>jesse stacken

Jesse Stacken has been teaching music for twelve years. He began playing piano at the age of ten and quickly developed a passion for jazz improvisation. In 2001, he recieved his undergraduate degree in Music Education from the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire, where he studied classical piano with Penelope Cecchini and performed in the Downbeat Award-winning Jazz Ensemble I. Jesse followed his passion to New York City and received his Master's degree in Jazz Piano Performance at the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Garry Dial. He is now an active performer on the New York City jazz and creative music scenes, leading the Jesse Stacken Trio and the improvisational group No Truck, and performing as a sideman in many groups such as the Peter Van Huffel Quintet and the Liam Sillery Quintet.

In addition to private piano lessons, Jesse taught jazz ensemble and jazz combo at the University of Wisconson-Stout from 1999-2001. He has been a clinician for the International Association for Jazz Education and an adjudicator for the UWEC Jazz Festival. He is currently also on faculty at the Larchmont Music Academy and Woodside Music Studio and has studied pedagogy with Carolyn Shaak.

Jesse strives to keep his lessons fun and engaging. He is fluent in teaching a broad range of styles including jazz, rock, and classical. He focuses on building a solid understanding of fundamentals in his students, in any style they are learning.

>akiko sasaki