella vocal jazz group, The Holloways. She also plays clarinet in the University Pep Band.

Aside from performing, her main passion is education, and loves teaching all ages, from young beginners to adults. She specializes in teaching piano, voice, and clarinet.

Micah Corson

(Drums and Piano)

Micah is currently accepting new students!

Before learning drums in high school, Micah can remember using forks, spoons, chopsticks, or even his hands to bang on the counter, couch, dinner table - needless to say, his family wasn't having it! Fast forward to now and he’s successfully converting pen tappers and air drummers into actual musicians. Regardless of why you or your child chooses to play drums, he will always tailor his lessons to your style and ability!

He’s personally played in a variety of bands throughout the Bay Area, but no matter the genre, he is always inspired by his connection to the music. That connection and inspiration is what he strives to share and instill within his students.

Spenser Steinman

(Guitar, Bass, Piano, Voice)

Spenser is currently accepting new students!

Guitar has always been a core aspect of Spenser’s musical life. In his hometown of Topanga, he honed his craft to the point where locals would begin to ask him for lessons, marking his first step on the journey of more than ten years of music instruction. Studiousness and discipline come second to passion and joy in his approach to teaching.

Spenser’s wish for his students is to learn to feel happy and comfortable with music, and grow from it - because, while there are many ways to achieve prowess in music, the study of it has no end. There is no reason not to enjoy the ride!

Jace Holmes-Floyd

(Piano and Ukulele)

Jace is currently accepting new students!

Jace is currently finishing up his degree at San Francisco State University. There, he is a part of the Jazz Band, and the AfroCuban Ensemble. He also sang and led the SFSU gospel choir, the Gospel Gators.

He is a very talented piano player and producer, as well as a passionate and enthusiastic teacher best suited for intermediate and advanced players.

Matt Hevesh

(Violin, Guitar, Piano, Ukulele)

Matt is currently accepting new virtual students!

Matt is a multi instrumentalist originally from New England, and has been active in the gigging and teaching community of Northern California for the past five years. Beginning his journey as a classically trained violinist at the age of eight, he then went on to learn guitar, piano, mandolin, ukulele and a variety of other stringed instruments. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston for Guitar Performance.

Apart from performing for live audiences all over the West Coast; Matt has been teaching for over a decade and has not only high expectations for his students, but plenty patience and understanding.

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Kat Feller

(Violin, Voice, Piano)

Kat is currently accepting new students!

Kat has studied violin and voice since childhood, and acquired bachelors degrees in Musical Theater and Vocal Performance from CSU Chico. She currently sings with local groups including Lamplighters Music Theater and Pocket Opera, and plays viola with Villa Sinfonia and San Francisco Civic Symphony.

"Joe" Jochen Kahns

(Guitar, Ukulele, Piano)

Joe is currently accepting new students!

Joe started studying piano at a young age at Victors' House of Music School in Ridgewood, N.J.. In High School, Joe began private studies with a classical guitar instructor. He then studied Music Theory and Composition at Syracuse University. Joe has been playing guitar with the Hiwatters since 2006. They are a Surf Instrumental Band, playing shows in San Francisco and around the Bay Area, and are on the San Francisco Arts Councils list of approved bands for public events. Joe teaches guitar, piano and ukulele, and he enjoys passing on his musical passion, knowledge, and skill to his students.

Ann Tung

(Piano and Cello)

Ann is currently accepting new students!

Ann obtained her Masters of Music degree from San Francisco State University. She is a classical and jazz pianist, and has taught piano for quite some time. She’s participated in Jazz bands as a pianist, and has played in festivals including the San Jose Jazz Festival, Alameda County Fair, and Milpitas Jazz Festival, as well as in nonprofit events and church events of different functions.

Ann started learning piano since early childhood and had attended experimental music programs in primary school and high school. Besides piano, Ann also played cello as a minor and has toured throughout the United States as the principal chair in the orchestra in college.

Neusha Ghassemi

(Piano)

Neusha is currently accepting new students!

Neusha is one of the rare individuals whose passion for music outweighed all else in her life. At age of 5 Neusha began lessons in ear training and piano in her hometown of Esfahan, Iran. Through her diligence in study she was accepted as a student to one of the top piano players in Iran. Through her formative years as a musician Neusha fell in love with classical music; every nuance, quirk, and of course the magic of composition gave her a light in her heart that she could not ignore.

In adulthood, she earned degrees in computer engineering and digital arts, yet was always yearning for her first love; music. After immigrating from Iran to the United States, Neusha found herself with a question quite familiar to many of us; will I follow the path my society set out for me? Or will I follow my love and passion?

Some of her favorite composers include Bach, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Mendelssohn, Schubert and Chopin; and she is excited to share her love for these excellent composers with the students here at Russo!

Mike Greenwood

(Piano, Percussion)

Mike is currently accepting new students!

Starting with classical music as a kid, Mike transitioned to Jazz in his later years to focus on expanding his ear as a musician. Mike was selected as the runner up for the Dave Brubeck Fellowship program in 2007. He attended UCLA on scholarship and worked in Los Angeles for 12 years as a session and touring pianist. Clients include BJ the Chicago Kid, Smooth Jazz Guitarist Brian Hughes, UK Popstar Darius Campbell, Mark Ballas from Dancing With the Stars, Haley Reinhart, and Grammy-winning Guitarist/Producer Jairus Mozee.

Mike teaches from beginning piano and reading sheet music, to the importance of ear training, chordal knowledge, and improvisation. Once you get your head out of the music and start trusting your ears, your musical vocabulary will truly start to expand in ways you never thought possible. While keeping with weekly lesson plans are important, Mike focuses on keeping the vibe comfortable and encouraging for everyone involved.

Oliver Levi

(Violin, Piano, Guitar)

Oliver is currently accepting new students!

Oliver is a native Californian with additional musical education in Europe and Turkey. With 14 years of experience performing with orchestras, in traditional ensembles, with rock bands, and as a solo artist, Oliver has collected the essential elements of violin, piano and guitar playing into a step-by-step method which is intuitive and flexible to different levels of student experience. Music exploration should be fun and exhilarating, and Oliver takes pride in inspiring journeys into this wonderful art form.