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
As founder and Director of The Music Studio, Noel Liberty created, established and developed the educational programs of The Music Studio over the past 33 years and authored the books used in the music fundamentals curriculum. She also designed and developed new curricula for students from ages 2 to 92, recognizing that the love of music begins much earlier than most realize and truly never ends. More than 10,000 students, many of whom are second generation students, have pursued education at The Music Studio. They have performed solo and in ensembles on almost every stage in the Capital Region, including the Palace Theatre, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall and Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Mrs. Liberty has a Bachelor of Music degree from DePauw University and a master’s degree in piano pedagogy from the College of Saint Rose. A performer of piano, organ, and harpsichord literature, she has been accompanist and organist/director for several area churches and choral groups. She is a certified Orff teacher and nationally certified by the Music Teachers National Association at the professional level in both piano and pre-school music. A member of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association, and the National Guild of Piano Teachers, Noel has been an officer at both the state and local levels of the New York State Music Teachers Association. The Albany-Colonie Chamber of Commerce has honored Mrs. Liberty both this year in presenting her the Women of Excellence award for Distinguished Career, and in their millennial 100 Women of Excellence celebration, naming her one of the 100 women who has contributed the most to Capital District
Shirley Myers
A teacher at The Music Studio for more than twenty years, Shirley Myers also serves as Organist at Christ our Light Church in Loudonville and Our Lady of the Assumption in Latham. Mrs. Myers received her 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. Prior to joining the faculty at The Music Studio, she taught both piano and classroom music throughout the Capital District. A frequent accompanist in the Albany area, Mrs. Myers is also a member of the American Guild of Organists, the Music Teachers National Association, and a past president of District 6 of the New York State Music Teachers Association.
Alice Semerdjian Kurkjian
Born in Armenia, Alice Semerdian Kurkjian has a bachelor's degree 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 was accepted into, and studied 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 taught piano and music classes since 1981, first in Armenia and then the United States. She is a member of the Albany Music Teachers Assocation and the New York State Music Teachers Association, and has been a member of the faculty at The Music Studio for twenty years.
Ryan Devine
Ryan Devine holds a Bachelor of Music degree 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 and is a frequent accompanist. He is a classically trained musician and pianist who performs in a variety of genres. Before his six years of teaching with The Music Studio, Mr. Devine taught piano to children and adults in Potsdam, New York.
Kirstie Chen
Kirstie Chen received both her Master of Music in piano performance and her Bachelor of Music in music education from Houghton College, graduating with honors. Ms. Chen performs both as a solo pianist and as a frequent accompanist, and is a member of the New York State Music Teachers Association, the American Choral Directors Association and the National Association of Music Education. In addition to teaching piano, Ms. Chen has been a graduate assistant for group piano, accompanying and ear training at the Greatbatch School of Music, and served as translator and tutor in schools, churches and volunteer programs.