Music Instructors | Inspira Arts

Michael Costantino – Piano & Jazz Piano

Attended Berklee School of Music in Boston as a recipient of the “DOWN BEAT” magazine scholarship. He has studied with such prominent musicians as Keith Jarrett, Charlie Banacous, Madame Chaloff, and Jesse Green. Mr. Costantino has performed in United States and abroad as both sideman and conductor. He has done numerous television and live shows. Among them are: “The Mike Douglas Show,” “The Don Ho Show,” “The Al Harrington Show” (from Hawaii Five-O fame), “The Dick Jensen Show” and the off-Broadway musicals “Oh! Calcutta” and “Hair” as a pianist, arranger and conductor. He and the Ralph Graham and Easy Pieces Band opened for such notable artists as Earth, Wind and Fire, Richard Pryor Coasters, Robert Kline, Esther Phillips, Etta James, Martha Reeves, Sha Na Na, and the Persuasions. Since 1996, Mr. Costantino has been on the faculty of Newark School of the Arts, maintained a private studio in Hackettstown, NJ and performs regularly at Cortinas in Paterson, New Jersey.

Molly Kiser – Piano & Violin

Molly Kiser was born in Japan and began studying the piano at age 5. A protégé of a legendary pianist, Reiko Matsuzaki, she started winning gold medals at age 6. She was the first prize winner of the prestigious All-Japan Mainichi Newspaper Student Competition, which led to her debut recital in Tokyo at the age of 12, and her appearance with the Rosenkranz Orchestra in Japan performing Beethven’s 5th Piano Concerto ?Emperor?at the age of 13.

After she moved to the United States she won first prizes in numerous competitions, including the World Piano Competition in Cincinnati, the Kingsville International Young Performers Competition, and the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition. She appeared as a soloist with the Tokyo City Orchestra, the Westchester Symphony Orchestra, the World Festival Orchestra, the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra, the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra, the New England Conservatory Orchestra, and the Salem Philharmonic Orchestra.

Kiser was reviewed as “an aggressive keyboardist whose approach is a natural one” by Dr. Elwood Bear after a recital given in Mexico. Donald Rosenberg of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reviewed her performance as one with “great depth of tone and interpretive intensity.” Her performance in the Wideman Piano Competition persuaded judge Katherine Glaser to select her to perform in Dame Myra Hess radio series. In December 2001, Kiser gave her New York Debut Recital at the Alice Tully Hall to critical acclaim. She has also been active as a chamber musician, forming a chamber group, Komár Trio, which toured successfully in the Czech Republic. She launched Yamaha’s New York Rising Star Series with her first commercial recording “Molly Kiser Plays Ravel,” which is available now from Yamana MusicSoft.

She received a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from The Juilliard School where she studied with Peter Serkin. Her doctoral dissertation “Toshi Ichiyanagi – His Life and Works” is one of the first comprehensive biographical/analytical studies on one of Japan’s foremost contemporary composers, Toshi Ichiyanagi.

Jodi-Ann Russell – Piano & Guitar

Jodi-Ann Russell graduated with her Masters of Music in Piano Pedagogy and Piano Performance from Westminster Choir College. She was the Vice President of the New Jersey Music Teachers Association Collegiate Chapter. She graduated with high honors from Virginia Commonwealth University where she holds her Bachelors of Music in Piano Performance. She is also currently teaching at the Westminster Conservatory and her own private studio. She has taught preschool, elementary, middle, high school, and college students as well as working adults and senior citizens with a wide variety of backgrounds and musical goals. She is a very encouraging, patient and versatile instructor who is always excited to teach all her students. She structures each lesson to include musicality, ear training, technique, theory and relaxed movement at the piano while making sure making sure the lessons are fun and develop a deep understanding and love for music.

Sabrina McCoy – Piano, Violin, Flute & Clarinet

Ms. Sabrina McCoy is a graduate of UCLA where she received her B.A. degree in Music Education. She also received a Masters in Music Education from California State University of Northridge. She holds a New Jersey supervision certificate. She is currently teaching instrumental and general music in the New Brunswick Public School District. Prior to her employment in New Jersey, she taught instrumental music in California for several years. Ms. Sabrina resides in Somerset.

Shannon Merlino – Cello, Viola & Violin

Shannon Merlino received her B.M. in violin performance from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University and her M.M. from the Mannes College of Music in New York City. In the past she has been a student of Matthew Reichert, Lenuta Ciulei, Dr. Chin Kim, and Lewis Kaplan among others, all of whom have greatly influenced both her playing and teaching. Ms. Merlino has performed in numerous ensembles throughout the area and has also presented solo recitals throughout the East Coast. She has also done recording work for several labels including Rhino Records, and enjoys doing freelance work whenever possible.

In addition to maintaining an active performance schedule, she loves to teach, and has served on the faculties of the East Brunswick Academy of Music, Bergen Academy of Music, and the Hartt School at the University of Hartford. Employing an eclectic approach to teaching that includes elements of both Suzuki and traditional pedagogy, her violin/viola pedagogy instructors have included Teri Einfeldt, and Ann Setzer, and during her undergraduate studies also studied ‘cello pedagogy and orchestral conducting extensively. Ms. Merlino is currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in violin performance at Rutgers University as a student of Philippe Quint.

Andrew Ross Morris – Guitar

Andrew Ross Morris is a jazz guitarist with a B.A in Music Performance from Johnson State College, and plans to pursue a Masters at Mason Gross for the Fall 2012. He is a singer song writer working with several bands and projects in the central jersey area, and opening up for such acts as Blonde, and playing at legendary venues like The Court Tavern, and The Stone Pony. Not only is Andrew a skilled guitarist, but he also plays the piano,mandolin,upright bass,voice,banjo,clarinet,hand drum,and harmonica. His passion for music is shown in his playing and his teaching and is very proud to be working for InSpira.

Henry Terrell – Guitar

Mr. Terrell (Henry) started playing the guitar at age 8. By age 12 he was playing for a Christian Quartet called the Wonderland Singers of Brooklyn. At college he joined Fayetteville State University’s Jazz Band. This is where he learned how to turn a band into a business. After college graduation, Mr. Terrell and two other band members moved to New Jersey to become teachers and also started a band business. Their band called Teachers Plus Three lasted for 29 years. They opened shows for Kool and the Gang; Ecstasy, Passion, and Pain; Stevie Wonder; Bobby Humfrey and played for Arthur Prysock. He now records and plays for the Singing Pastors. Mr. Terrell is the owner of a 22-year-old business, Special Occasions, a video taping service.