Jennifer Apsel, Piano

Jennifer Apsel is a pianist and teacher living in New York City. She began piano lessons at the age of twelve with her mother, a pianist, teacher and composer. Her progress was exceptional, and within two years she earned prizes in several competitions at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland. Subsequent studies with scholarship at the University of Washington and the Manhattan School of Music culminated in a Bachelor of Music degree from Manhattan School of Music, awarded in 2008. She has recently performed in New York City, Seattle, and Vermont; and this year will be giving several solo recitals, including an all-Beethoven program. In 2010, she will finish her Master's degree at the Manhattan School of Music.

A tremendously gifted teacher, Ms. Apsel has over ten years experience teaching piano students of all levels, from young beginners to adult conservatory graduates, and views teaching as one of her most important musical activities. She has helped many of her students prepare for successful performances and auditions. All of her teaching is informed by her musical experience and knowledge of music theory and history, as well as by her creativity, exceptional ear, and the drive to help others with every aspect of music making. This year, Jennifer will also be teaching at the Filomen M. D'Agostino Greenberg Music School at Lighthouse International for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Ning Chen, Piano

Ning Chen grew up in a musically-active family and began studying classical piano at age five. Ning started teaching piano in 1994 while pursuing her Bachelor of Music at the Xinghai Conservatory of Music in China. Immediately after graduation, she became a piano and accompanying teacher at Shenzhen Arts School. In 2001, she was granted the opportunity to continue her solo and chamber music studies with Linda Perry at Southern Illinois University. During this time, she taught college piano classes and gave piano lessons to children in the Keyboard Development Program. While pursing her Master's degree in Piano Performance, she won the Concerto Competition of Southern Illinois University, and in 2004 was granted the Dr. Warren L. Brown Memorial Graduate Student Music Award. Recently, Ning has brought her musical talent and teaching experience to the New York City area, instructing students of all ages and levels. She teaches piano at The Mustard Seed School, and in September 2009 joined the teaching faculty at My Music Garden in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Return to Top of Page

Brendan Kibbee, Piano

Pianist Brendan Kibbee comes to Jersey City from Urbana, Illinois, where he began studying classical piano with Mary Wraight at the age of seven. As a teenager he became interested in jazz and started playing professionally at the age of sixteen with the In Your Ear Big Band, as well as with his own trio which played a weekly engagement in support of many prominent local musicians.

After being accepted to the jazz studies program at Rutgers University, Brendan moved to New Brunswick, New Jersey, where he received a degree in performance. At Rutgers, Brendan studied both classical and jazz piano with legendary pianist Stanley Cowell, known for his work with Miles Davis, Max Roach, and the Heath Brothers, and co-founder of the record label Strata-East. He also studied improvisation and compostition with jazz luminaries such as Ralph Peterson, Conrad Herwig, and Ralph Bowen.

Currently, Brendan is a freelance musician around New York and New Jersey, and the leader and composer for the Jersey City based Quartet des Ombres. Brendan has been teaching piano and ensembles at The Groove Academy in Edison, New Jersey for the past five years and combines elements of all different styles into his pedagogy.

Return to Top of Page

Hilary Kostanoski, Preschool

Hilary Kostanoski was born in upstate New York where she started studying clarinet with Conrad Kuchay at the age of 8 and eventually majored in music education with a concentration on clarinet, and guitar at the prestigious Crane School of Music in Potsdam, New York.

Growing up around the Adirondack mountains, Hilary's musical roots are in bluegrass, and country music and are heavily influenced by the work of Pete Seeger, The Carter Family, Flatt and Scruggs, and Hank Williams.

Immediately after graduating the Crane School of Music in 2004, Hilary moved to NYC and started two separate instrumental music programs in Brooklyn, as part of the VH1 "Save the Music Foundation" grant. Hilary now focuses her teaching on preschool ages 18 months-5 years and specializes in incorporating many different instruments, movements, games, and singing.

Her background with the folk, and bluegrass genre lends especially well to this age group and Hilary has been described as "Having a great connection with the children, a natural ease and ability".

Hilary also actively performs as bluegrass banjo player,guitar player, and singer in bands throughout New York City, has published articles in the Banjo Newsletter. and is presently involved in 2008's Folk Alliance in Memphis, Tennessee and South By South West in Austin, Texas.

Return to Top of Page