Ryan Peterson

Dance Instruction, Faculty, Guitar, Music

Ryan Peterson is an award-winning jazz guitarist, band leader, educator, and recent transplant to Ithaca, NY. Since moving to New York, Ryan is quickly becoming an in-demand guitarist and had the pleasure of leading his quartet as the opening act on the main stage at...

Gizelxanath Rodriguez

Cello, Faculty, Guitar, Music, Piano, Voice

Gizelxanath Rodriguez is an internationally renowned vocalist, cellist, guitarist and educator. She is fluent in five languages (Spanish, Portuguese, English, French, and Italian). Her musical work spans a range of styles and cultures. Recently relocated to Ithaca...

David Allen Coester

Guitar

David Allen Coester has been teaching the guitar to people of all ages and abilities for more than 25 years — formerly at the Crestwood Music Education Center in Westchester County and in his private studio in downtown Ithaca. He primarily teaches beginning to...

Hayden Frank

Bass, Guitar

Hayden Frank was born and raised in Ithaca, where he became active in music and theater at a young age. Drawn to the deep grooves of ‘60s and ‘70s R&B/Soul music, he picked up the bass as a teenager and studied under local legend Doug Robinson, until departing for...

Jan Nigro

Guitar, Music

Jan Nigro, guitar teacher on the faculty of CSMA since 1982 is also a co-founder, songwriter for, and performer with Vitamin L, a youth choral group which performed extensively year-round at schools, education conferences, festivals, and camps doing 1195 concerts from...

Gerald Slevin

Bass, Guitar, Piano, Songwriting, Ukulele, Voice

Specializing in teaching students how to play and sing simultaneously and employing an easy-going, creative, song-oriented pop/rock approach, Gerald has taught for over 12 years both one-on-one and in groups with students of all ages. To help each student uncover...