Our team.
Emily Stocker, owner and instructor
Japanese-American pianist Emily Stocker is a Steinway Teacher in New York City. Emily started piano at the age of 3, and received her Masters in Piano Performance and Pedagogy where she studied with Dr. Jane Magrath and Dr. Barbara Fast.
Previously, Emily taught group piano and high school ensemble classes at the prestigious Interlochen Center of Arts. She now teaches full time in NYC and performs in the Tri-State area.
She has travelled to Mondavio, Italy, as an accompanist for the Music in the Marche opera program performing scenes from Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Additionally, music has taken her to Kenya and Malaysia where she has taught mini-lessons on the keyboard.
In 2022, Emily was selected as Steinway & Sons Educational Partner.
Elizabeth Leddy, piano instructor
Elizabeth Leddy is a pianist and piano instructor in New York City with more than a decade of teaching experience. She currently teaches in-home lessons to students of all ages around Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Before moving to New York, Elizabeth was the Chair of the Piano Department at the Music Academy of North Carolina, and a member of the piano faculty for nine years. She also served as Vice-President of the Greensboro Music Teachers Association.
Elizabeth earned her B.M. in Piano Performance from Baylor University and her M.M. in Piano Performance from the University of North Carolina- Greensboro.
Nora Bartosik, piano instructor
Nora Bartosik has performed as a soloist, collaborative artist and chamber musician in the United States, Europe and Asia, in venues including the Konzerthaus in Berlin and the Théâtre de la Ville in Valence, France. She is a laureate of international competitions and has appeared in the Tanglewood Festival, the Aspen Music Festival and School and the HARMOS Festival in Porto, Portugal. She has performed in masterclasses with musicians including Daniel Barenboim, Yo-Yo Ma, Leon Fleisher and Emanuel Ax.
She holds degrees from Harvard University, the University of Music in Leipzig, Germany and the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, where she studied with acclaimed pianist Jacques Rouvier. She is currently completing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance at The Graduate Center, CUNY.
Nora is on the faculty of the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University, the Filomen M. D’Agostino Greenberg Music School, the 92nd Street Y and the Point CounterPoint Music Festival in Vermont.
Malka Bobrove, piano instructor
Malka Bobrove is an accomplished pianist originally from Japan, where she began her early musical training at the Yamaha Music School. She has earned numerous accolades, including the Osaka Mayor's Award, Gold Prize at the Miotsukushi Music Festival, and first place in both the Arukas Piano Competition and the Piano Teachers National Association (PTNA) Piano Competition.
Since relocating to New York, Malka has broadened her performance experience by accompanying Off-Broadway cabaret shows, premiering collaborative compositions, and performing for senior citizens at venues around the city. She is also currently a member of the Schmidt Trio, an ensemble dedicated to empowering young musicians and advocating for their place in the music world.
Malka is pursuing her studies under the guidance of Eduardus Halim, with deep gratitude for the opportunity to explore the profound repertoire he offers.
Yurina Shin, piano instructor
Yurina’s relationship with music and piano started at an early age – she began formal piano lessons at age 5 and for the next 10 years participated in dozens of recitals and competitions, winning awards for her performances. After graduating with a degree in music education from Chonnam National University in Korea, she began working as a music teacher at public schools, continuing her studies in music and working to inspire students to pursue their musical dreams. As her interest and passion for music expanded, she started working as a composer for professional singers, publishing a number of songs and music, while also collaborating with filmmakers, producers, gaming, and commercial music production companies. Her music and songs have been widely aired and played on television and radio broadcasts throughout Korea, and have also been used in video games and films. To expand her knowledge in music, she continued her research and education at New York University, where she enrolled in the Film Scoring Program, earning a Masters Degree with honors. Yurina's talent was recognized through a scholarship granted by the Sorel Organization, specifically for her work in keeping musical excellence alive and for helping to expand the boundaries for women in music. She was further recognized through the granting of the prestigious Elmer Bernstein Award. Yurina also completed course work in orchestration at the world-renown Juilliard School. Yurina has continued working as a professional composer for film, television and commercials, while also performing live around the country and maintaining a teaching schedule to continue developing, nurturing and guiding her piano students to achieve their dreams. Her music is available on iTunes, Amazon and at most major music stores. As a piano teacher, Yurina emphasizes proper habits for all her students, understanding of proper piano mechanics, the need to practice outside of class, and believes that communication and feedback between student and teacher are keys to success. Yurina also believes that it is important for the student to enjoy what they are doing while also understanding why they are doing it. She carefully tracks her student’s progress to be able to spot and correct problem areas, motivate them through demonstrable progress and to ensure that through steady practice, they achieve their full potential.
Charlie Rauh, piano, guitar, and composition instructor
NYC based composer Charlie Rauh has been invited to be resident composer by such organizations as The Rauschenberg Foundation, The Klaustrid Foundation, Louisiana State University, and The Chen Dance Center. His work as a soloist has been supported by grants from Meet The Composer, New York Foundation For The Arts, and The Fractured Atlas Group. With 18 years of experience as a piano and guitar instructor, Rauh will be publishing his first book on creative approach for students and professionals alike, “Simply, Patiently, Quietly”, in the summer of 2025.
Ronen Shai, piano and composition instructor
Ronen Shai holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Composition from the Manhattan School of Music. Before moving to New York City, he studied composition in Jerusalem, Israel, where he graduated from the Academy of Music and Dance. His approach to music education is deeply influenced by his mentors in Israel, the late composer André Hajdu and pianist Ora Rotem, both of whom were highly accomplished and possessed deep knowledge of the European classical music tradition.
After graduating from MSM, Ronen worked as an editor for a prominent music publishing house in Manhattan, where he produced professional scores and music-related materials for public performances of the NY Philharmonic, LA Philharmonic, and others.
Ronen’s expertise extends beyond classical music to include jazz, pop, film scores, and musicals. He also has a vast knowledge of music technology and electronic music production. As a certified Alexander Technique teacher, Ronen incorporates this method into his instrument lessons to promote healthy movement and a deeper connection to the music.
Ronen is passionate about teaching students of all ages and levels, including those with special needs, and tailors his approach to meet each individual’s needs. He is dedicated to supporting children's development and happiness through music. Ronen lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two children.
John-William Gambrell, piano and composition instructor
John-William Gambrell is a pianist and composer with credits in theater, dance, and film.
As a pianist he has performed with the Boston Ballet School, MIT, regional theaters and has collaborated with Broadway professionals including PigPen Theatre Co., Mark Bruni, and Carey Perloff.
His original music has won multiple awards such as the International Pianist Guild Composition Competition, and his recent musical was a finalist in the SoHo Playhouse Festival.
He has nearly a decade of experience teaching piano and composition to students of all ages and skill levels. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Composition.
You can hear his selected piano works on all streaming platforms.