Building Bridges: Private Coaching by our

Tri-M Music Honor Students





Learn about our Tri-M Music Honors Society members - your instructors!

TJ Ballesteros

TJ is looking forward to giving lessons in voice or piano! TJ is a senior at Pascack Valley High School. TJ has been in choir for all four years of high school, and is the Tri-M President. In addition, he auditions and performs for honors choirs such as Bergen County Choir and Regional Choir. He also participates in Brosquad, the all-male acapella group that meets after school and helps teach members their parts during rehearsal. Outside of school, TJ takes piano lessons with Irene Panagakos and has been studying piano for 13 years. He has competed at various piano competitions, gaining the opportunity to perform at Merkin Hall and Carnegie Hall multiple times. He has hosted with other students a benefit concert for Covenant House, NJ, which raised more than $3,000.

Elizabeth Barlow

Elizabeth Barlow is very excited to offer lessons for bassoon and voice! She is a sophomore at Pascack Valley High School and this is her first year in the Tri-M Music Honor Society. She has been playing bassoon for 4 years and has been singing since elementary school! In the past two years, Elizabeth has been a part of the school's Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, Pit Orchestra and Concert Band. Elizabeth has participated in several years of Bergen County and Region band and choirs. She is currently a member of the New Jersey Youth Symphony, based in New Providence where she is able to make music with other young musicians. Elizabeth is so excited to share her love of music with others!

Gabrielle Brayman

Gabrielle is excited to offer vocal lessons! She is currently a sophomore at Pascack Valley High School and is a first year member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. She has been training with her vocal coach, Jennifer Cece for over 5 years and enjoys a wide variety of genres including opera, jazz, R&B, and pop. Gabrielle has participated in numerous talent shows and benefits. She has been in school choirs since the third grade and is currently in the Pascack Valley Chamber Choir. She was also selected to perform in the Bergen County Middle School Chorus. Gabrielle is looking forward to teaching other aspiring vocalists and share her musical passion and experiences!



Talia Dian

Talia is delighted to share her love of music by offering vocal lessons! She is a senior at Pascack Valley High School and has been involved in both the Chamber Choir and PV Theatre for all 4 years. In theatre, she a member of the International Thespian Society. She has been a member of Tri-M for the past 3 years. She has been selected to perform for the Bergen County Choir during her sophomore and junior years and was also selected to perform in the NJ State Regional Choir in junior year as well. Her favorite genres to sing are pop, musical theatre, and jazz. She has been doing musical theatre for as long as she can remember, and has been taking voice lessons with Terri Grosso for the past 5 years. She is excited to share and teach her wonderful talents with others!

Kay DiSalvo

Kay is thrilled to share her passion for music and give lessons in flute. She is a senior at Pascack Valley High School, who has been playing the flute for 8 years. She’s participated in the Pascack Valley Marching band and wind ensemble all four years of high school. This is her second year in the Tri-M Honor Society and first year serving on the Tri-M Board. She enjoys playing flute immensely and also plays a little piano. In her free time, she volunteers to play the piano at the Valley Hospital in Ridgewood. Throughout her music career, she’s played at concerts, senior citizens homes, and just for her family and friends. Kay is excited to work with students who are in love with music as much as she is!



Kelly Donlan

Kelly is delighted to have this opportunity to share her love of music by offering lessons in voice and acting! She is a sophomore at Pascack Valley High School and this is her first year in Tri-M. She also participates in the Chamber Choir and in PV Theatre, where she is a member of the International Thespian Society. Kelly began singing at age seven and began taking lessons at eight. Over the years, she has participated in many competitions and in 2019, she was awarded the All-Star Teen Vocalist Title and the Broadway Star for Best Actress at the Access Broadway Competition. Recently, she has assisted with a musical theatre class at a local performing arts studio. She hopes to share the joy she experiences through performance with others and is excited to start teaching!



Luca Focella

Luca Focella can't wait to share his love for piano with anyone willing to take lessons with him! He is a junior, who has been taking piano lessons from an early age, and now studies at the Prep Program at Cali School of Music of Montclair State University. Luca has also enjoyed singing over the years. Besides formal voice lessons, he has been singing with his middle school choir and with the choir of the parish ‘Our Lady of the Holy Angels.’ Since the start of high school, he has been singing with PV choirs, Concert Choir at first and Chamber Choir for the past two years. Luca has also performed in musical theater productions both locally and in NYC. Furthermore, Luca won several piano competitions, and has been invited to play at Carnegie Hall.


Nupur Karnik

Nupur is so excited to be giving lessons in clarinet! She has been playing the clarinet for 6 years and is a sophomore at Pascack Valley High School. She has been part of the marching band, concert band, and pit orchestra throughout her time in high school. She loves playing music and this is her first year as part of the Tri-M Music Honor Society and she is so excited to share her passion for music with others. Nupur is so excited to work with students who love music like herself!


Audrey Koh

Audrey Koh is excited to share your passion for playing the cello and singing with younger musicians! She is a junior at Pascack Valley High School. She has been playing the cello for 9 years and has been singing for most of her life. At school, Audrey is in Chamber choir and Tri-M, and she also takes private lessons for the cello on her own. Throughout her life, Audrey has always had a passion for music in general, whether it be playing an instrument or simply singing in the shower. She is very excited to be able to offer cello and voice lessons and potentially inspire future musicians!


Callie Muska

Callie is extremely thrilled to give vocal lessons! She is a junior at Pascack Valley and has been a member of Tri-M for one year. Callie is also a member of Chamber choir and theatre at school and has been for all of her years in high school. She has been singing ever since she was little and has sung in various talent shows. Callie loves music so much and can't wait to share that love with her students!


Aishwarya Pathri

Aishwarya is enthusiastic to give lessons in flute and share her love for music! She is currently a senior at Pascack Valley and the manager of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. Throughout all four years of high school, Aishwarya has developed her passion for music and has been actively involved in the marching band, concert band, jazz ensemble, and pit orchestra. She has been playing the flute for 5 years and is largely self-taught. In addition to flute, she plays the saxophone and piccolo.

Anna Schneider

Anna is super excited to offer lessons in voice, acting, and trumpet! She is a senior and is the Vice President of Pascack Valley's Music Honor Society, and has been a member of the society for three years. At school, Anna is also a member of marching band, jazz band, chamber choir, and theatre, and has been for all of high school. She started playing the trumpet at the age of 9 and began vocal training at the age of 10, and has sung at various events, competitions, and talent shows since. During the summer, Anna works at a children's theatre camp and coaches acting, vocals, and dance. Anna adores music and is beyond stoked to share her love with students!

Kareena Shah

Kareena is currently a sophomore at Pascack Valley High School and is really looking forward to teaching voice lessons! Her love for singing grew when she joined her middle school choir in 5th grade and continued to do so for the past 6 years. She has also taken part in her school's concert, jazz, and percussion band. As a new Tri-M member, Kareena can't wait to improve her musicianship and share her love for singing with other students!

Matthew Yakir

Matthew is very excited to be giving lessons in clarinet or piano. He has been playing the clarinet for 6 years and the piano for 8. He is a Sophomore at Pascack Valley High School and this is his first time in Tri M. He has played in several concert and jazz bands, as well as also having played several solo recitals for the piano. He loves music and is very excited to be sharing the passion with other students.

Jacob Zeller

Jacob Zeller is a sophomore at Pascack Valley High School and it is his first year as a Tri-M member. He is thrilled to offer oboe and tenor saxophone lessons! He's been a member of the Marching Band and Jazz band at Pascack Valley and has played the oboe for 3 years and the tenor sax for 4. He has performed in many concerts and solo performances on both the oboe and tenor. He finds music to be an important skill and a fun pastime. He cannot wait to help new instrumentalists.