I have been teaching cello lessons, both privately and in schools, since 2003. I have taught students of all levels, ages 4-80. I have an education from various aspects of music, with a BA in musicology from Yale, a MM in cello performance from the Mannes College of Music, and cello performance studies at the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music. I maintain an active performing schedule in the New York area, where I play with a trio, a string quartet, and various other ensembles. I have been on the teaching faculties of the Mannes College of Music, the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, Creative Music and Art (Monroe, CT), and the Amadeus Conservatory of Music (Chappaqua).  

Mike started playing and became obsessed with the cello at age 16. He would fuse this new-found obsession with the passion he had developed years earlier for heavy metal music. This has defined the unorthodox style he's developed. His music fuses his classical training with his love of heavy metal, fantasy, film & folk music. Building layers of cello on top of each other, he creates a world simultaneously dark, beautiful, wonderful, fantastic & breathtaking.

Teach beginner, intermediate, and early advanced strings, piano, and voice. Repertoire includes: Violin: Mendelssohn Concerto Em, Vitali Chaccone ed. Auer, JS Bach Sonatas and Partitas, Beethoven Romances/ Sonatas, Mozart Violin Concerto 5, Rode Caprices, Kreutzer,  etc., orchestral and chamber etc. Historical Violin and strings style and technique Viola: JS Bach Suites for Cello arr. Viola, Bach sonatas and partitas, GP Telemann Viola Concerto, Hoffmeister Viola Concerto, JC Bach Cello Concerto transcribed viola, Schubert Death and the Maiden quartet, beethoven quartets Cello: JS Bach Cello Suites, Chamber music and Orchestral music, E. Grieg Holberg Suite Piano: JS Bach inventions and well tempered clavier, S. Joplin, Chopin Military Polonaise, Beethoven sonata no. 15, Brahms Intermezzo, Ravel Infante Voice: 24 Italian Songs and Arias, Vaccai, Marchesi, Joseph 1 Alme Ingrate, Mozart Arias, Handel Arias, Catches and Glees S and A, various 18th century arias.

I grew up with music all around me. Both of my parents play classical instruments like the cello and violin. My childhood home was filled with sounds of classical and chamber music. Therefore, it is not so surprising that I too chose to move in the direction of music. I went to Bard College with no clear intent on what to do, but I continued to play in orchestras and chamber music groups, and knew that no matter which degree I chose, that I would always love playing the cello.

I am a professional New York State certified educator that is based in Nassau County on Long Island. I studied performance and education at LIU Post, in Brookville New York and Nassau Community College in Garden City New York. I have had many performance opportunities including Tilles Center, the John Cranford Adams Playhouse and various high schools in Nassau county with the Five Towns Symphony. I graduted in May of 2013 with my Bachelor's Degree in Music education and currently teach private lessons. I have studied under numerious accomplished cellists including Maureen Hynes, Benjamin Wolf, and Amy Camus. I have also participated in master classes with the Shanghai String Quartet.