The Music Studio Faculty
By any standard, our faculty exceeds expectations. They are talented, active musicians and experienced teachers, highly educated and trained, holding degrees in music of various levels. They are incredibily important in the musical education of your children. Because of this, we use full-time salaried staff, not contract employees.
Noel Ottery Liberty | Founder and Director
Founder and Director of The Music Studio, Noel Liberty created, established and developed the educational programs of The Music Studio over the past 30 years and authored the books used in the music fundamentals curriculum. She has a Bachelor of Music Degree from DePauw University and a master’s degree in piano pedagogy of the College of Saint Rose. A performer of piano, organ, and harpsichord literature, Mrs. Liberty has been organist/choir director of several area churches and accompanist of the Capital Hill Choral Society, the Schenectady Choral Society and Troy Musical Arts. She is a member of the Music Teachers National Association, the Orff-Schulwerk Association, the American Music Scholarship Association, and the National Guild of Piano Teachers, as well as a member and former officer at both the state and local levels of the New York State Music Teacher Association. Mrs. Liberty was honored by the Albany-Schenectady Chamber of Commerce when they named her one of the "100 Women of Excellence," for being among the 100 women who has contributed most to this region during the past century.
Shirley Myers
A member of The Music Studio faculty for over two decades, Shirley Myers also serves as Organist and Director of Music at St. Francis de Sales Church in Loudonville. She has a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from the Manhattan School of Music and has done graduate work at the Manhattan School of Music, the College of St. Rose, and the Crane School of Music. Mrs. Myers is a frequent accompanist, a member of the Music Teachers National Association, the American Guild of Organists and a past president of District 6 of the New York State Music Teachers Association.
Alice Semerdjian Kurkjian
A member of The Music Studio faculty for just shy of two decades, Alice Kurkjian, born in Armenia, has a Bachelor of Music in musicology from the Romanos Melikian Music College and a master’s degree in music education from the College of St. Rose. Before coming to the United States, she had begun her studies at the highly competitive musicology program at the Komitas Conservatory in Armenia. A former accompanist for the Baghdad Ballet School in Iraq, Mrs. Kurkjian has been teaching piano and music classes in Armenia and the United States since 1981. She is a member of the New York State Music Teachers Association.
Yuko Kishimoto
Yuko Kishimoto, a native of Japan, has been on the faculty at The Music Studio for six years. She received both a master’s degree in piano pedagogy and a bachelor’s degree in piano performance from Michigan State University. Although the focus of her study during her university years was classical music, she was always involved in jazz as well. As an active jazz pianist, Ms. Kishimoto has studied and performed with numerous outstanding jazz musicians and as a classical musician, she has performed as soloist, accompanist, chamber musician, and in orchestras. She previously taught in Michigan at Schoolcraft College, Adrian College and Michigan State University.
Ryan Devine
A teacher at The Music Studio for four years, Ryan Devine holds a Bachelor of Music from The Crane School of Music at the State University of New York at Potsdam. A native of upstate New York, Mr. Devine has performed for several years in ensembles and bands in the region. Trained in classical music, Mr. Devine performs widely in a variety of genres. Before his work with The Music Studio, Mr. Devine taught piano in Potsdam to children and adults.
Nina Vepritskaya
A member of The Music Studio faculty for three years, Nina Vepritskaya began her music education at the Municipal Music School in St. Petersburg, Russia, continuing on to the St. Petersburg Conservatory where she studied piano with Professor N.P. Korihalova. Deciding against a career as a professional pianist, Ms. Vepritskaya pursued and was awarded a Master’s degree in Science from St. Petersburg University. While at the University, she resumed her study of music, taking voice lessons from Maestro Donat Donatov. An opera singer who has performed in Russia, Japan, Canada, Germany, and the United States, Ms. Vepritskaya also teaches piano privately.