Music Teachers

Music Notes Academy teachers are award-winning, university and conservatory degreed performers, music teachers and college professors. Our teachers are committed to teaching through a comprehensive, sequential, and individualized curriculum designed around each student’s age, learning styles, interests, goals and aspirations.

Meet our Music Teachers

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Hi, I'm Lauren

Voice & Piano Teacher

Lauren is a native NYer and a maven to the digital ways of making art. She began teaching music in 2018 and is excited to be a part of the team at Music Notes Academy. Next to performing, teaching is her next greatest passion and the best way to learn is to do! Her musical background is compromised of musical theater, opera, and pop/rock music. Her students have gone on to participate in Wingspan Arts Theater Conservatory in NYC, iPop in Los Angeles, LaGuardia School of the Arts, Professional Performing Arts School while adult professionals have worked on various cruise lines and regional theatres around the world. Lauren has a BFA in Musical Theatre from SUNY Fredonia.

Hi, I'm Sean

Music Teacher

Sean, a Music Notes Academy ’12 award-winning NJSBDC music teacher, holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from The College of NJ and a master’s degree in Music Scoring and Composition from Academy of Art University in San Francisco, Ca.

An experienced teacher of strings, piano, woodwinds and brass, Sean is additionally a conductor and composer of merit with seven completed symphonies.

His arrangements have been performed by schools, community orchestras, chamber ensembles, soloists and appeared in independent films. Sean has been a music teacher at Music Notes Academy since ’09 and created our Music Notes’ TiedNotes Classes.

Hi, I'm Justin

Piano Teacher

Mr. Justin is a classically trained pianist. He has earned a Bachelor’s of Music in piano from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ. Justin has a passion for music and plays various styles which includes classical, pop, jazz and gospel. He enjoys improvisation and music composition.

Justin has performed with the Bernards Ensemble at the Arc Angel Gala in Bridgewater, NJ. He also performed and accompanied many Westminster Choirs and performed as lead pianist at a Piano Concerto Concert with the Westminster Community Orchestra.

Justin is the accompanist where he leads the music ministry at multiple church services. He is also a music consultant for The Arc of Somerset County. Justin’s experience as a piano instructor began in 2019 where he taught individuals on a one-to-one basis. Justin’s student roster has included individuals with various disabilities which included down syndrome and autism. He understands that people learn differently and he learns from every person he teaches. Justin actively continues to volunteer his services in the community.

Hi, I'm Brandon

Founder, Music Teacher, Director of Education

Brandon Kurzawa is a highly accomplished music professional with more than 24 years of experience in music education. He founded Music Notes Academy in the year 2000 and since then, has been dedicated to providing high-quality music education, preparing students for performances, assessments, and auditions. Brandon holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Rutgers University and a Master of Arts in Education, with a specialization in curriculum, instruction, and computer education. He also studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.

As a percussionist, Brandon has an impressive track record of recording credits. He has played drums on Ansel Matthews’ Raised From The Dust and John Sonntag’s Chasing Stars. He has also performed live with rock bands, singer-songwriters, trios and quartets, wedding bands, and theater productions in the surrounding New York metropolitan area.

Brandon has contributed significantly to music education beyond his work at Music Notes Academy and is a published author. His articles, such as “Teaching Music, Teaching Percussion: A Balance in Curriculum” and “Teaching Music: Music Majors, Choose Education,” were published in Tempo Magazine in ’06 and ’07. Brandon is also the author, co-designer, and publisher of Learn Today, Play Tomorrow® Student Assignment Book, which was released by Brandon’s backbeat Music Publishing LLC in ’15. The book enhances Music Notes Academy’s approach to teaching music comprehensively, with methods for organization, feedback, and learning objectives. Learn Today, Play Tomorrow®’s 2nd Edition was released during the ’18-’19 School Year.

Brandon’s commitment to enhancing New Jersey’s music education profession and validating the importance of community music schools led him to acquire Mid Atlantic Music Teachers Guild’s MAMTG Student Music Festival in ’15, becoming its new Festival Director. He produced Festivals ’16 through ’20, offering instrumental music, vocal, and musical theater competitions, evaluations, and showcases for student soloists and ensembles.

As Festival Director, Brandon took on several responsibilities, such as securing the proper event venue, creating relationships with schools, adjudicators, vendors, and sponsors, B2B and B2C sales, staffing the festival, creating its marketing, new website, and social media materials, planning and supervising event pre-production and post-production, overseeing, while delegating, a team of event staff, and improving user experiences such as festival headquarters and its end-of-the-weekend Awards Show. Administrative responsibilities included bookkeeping, budgeting, and accounting, registrations, awards design and production, student assessments, and scorecard design, adjudicator interviewing, vetting, and on-site operations and management.

As an educational endorser of Vic Firth, Inc., a sponsored artist of Shine Custom Drums, and a Remo Health Rhythms Drum Circle Facilitator, Brandon centered his college teaching as an adjunct professor of audio engineering and music technology around rhythm. He taught classes in Apple’s GarageBand, Logic Studio, and Reason at Gibbs College, with additional semesters at Rutgers University and Kean University.

Throughout his 24 years of teaching at Music Notes Academy, Brandon has focused on delivering high-quality music instruction for students of all ages, offering and producing complementary performance events, and integrating strategic acquisitions while providing meaningful employment for degreed and dedicated music teachers residing in our local communities.

In recognition of his remarkable accomplishments with Music Notes Academy, Brandon accepted NJSBDC’s Success Award on behalf of Music Notes Academy’s staff of dedicated teachers and supportive students and parents.

As teachers, we incorporate our own educational approach to Music Notes Academy’s general curriculum. Throughout the day, students can range from five to seventy-five years old. Along with what we’re teaching, we like students to be able to explore on their own. I enjoy teaching through creating. It’s an exciting, healthy challenge for me and my students.

Teaching at Music Notes Academy

Grow

Teachers at Music Notes Academy usually begin as part-time. Growth opportunities to full-time are available. Teachers have the opportunity to additionally become department heads, chairpersons and introduce new music classes for students.

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Compensated

Music Notes Academy teachers are paid for all student absences, late cancellations and student no-shows. This is the way it should be. Your time and dedication to Music Notes Academy is valued. Students can attend a group make-up class for their absence. This has been the Music Notes way since '13.

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Collaboration

We all work together here. Although we spend most of our time teaching our students, it's a collaborative effort towards comprehensive instruction for our students.

Unlimited

Unlimited purchasing of sheet music, music books, instrument accessories and instruments that Music Notes Academy sells. Teachers pay what Music Notes Academy pays, plus NJ sales tax.

Join Music Notes Academy

Make a difference. Teach music. Our teachers are employees (not independent contractors) with competitive compensation, growth opportunities, and retirement plans with employer contributions.

Looking to join our team of award-winning teachers?

🖥️ Music Notes Academy is a premier New Jersey music school, currently teaching Online. Limited availability for In-Home instruction in select townships. Committed to your community since '00, we have established a culture of excellence in music education by utilizing proven music curriculums tailored to meet the needs of our students.