About Us
In 2018, following a robust 16-year solo teaching career in classical piano, Lauren Dunkelberger founded Premier Music Studio. Lauren envisioned creating an environment where students of all ages and levels are warmly welcomed to enjoy music. The studio's travel teachers serve the Lower Westchester area including Pelham, Bronxville and New Rochelle. While our primary focus is traditional classical and jazz instruction, each lesson is tailored to the individual student. Our philosophy is to promote the exploration of all types of music to allow for maximum exposure to all genres and encourage learning in a fun and engaging way.
Lauren Dunkelberger, Founding Owner: Piano and Voice
Lauren Dunkelberger is a Cape May, NJ native and has been a professional classical pianist in New York since 2001. She quickly became immersed in music at the age of 8 and eventually attended Interlochen Arts Academy, a prestigious fine arts boarding school in Interlochen, Michigan. She then achieved her degree in piano performance from Concordia College in Bronxville, NY and has been performing and teaching throughout the greater New York area since. Previously an exclusively in-home based piano and voice studio, Lauren saw an increased demand for in-studio private lessons and group piano and voice classes. Renovations have been completed at 139 Wolfs Lane in Pelham, NY, and the finished product reveals a sleek, modern, and bright space for learning. For the first time since Lauren began teaching privately in 2002, Lauren and her staff offers lessons virtually, in-studio, in-home, as well as in a group setting for all ages.
Amelia Guo: Piano
Born in China, Lyn-Amelia Guo began her piano studies at age five and was accepted to the pre-college program of the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing at age twelve. From 2006, she participated and took top prices of multiple international young pianist competition and had her first public solo debut in 2010. Local media reviewed her solo recital as “…excellency in all periods of work and the mature music expressiveness won her unstoppable applause.”- (Education page, Sounthcn.com, May 2010). In 2012, she came to U.S.A for college, during her time in school, she also became an active Chamber pianist.
Lyn-Amelia held a Master’s degree of piano performance from Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University, and earned her Bachelor's at College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati.
Lyn-Amelia launched her teaching career as young pianist competition coach, specialized in training young pianist from age 5-12, over the years she developed a teaching method that is all-around personalized music training, are now suitable for all ages of students. Her teaching philosophy is to inspire creativity within students and helping them formulate their authentic music interpretations.
Amir Small: Rhodes Piano
Amir Small is a pianist and composer based in the greater New York City and Westchester County area. From his earliest days as a young child, Amir discovered an immediate connection to playing piano, and every day thereafter has contributed to a journey he has embraced with open arms. Born into a family of musicians, he began to play at only five years old, and he’s never looked back since. Continuing his education long past his childhood, he would go on to study at the world-renowned Berklee College of Music, where he would earn his bachelor’s degree in piano performance. Throughout his career to date, he has had the opportunity to open and play for icons such as Harry Connick Jr., the Apollo Theater, the Wall Street Journal, the Archdiocese of New York, and Greenwich Country Club. He has been teaching piano for 12 years, having been affiliated with many music schools and teaching projects in and around the greater New York City and Westchester County areas, and enjoys working with students of all ages and skill levels.
Antonin Fajt: Piano and Drums
Antonin Fajt is a pianist, composer, and educator. He studied music in Bard College, and received his PhD in University of California Irvine in the Integrative Composition, Improvisation, and Technology program. Antonin studied piano from a young age, following in the footsteps of his musical family in the Czech Republic where improvisation, classical music, and folk music were all part of daily life. As a teacher, Antonin embodies this spirit of appreciation for many kinds of music, a playful improvisatory approach to practicing, and a love for performance. Antonin performed with many world-renowned jazz musicians, such as George Mraz and Nicole Mitchell, and composed music for classical ensembles, such as the International Contemporary Ensemble, PUBLIQuartet, or American Symphony Orchestra. He likes to build lessons around student’s individual interests, involve improvisation, and combine repertoire from classical, jazz, popular music, and folk music.
Charlie Schefft: Piano, Drums, Bass Guitar, Ukulele
Born the son of a drummer, Charlie Schefft has been playing piano since he was 7 years old and grew up sitting on his father's lap playing the drums since he could talk. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Charlie is a professional Jazz Drummer, Pianist, Composer & Educator based in New York City. Going through his father's record collection in middle school, Charlie's true passion for music ignited in these formative years when he started developing his own taste in music. Charlie has gone on to perform at the legendary Newport Jazz Festival twice (Summer 2019 and 2022), record and perform extensively with New York Times "World Renowned" Jazz Saxophonist JD Allen, including two songs featured in Gordon Parks "A Choice of Weapons" HBO Original documentary produced by Alicia Keys, tour Prague in 2017 with his blues rock band at the time, frequently tour around the midwest with his own original jazz groups, and release 8 different albums in various bands of different genres as a sideman and leader. With a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and Jazz Studies from The University of Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music, Charlie has also been professionally teaching music for the better part of 10 years. Whether in private 1-on-1 or group lessons, Charlie teaches Piano, Drumset & Percussion, Bass Guitar and Ukulele.
Chris Mongiello: Guitar
Christopher Mongiello was the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for “Pure Cane”, a popular New York rock band that had a large and devoted following. In 2001 “Pure Cane” was recognized nationally for their No. 1 record. It held its’ No. 1 position for 17 weeks on select radio stations throughout the U. S. Chris also worked on a 2 time Grammy winning CD entitled “Les Paul and Friends American Made World Played”.
Chris has professionally worked with such artists as Jeff Beck, Slash, Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Johnny Rzeznik (Goo Goo Dolls), Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Peter Frampton, Les Paul, Josh Stone, Pat Martino, Buddy Guy, Steve Lukather (Toto), Will Lee (David Letterman Band), Stanley Jordan, Neal Schon (Journey), Kenny Wayne Sheppard, Cindi Lauper, Dereck Trucks (The Allman Brothers), Steve Miller, Joe Satriani , Edgar Winter, Peyton List, and Michael Cimino
At present, Chris employs music teachers under the professional name of “Chris Mongiello & the Rock Academy”. He is responsible for the development of the curriculum, creation of timely lesson plans and goals, implementation of the “Rock Academy’s” teaching method, exploring new and effective tools for increased learning, hiring, training and staffing.
Dan Fabrizio: Rhodes Piano
Dan Fabrizio is a Westchester, NY native who has attained nearly thirty years of music performance and education experience. He has directed vocal concerts, plays various instruments (piano, keyboards, guitar, pipe organ, drums, recorder, melodica, ukulele, and singing), and has performed in many bands, schools, organizations, and churches. He specializes in providing engaging music lessons in piano, guitar, and group singing, to students ages three through adult. It is his hope that through exciting and educational musical experiences, students can acquire focus, perseverance, and a lifelong love of music and learning.
Erica Seguine: Piano
Erica Seguine is a composer, conductor, pianist, educator, and co-leader of the 21 musician Erica Seguine | Shon Baker Orchestra. “In terms of majestic sweep, cinematic scope and clever outside-the-box humor, it’s hard to think of a more interesting group in big band jazz than the Erica Seguine | Shon Baker Orchestra” writes the New York Music Daily. Their upcoming debut album, “The New Day Bends Light,” which will be released March 31, 2023, was produced by renowned composer and bandleader Darcy James Argue, and deals with psychological themes of struggle and healing. Erica’s compositions and arrangements have received several awards (including the 2013 BMI Foundation Charlie Parker Prize for Jazz Composition, 3 ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Awards, a NJ Composers Guild Grant, and an ISJAC Covid-19 relief commission), and have been performed and/or commissioned by ensembles such as the Metropole Orchestra, the Symphonic Jazz Orchestra, the Danish Radio Big Band, New York Youth Symphony Jazz, and many other professional and college jazz ensembles. She has also worked as a conductor with many of NYC's best jazz orchestras, and Erica is currently part of the core team and an event host with JazzComposersPresent.com. Erica also works as an accompanist/musical director with Actors Technique NY and subs as a church pianist. Erica has taught private piano, composition, and theory lessons to students of all ages (from 4 to students in their 90s) and all levels for over 15 years, with over 11 of those at a music studio, and her primary goals for students are to meet the student where they are (strengths, challenges, goals), and to ultimately teach students how to teach themselves.
Dr. Fei Xia: Piano and Voice
Soprano Fei Xia began learning piano at 9, before going on to pursue her vocal studies. She earned the BA degree in Music Education from Xinghai Conservatory of Music in China; the MM degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Miami and an Artist Diploma from Montclair State University. She recently earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Vocal Performance from West Virginia University. As a professional classical singer, she has been engaged by several opera companies including Vienna Opera Festival, NYLOP, Angels Vocal Arts Opera Company, Manhattan Opera Studio, Connecticut Lyric Opera Young Artist Program, and more. She made her Carnegie Hall debut as Juliette in Romeo et Juliette with New York Lyric Opera. She was invited to perform again at Carnegie Hall, singing the role of Giulietta in Les contes d’Hoffmann. A prizewinner of numerous competitions, Dr. Xia was recently awarded Second Prize in the International Youth Music Competition. Other accolades include First Prize in the following competitions: American Protege International Vocal Competition, Golden Classical Awards International Music Competition, “The Song” International Vocal Competition, and etc. Dr. Xia enjoys teaching vocal, piano, and music theory lessons. In addition to teaching with Singing with Lauren LLC, Dr. Xia also runs her own private music studio in New York City. She is also a vocal instructor at Growing Music Studio in New York City. Previously, she served as Associate Vocal Faculty at West Virginia University Community Music Program. She is getting excited to teach vocal and piano at Premier Music Studio.
Jessica Feigenbaum, a soprano born in New York, has returned to her home state after seven years and two degrees from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. As a student, Jessica was the recipient of the Music Merit Grant and Dean’s Scholarship and performed in nine operas with the Indiana University Opera Theater. Under the tutelage of the great soprano Carol Vaness and the acclaimed vocal pedagog Paul Kiesgen, Jessica worked with the Bloomington Orchestra as well as several university student orchestras. Jessica has performed vocal recitals both nationally and internationally, including at the Palais Corbelli in Vienna, Austria. Jessica also sang for two seasons with Hubbard Hall Opera Theater, performing the main stage role of Mimi in La Boheme and covering the role of Micaela in La Tragédie de Carmen. Jessica was a finalist in the Y.E.S. Foundation for the Arts vocal competition in San Francisco, California. Jessica loves to sing classical, jazz, and musical theater and has been teaching students of all ages for 12 years. She is very excited to begin teaching for Premier Music Studio in Pelham!
Jessica Feigenbaum: Voice
Junko Sakai: Piano
A native of Japan, Junko Sakai moved to New York in 2011 and has taught piano to many students of all ages. She was trained intensively in classical piano starting at the age of 4. As a teenager, she developed an interest in the singer-songwriter genre and began writing and performing her own music in rock and pop bands. While she was attending Waseda University, she discovered jazz and began transcribing the music of Oscar Peterson, Ahmad Jamal and Erroll Garner. After graduating college, she began performing in Tokyo and Kanto direct. Upon arriving in New York, she studied jazz with Jean-Michel Pilc and Marc Mommas. In 2012 she recorded her debut album In the Crowd on the T-Toc Record label. This was followed by a tour throughout Japan. In New York City, she has performed at famous venues such as Kitano, Something Jazz Club and many others. Junko also accompanies ballet classes at NYU and Harlem School of the Arts.
Myriam Choate: Rhodes Piano
A resident of Westchester County, Myriam Choate began teaching Rhodes Piano in 2021. In addition to her work at Premier, she plays guitar and ukulele, all while teaching preschool in New York City. Her teaching philosophy is that learning how to play an instrument should feel fun and achievable and that music is a life-long pursuit.
Paul Pandit: Piano, Guitar, Electric Bass
Paul Pandit is a bassist, guitarist, drummer, pianist, and composer who recently moved to Brooklyn to further his career as an artist and educator. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Miami Frost School of Music and a masters degree from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute. His artistry and sound reflect the diversity and depth of his musical influences; the bluesand rock that first drew him to music, jazz, which ignited in him a passion to learn more, and the fusion and world music that inspire him to discover and create new sounds to better connect with the world around him. He has many years of professional experience playing jazz, rock, pop, folk, and latin music.
Paul’s teaching philosophy focuses on what his students are interested in, and then broadens their musical knowledge by introducing them to new sounds and ideas. He strongly believes in the importance of music as a tool to heal and inspire and strives to help students discover their creative potential. His goal in teaching music is to encourage students to be creative and compassionate members of society.
Zev Haber: Rhodes Piano
Zev Haber is an early childhood music specialist. His love of the Rhodes electric piano and passion for music education led him to study the Rhodes piano method and use Harold's philosophy to inform his educational and performance work. … Graduate of SUNY Purchase and a Rhodes Music Educator for nearly 20 years specializing in early childhood and preschool music programs. Zev has studied, implemented and adopted The Rhodes Piano Method to many educational settings . In addition to his work for Rhodes music education Zev has designed, created and implemented early childhood music curricula in many NYC area preschools, elementary schools and after-school programs. As a music artist zev has written recorded numerous children’s recording, winning the 2009 Children’s music web award for best album for preschooler and best song for his album “chicken scratch” in addition his music has been featured on Sirius XM, NBC’s Today show, Dateline.