Special Music School (M. 859) is a public/private partnership between Kaufman Music Center and New York City Public Schools.
Administration – Kaufman Music Center
Anthony Mazzocchi, President & CEO
Igal Kesselman, Chief Artistic & Education Officer
Sean Hartley, Chair of Admissions
Kate White, Dean of Music, K-8
Andrew Copper, High School Dean of Music
Corinne Au, High School Music Program Coordinator
Adam Beaudoin, High School Music Program Coordinator
Oriana Hawley, K-8 Music Program Coordinator
Eleonore Oppenheim, High School Ensembles Manager
Administration – NYC Public Schools
Katherine Banucci-Smith, Principal
Kristen Palmieri, Assistant Principal
Patricia Skelly, College Counselor
Liza Dupler, Guidance Counselor
Lisa Stump, Parent Coordinator
MaryLynn Gulino, Secretary
Sarah Rosario, School Aide
Paraprofessionals
Xavier Brown
Erving Disla
Jessica Mosquera
Academic Faculty
NYC Public Schools
Elementary School
Kindergarten - Susan Moore
Grade 1 - Nicole Honrado
Grade 2 - Stephanie Cherubin
Grade 3 - Susan Myung
Grade 4 - Abby Rapoport
Grade 5 - Jane Hogan
Middle School
Humanities - Shannon Potts
Science - John Moore
Mathematics - Kerese Blake-Goss
History - Kerri Hook
High School
English – James Worsdale
English – Leah Rosenzweig
Science – Pheona Hunt
Science – Keith Simpson
Math – Anita Babbitt
Math – Elli Simonen
Social Studies – Ben Cutler
Social Studies – Marium Rivzi
Specialists
Physical Education (K-8) – Sam Fox
Physical Education (9-12) – Segundo Paredes
Visual Arts – Sasha Kopelowitz
World Languages, Music – Christopher Nazarian
Music – Will Roslak
Technology Specialist – Ross Kennedy
Librarian (9-12) – Teresa Tartaglione
Learning Specialists
ENL - Sarah Anderson
Speech Therapy – Marisa Cohen
Special Education – Catherine Dignan
Special Education – Robert Cibella
Special Education – David Lopera
Special Education – Marisa Bolson
Spanish Language (9-12) – Sarah Kuhner
SBST
Social Worker – Phil Steinberg
Psychologist – Trishna Kumar
Music Program Faculty, K-8
Kaufman Music Center
Viktor Basis, violin & viola
Eugenia Betman, piano
Yari Bond, cello
Alex Croxton, cello
Anna Elashvili, violin
Heidi Garson, horn
Sean Hartley, chorus
Leonard Hindell, bassoon
Valerie Holmes, flute
Nicole Johnson, cello
Igal Kesselman, piano
Jisun Kang, violin
Alexander Kiladze, piano
Min Sun Kim, violin
Yukiko Konishi, theory
Julie Kurtzman, violin
Santiago Lomelin, piano
Natela Mchedlishvili, piano
Laura Mount, viola
Irina Morozova, piano
Melissa Muñoz, trumpet
Christopher Nazarian, Chorus and World Languages
Andrea Neumann, trombone
Irina Nuzova, piano
Jennifer Park, cello
Phillip Rashkin, oboe
Matthew Reichert, violin
Will Roslak, Chorus & Music History
Irina Shestakovich, theory
Lynelle Smith, violin
Troy Stuart, cello
Diane Taublieb, flute
Ian Tyson, clarinet
Sarah Williams, oboe
David Valbuena, clarinet
Music Program Faculty, High School
Kaufman Music Center
Classroom Faculty
Deandre Desir, Music Theory
Elizabeth Gartman, Music Theory, Analysis and Transcription, Composition for Non-Composers
Dr. Max Grafe, Music Theory
Dr. Alberta Khoury, Music History
Christopher Nazarian, Diction & IPA
Dr. Eleonore Oppenheim, Career Skills and Financial Literacy
Cameron Pieper, Keyboard Skills for Singers
Will Roslak, Music Theory, Keyboard Skills for Singers
Phong Tran, Advanced Projects in Music Technology I
Jude Ziliak, Music and Poetry, Music and Shakespeare, Introduction to Bach Studies
Chamber Music Faculty
Avner Arad
Max Barros
Jules Biber
Tiani Butts
Rohan De Silva
Sarah Goldfeather
Sylvia Jiang
Reuben Kebede
Anat Malkin
Nuné Melik
Dr. Eleonore Oppenheim
Noelle Perrin
Nate Reit
Pedro Sanchez
Peter Schultz
Marcus Stevenson
Diane Taublieb
Ensemble Faculty
Max Barros, Piano Repertoire
Dr. Max Grafe, Composers Forum, 11 & 12
Jeffrey Irving, Percussion Ensemble
Dr. Alberta Khoury, Classical Guitar Ensemble
Simon Lipskar, Orchestra
Ryan Scott Martin, Wind Ensemble
Christopher Nazarian, Concert Choir Asst., Bass Choir
Mary Nessinger, Vocal Chamber Music
Riley Palmer, Percussion Ensemble
Matthew Ricketts, Composers Forum, 9 & 10
Will Roslak, Director of Choirs
Perry Smith, Jazz Guitar Ensemble
Hyerim Song, Collaborative Piano
Lisa Tamagini, Art Song
Dalit Warshaw, Writing for the Voice
Mike Webster, Advanced Jazz Ensemble, Big Band
Jude Ziliak, Baroque Ensemble
Private Lesson Faculty
Viktor Basis, violin & viola
Yari Bond, cello
Alex Croxton, cello
Deandre Desir, tuba
Anna Elashvili, violin
Heidi Garson, horn
Elizabeth Gartman, composition
Dr. Max Grafe, composition
Tardo Hammer, jazz piano
Jeffrey Irving, percussion
Jisun Kang, violin
Dr. Alberta Khoury, classical guitar
Olga Makarina, Voice
Natela Mchedlishvili, piano
Irina Morozova, piano
Melissa Muñoz, trumpet
Christopher Nazarian, voice
Mary Nessinger, voice
Andrea Neumann, trombone
Irina Nuzova, piano
Nurit Pacht, violin
Riley Palmer, percussion
Jennifer Park, cello
Matthew Ricketts, composition
Brad Siroky, trumpet
Lynelle Smith, violin
Perry Smith, jazz guitar
Troy Stuart, cello
Ian Tyson, clarinet
Lisa Tamagini, voice
Diane Taublieb, Flute
Mike Webster, saxophone
Cynthia Wuco, voice
Jude Ziliak, violin
