Music Teacher & Guide

Voice / Piano / Guitar / Ukulele

"It’s hard to express what an incredible music teacher we’ve found in Nico"

- Lisa

Everyone Has Music in Them

🎵 Practice real musical skills
🎵 Play music you actually love
🎵 Laugh a lot
🎵 Explore creativity and self-expression

Lessons are great for:

🎵 Kids discovering music
🎵 Adults returning to music
🎵 Songwriters
🎵 Total beginners
🎵 Curious creatives

I hold recitals twice a year, and they’re always a hit! Here’s a sampling of a recent one.

Teaching Philosophy

I’ve been making music my whole life, and teaching it for 20 years. I love helping people discover that they are more musical than they think. I see music as a powerful portal to self-expression, connection, and emotional regulation. My lessons are always fun, but I keep a careful eye on each student’s goals, progress, and personal challenges.

I have a bachelor of arts in vocal performance from UC Santa Cruz, and am a Certified Trauma-Informed Nervous System in the Arts teacher. I’ve learned to treat the nervous system as our primary instrument, no matter what we’re playing. When we feel safe, regulated, and present, music flows much more naturally.

Stay Flexible

A student’s musical journey should follow their curiosity and taste as much as possible. If something we’re working on isn’t inspiring, we can always explore something new. Music is a vast world of instruments, styles, and traditions—there truly is something for everyone. Once we find what lights you up, that’s when the magic starts happening.

Play Together

For many thousands of years, humans have sang and played music together. It’s the most fun, it synchs our nervous systems, and it’s a wonderful way to bond and share meaningful connection. Today we still listen to music together—but so few of us actually play or sing it, or if we do, perhaps we only do so alone. What a terrible loss! So I’m often playing with students, and I encourage them to make music with friends and family whenever possible, even coaching them alongside the student.

Kindness

Learning music can be challenging, and frustration can quickly block progress. So kindness and encouragement are central to my teaching. Even if you haven’t practiced. Even if you’ve played the same passage wrong ten times in a row. I pay close attention to a student’s emotional state, and when tension or discouragement shows up, we slow things down. There is always a way to simplify a challenge until it becomes manageable—and even fun.

“Nick is very patient and supportive of the kids. He let's them choose songs they want to sing/play, but also helps them select songs that will challenge them.”

- Marjorie

“Nico is an exceptionally talented musician, singer, and teacher. Having worked with three different vocal coaches in LA, I can confidently say Nico stands out above the rest. As an adult beginner, I've made remarkable progress in a short time thanks to his guidance. Nick is incredibly open to exploring various music genres, and he's fully embraced my passion for Mexican folk music, helping me make significant strides in my vocal journey. His teaching style combines empathy, unwavering support, and a perfect balance of positive encouragement and constructive feedback. Working with Nick has been a transformative experience.”

- Nydia

"He is truly wonderful with children (that magical balance of supportive and challenging), and is able to adeptly incorporate my daughter's individual learning style into their piano lessons."

- Kara

Nick is a wonderful teacher! He has taught me various techniques improving my vocal, piano, guitar and song writing skills. His teaching style is gentle, versatile, creative, flexible and patient. He has been instrumental in encouraging, inspiring and building my confidence as a musician. Not only does he help expand your music skills and knowledge, he also teaches important values such as the importance of play, connecting with others through music, and being your true authentic self as an artist. His lessons are invaluable.

- Jana

“WE LOVE HIS CLASS. My son was a quiet, a little shy boy. After a few classes, we can felt the changes. He became love to sing the songs he learned from Mr. Nick every day with confident. He has no fear to perform on the stage. What a Magic Change. We love Mr. Nick class and I will highly recommend trying his class, as other parents in the same class before have the same impression.”

- Celine

“Nick is, above all, patient and kind. The two best qualities any teacher can possess. I can not recommend him enough to parents of children, or anyone for that matter. I might even sign myself up in the near future!”