At Nyack School of Music, our instructors are hand-picked, and some of the best musicians and teachers in the tri-state area. Click below for individual bios.

Dave is an accomplished professional bassist and guitarist that specializes in rock, funk, hip-hop, reggae and many other styles. He has been teaching bass and guitar for over 5 years. He teaches players of all levels and all ages.

As a high school senior, Dave was chosen to lead the Clarkstown North High School Vigil for September 11th. He organized the band, chose the arrangements and performed for 400+ people. He was also president of SPAC, a club that played music for elderly and disabled people throughout Rockland County. While attending college at the University of Michigan, Dave led and wrote the music for an original rock and funk band, Loosen Up, which was popular on the Ann Arbor music scene.

Since returning to New York, he wrote and performed with original funk band Joe Mamma's, which was written about as one of the best bands in Rockland in the May edition of Rockland Magazine. They shared the stage with funk and jazz legends Jon Cleary, Sam Kininger and Erik Krasno of Soulive, and Adam Deitch. Dave has also performed with Grammy-nominated keyboardist Jeremy Wall (formerly of Spyro Gyra) and renowned saxophonist Erik Lawrence of The Levon Helm Band. Dave is currently performing in the tri-state area with original funk and reggae band, Mr. Breakdown. He also plays in rock bands, jazz groups, cover bands, and as a freelance bassist.

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Elmer Johnson is a musician with over twenty years of experience. A classically trained pianist, his first gig was as the regular Sunday pianist for the Laconia Community Presbyterian Church at the age of 12. From there, the desire to play more grew. He is currently an accompanist for the Steffi Nossen School of Dance and Manhattanville College.

Elmer is also a seasoned electric bassist. His skills have been utilized in the studio and live with artists such as Ricky Blues, The Ross Byron Band, Moonspank, Clair Reilly Roe, Rich Betancourt, and many others.

With interests that range from classical and jazz to hard rock and pop, Elmer enjoys playing a multitude of styles. His musical tastes have also led him to become proficient with the alto saxophone and djembe.

For the past three years, Elmer has been sharing his experience with young students in the New York area. His students range in age from seven to later teens. A rewarding experience for instructor and pupil alike, lessons are both challenging and fun.

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Mike Kemmlein has been playing guitar for over 10 years and has been teaching guitar for 5 years. He has toured the Northeast with Forman (indie,rock,experimental) and achieved regional success with his local funk band Joe Mamma's (funk, jazz). Mike has played with such notable artists as Erik Lawrence of (Levon Helm Band, Spin Doctors), Sam Kininger of (Soulive and Lettuce), and Jeremy Wall (Grammy-nominated keyboardist and composer of Spyro Gyra). Mike has also shared stages with such greats as Blues Traveler, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Will Bernard, Erik Krasno, Adam Deitch, and Chris Barron of the Spin Doctors.

Since receiving his degree in Music Industry from the State University of Oneonta, Mike has been booking regional and national acts at The Hudson House and Olive’s in his hometown of Nyack, NY. His cover band, The 4th Best Cover Band in the World, is represented by 107 productions, one of the largest booking agencies in the Northeast. Mike plans to continue developing as both a musician and teacher.

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Originally from New Paltz, NY, Matt Chiasson has already played with a variety of bands at many of the clubs in NYC, along with many others along the East Coast. A graduate of Manhattan School of Music, Matt has performed at venues such as The Rainbow Room, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Jazz Standard, playing everything from tenor to soprano saxes, flute, clarinet, and piano. Feeling just as comfortable playing Classical or Jazz as Hip-Hop, Funk, or even Salsa, Matt has the ability to adapt and be unique in any style. Just as important, Matt has learned his craft from some of the best players and jazz educators on the scene today.

---"MATT CHIASSON HAS THE SPIRIT OF MUSIC ,BOTH AS A CREATIVE SAX PLAYER AND COMPOSER AS WELL AS BEING A TEAM PLAYER IN A MORE STUDIO-BAND SITUATION. THESE TWO SIDES ,CREATIVE AND TECHNICAL MAKE MATT A MAN TO BE CALLED .-----Steve Slagle---sax player, composer, Grammy award winner----(steveslagle.com)

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Rich Bozek got his first drum set when he was 4 years old. Drumming became his primary childhood hobby, and by the time he reached high school, he knew music would be the driving force in his life. He remained entirely self-taught until expanding his horizons at the State University of New York at Oneonta, where he became one of the most in-demand young drummers in the area. He played with the top college ensembles such as the SUCO Jazz Octet and the funk/jazz/fusion group Universal Funk Dispersal, led by Spyro Gyra keyboardist/composer Jeremy Wall. He has performed with Dennis Wilson (of the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band and Count Basie and his Orchestra) and Sam Kininger (of Soulive and Lettuce). Rich has also shared the stage with notable artists such as Blues Traveler, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, and the Bridge. His band Forman has toured the northeast U.S. extensively throughout their 4-year history, headlining reputable venues such as Nectar's in Burlington, VT, Sullivan Hall in NYC, and Northern Lights in Clifton Park, NY. In May 2008 Forman released their all-original debut album "Balance," which Rich co-produced.

Unlike many other drummers, Rich's playing isn't limited by having only rhythmic knowledge - he's trained in classical theory and is fluent on the guitar, which enables him to approach drumming with harmonic and melodic sensibility. While doing studio sessions at JRod Productions in New City, NY, his diverse musical mindset has enabled him to craft solid and innovative drum parts for pop, rock, and funk songs presented by different songwriters.

Rich strongly believes in showing respect and humility when interacting with any musician, no matter their skill level. Any musical interaction can be a learning experience, and he will approach every situation with trained ears and an open mind.

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Ryan teaches guitar for beginner through advanced students. He has studied very intensely under his instructor Marty Celay, a SUNY Purchase College professor and locally known jazz guitarist and performer. As a child, Ryan originally began playing piano, then saxophone in the Pearl River Middle School Jazz Band.

At the age of 15 his father gave him an old bass guitar he had from the 60’s and showed him the ropes. The bass came naturally to him since he had prior musical experience and the funny part is he was originally a lefty. However, his parents could not purchase a new left handed bass guitar so his father said Ryan would have to teach himself to play right handed. Shortly after that, Ryan had saved up enough to buy his first guitar and began teaching himself before meeting Marty Celay. He then returned to the high school jazz band his junior and senior year, only this time with a guitar.

Since high school, Ryan has worked on many different projects with artists of varied styles. The music has ranged anywhere from classic rock cover bands to progressive electric jazz to acoustic folk music. Ryan also has extensive knowledge of music theory and can teach anyone how to unlock some of the mysteries of music while creating their own unique style of guitar playing. In addition to guitar, Ryan can also teach bass guitar and beginner piano.

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An exceptional multi-instrumentalist, William Burgaleta’s primary instrument is the piano. He received classical training for 5 years (age 10-15) under instructor Peter Tarsio, and has been playing the piano for 18 years. He later studied theory and technique with jazz-pro Bob Quaranta at the Keyboard Collective in NYC.

In high school, he performed in the concert, marching, and jazz bands as a tuned percussionist, for which he received a NYSMA award for solo xylophone two years running. He is also self-taught on the guitar, which he has been playing for almost 10 years. In addition, he has experience writing for brass, vocals and strings; has perfect pitch; an extensive knowledge of synthesizer programming; and is looking to pursue other artistic feats within orchestral and film writing.

William received his Bachelor’s of Music in Studio Composition, Summa Cum Laude at the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College. While studying at SUNY Purchase, influential instructors have included famed producers Jim McElwaine (Hall and Oates, Randy Newman, Debbie Davies), David Gluck (Rhythm and Brass), jazz orchestrator and pianist Pete Malinverni, and jazz percussionist/composer Ted Piltzecker. He is currently pursuing his Master’s of Music in Studio Composition at Purchase College Conservatory of Music.

William has always shown a youthful appreciation for music, whether it was while sifting through his parents record collection, enjoying the classics provided to him by his grandparents, or making recordings of his favorite radio tracks as a teenager. This enjoyment of listening to music translated into further endeavors with his musical development, cultivating an appreciation for all styles of music, which influences his writing and performing today. He has been teaching piano for 3 years, and can teach at any level, emphasizing theory, composition, ear training, and/or technique.

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Miles Strand has been playing guitar for over 10 years and has been teaching for 6 years to students that vary from beginner to advanced. Miles got his first guitar at the age of 6 as a birthday gift from a family member, and was initially turned off from the instrument because of the frustration that came from trying to find someone who would be able to properly teach a left-handed guitar player. After numerous failures, Miles proceeded to teach himself how to play guitar by watching music videos and watching musicians in live situations.

Growing up in an extremely musical household, Miles was exposed to a vast number of different genres of music (by his father, who also played guitar), that played a role in sculpting his approach to the guitar. The list of musicians that left their impression on Miles include Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Living Colour, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, Santana, Tracy Chapman, Pink Floyd and The Beatles. Since then, his musical styles have retained the initial influences while gaining new ones from such groups as Radiohead, Rage Against The Machine, Muse, The Number 12 Looks Like You, Hatebreed, Nirvana and many more.

In high school, Miles was recruited to play in the Spring Valley High School Jazz band and during senior year was asked to transpose an original composition to be played by the jazz band. Miles attended college at SUNY Purchase and was part of the Purchase Music Conservatory, majoring in Studio Composition. During both high school and College, Miles has formed and been recruited for numerous musical acts including his original band, Silence The Feedback (Hard Rock), For Every Judas (Death Metal/Hardcore), The Scott Mason Band (Hip-Hop/R&B), Innavibe (Reggae, Hip-Hop), a Misfits Cover band (Punk) and Your Arsenal (Indie Rock).

Currently, Miles is primarily playing guitar/piano for his group Silence The Feedback and on a weekly basis is performing with Frankie Dee at Olive’s in Nyack, NY.

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Mr. Raymond Portante has been influenced by an eclectic group of drummers including Ringo Starr, Buddy Rich, David Garibaldi of Tower of Power, and Steve Gadd, drummers who exemplify the importance of “feel”, which is the most inherently necessary function of any drummer. His initial formal drum training began with a Rockland County, NY instructor named Nick Page. Mr. Page was a product of the “swing era” and taught him how to “drive” the music. Luckily enough, while attending Berklee College of Music in Boston Mr. Portante had the opportunity to study with Gary Chaffee, head of the percussion department. It was while studying with Mr. Chaffee that he began to dig deep into the “soul” of drumming. After leaving Berklee Mr. Portante attended “the school of hard knocks”. West 30th in Manhattan was littered with recording studios. It was there that he really began to understand the “art” of drumming. While spending approximately 10 years recording various jingles, industrial films, state sponsored commercials, television ads, and artist demos Mr. Portante learned that oftentimes, especially when it pertains to drumming, less is more.

Teaching is a way of life for Mr. Portante. Not only is he an accomplished and experienced drum instructor, working with both beginners and seasoned drummers, he is also a certified 6th Dan Master in the Korean martial art of Taekwondo. He owns and operates East Coast Martial Arts in Chestnut Ridge, NY and often applies the same basic teaching principles to the instruction of both arts. His basic premise is that his job is to simply pass along his knowledge and experience from one generation to the next, whether it be the next generation of drummers or the next generation of martial artists. It is then that the student has the opportunity to process, digest, and form their very own individual artistic style.

Currently Mr. Portante performs throughout the tri-state area with a Nyack based classic R&B band called “The Unit”. When he’s not performing with his band he has the good fortune to be asked by other musicians to do both live performances and studio work. And, whenever the opportunity presents itself, Mr. Portante loves to get on his bicycle with some good friends to take off on a new adventure.

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