Kevin J.

Kevin is a native of Buffalo, New York where he began playing piano at age 8, double bass at 10, cello at 11, and violin at 12. (Buffalo winters lend themselves to indoor passions and pursuits-especially when you are lucky enough to be born with perfect pitch!) These formative years included performing numerous solo recitals including with The Amherst Symphony Orchestra; playing cello with The Greater Buffalo Youth Orchestra; and participating for six years running with both the New York State Student Music Association and the Erie County Music Educators Association. During this time, Kevin studied with both Feng Hew of The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Steven Bianchi of The Amherst School of Music. From Buffalo, Kevin went on to Kent State University, earning a degree in Piano Performance and a minor in Cello in 2012. At Kent, he was a member of the school's TIP (Teaching Institute Program,) which included not only teaching piano to local children, but also developing the entire curriculum for young adult music instruction. His teachers there included Donna Lee of Kent State University and Joela Jones of The Cleveland Symphony Orchestra. Kevin further refined his teaching and performing skills at Ithaca College as an Adjunct Music Instructor / Graduate Assistant. Besides teaching piano and playing with the school orchestra, he developed curriculum and daily lesson plans, and gave lectures and demonstrations on piano. When not teaching or performing, Kevin enjoys seeing new Marvel movies, practicing his Mandarin, and speaking French. He has a passion for studying the Enneagram and has a deep affinity for learning and making discoveries in every facet of life. He shares a genuinely joyful enthusiasm to all the lives he enriches, with a love and appreciation of how music can illuminate everyone's life.