TOP Music SchoolTOPmusic

The Artists Who Teach

Our Faculty

Every teacher at TOPmusic is a working artist, performer, or producer. They do not just know music — they live it. And they bring that aliveness into every lesson.

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Elena Marchetti

Piano & Music Theory

15 years teaching

Juilliard School, M.M.

Elena graduated with honors from the Juilliard School, where she studied under renowned pianist Jerome Lowenthal. She has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and concert halls across Europe. Her teaching philosophy centers on building deep musical intuition — not just technical skill — so students can express themselves freely.

Highlights

  • Carnegie Hall Soloist
  • Juilliard Faculty Fellowship
  • Winner — NY Young Artists Competition

Specialty

Classical & Jazz Piano

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Marcus Rivera

Guitar & Bass

12 years teaching

Berklee College of Music, B.M.

Marcus Rivera is a session guitarist whose credits include recordings with five Grammy-winning artists. He has toured internationally and performed on Late Night with network TV. An equally accomplished bassist, Marcus teaches the full spectrum of fretted instruments with warmth, humor, and exacting precision.

Highlights

  • 5 Grammy-Credited Sessions
  • International Tour Artist
  • Featured in Guitar World Magazine

Specialty

Rock, Jazz & Fingerstyle

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Sophia Chen

Voice

10 years teaching

Berklee College of Music, B.M.

Sophia trained as a classical soprano before falling in love with contemporary musical theatre and pop. She spent four years performing Off-Broadway and as a session singer on advertising campaigns. Her approach to vocal training is deeply individualized — she works to find and amplify each student's natural voice rather than mold them to a template.

Highlights

  • Off-Broadway Performer
  • Published Vocal Method Book
  • 3x "Best Teacher" — TOPmusic Alumni Vote

Specialty

Pop, Classical & Musical Theatre

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Jordan Williams

Drums & Percussion

14 years teaching

Manhattan School of Music, M.M.

Jordan is a working jazz drummer and Latin percussionist who has collaborated with the New York Philharmonic, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and dozens of touring bands. He brings a rare combination of orchestral precision and street-level groove to his teaching, and has a special gift for making complex rhythmic concepts accessible.

Highlights

  • NY Philharmonic Collaborator
  • Jazz at Lincoln Center
  • Latin Grammy Nominated Project

Specialty

Jazz, Rock & Latin Percussion

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Aisha Thompson

Music Production

9 years teaching

Full Sail University, B.S. Recording Arts

Aisha is a producer, mixer, and sound designer whose music has appeared in Netflix originals, major ad campaigns, and platinum-selling albums. She teaches the full modern production workflow — from initial sketch to final master — and is passionate about helping students find their sonic signature without compromise.

Highlights

  • Netflix Original Music Credit
  • Platinum Production Credit
  • Billboard-Charting Mix Engineer

Specialty

Hip-Hop, Electronic & Film Scoring

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David Okonkwo

Guitar & Ensemble Director

16 years teaching

University of North Texas, M.M.

David grew up in the gospel tradition and spent a decade touring with soul and blues artists before transitioning to full-time teaching. He leads TOPmusic's ensemble program and brings a deeply soulful approach to guitar and music education — one rooted in listening, community, and serving the music.

Highlights

  • Grammy Nominee — Best Gospel Album
  • Ensemble Program Founder
  • TEDx Talk: "Music as Community"

Specialty

Blues, Soul & Ensemble Performance

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