Emily Casey

Director, Music Together, Recording Artists Program, Private Lessons

Emily (she/her) is the director of Hootenanny and a local mama. She teaches Music Together, private lessons, Kids Choir and Guitar for grown ups. Emily likes to bring a light hearted and casual approach to learning music and feels like she’s less of a teacher and more of a permission slip giver for folks to express the unique music that already lives within them. In this spirit, Emily likes to keep any instruction in the spirit of "living room learning"-- educational but low pressure, accessible and most importantly, joyful.

Emily holds a BA in Theatre from Hope College where she also studied voice, played a lot of guitar and made a ton of mix CDs. She was raised taking piano lessons, violin lessons and after-dinner guitar lessons from her Dad. You can find song of Emily’s original music on Spotify under the name Wind and the Why.

Emily is also an actor, writer and songwriter- she can’t wait to make some music together with you!

Stephen Taylor

Music Together

Stephen Taylor (he/him) grew up listening to Sesame Street Jamboree records in Newton, Massachusetts and played in bands at Milton Academy and Middlebury College. He has been teaching Music Together since 2002 and has taught music at Poly Prep Lower School since 2007. He now lives in Kensington and loves making music with you and your family.

Oghenero Gbaje (Oghie) 

Music Together

Oghie Gbaje (he/him) was born and raised in Brooklyn New York and has always had a passion for music and the arts. He’s been studying acting since the 6th grade. He has a B.F.A in acting from Ithaca College and does both theater and film. Oghie has also worked as a Substitute paraprofessional with the NYCDOE. Additionally he plays guitar, bass, piano and pretty much whatever he can get his hands on. Oghie produces/composes eclectic music of his own and you can find his original music out there on streaming platforms. Oghie is values getting the chance to encourage the next generation to love and appreciate music in their own special ways.

Carolina Lamiell

Canta y Baila, Music Together

Carolina Lamiell (she/her/Ella) is a Chilean educator and artist based in Brooklyn. She has nearly 15 years of experience educating children and adolescents. She holds bachelor's degrees in education and history. 

Once she moved to New York, she worked as a Spanish tutor and caregiver, which led her to develop her interest in early childhood education. In 2021, Carolina joined Nido Forest as an outdoor educator, where she worked with children learning Spanish through nature exploration and free play. 

She is also a musician and singer and has applied her musical knowledge in the classroom from the beginning of her career. Currently, Carolina is part of the Urban Stages Outreach Program, which tours admission-free educational plays and workshops to libraries throughout all five boroughs of New York City in multiple languages. Through it, she has co-led Brainy Babies and led the Multilingual Storytime series in various branches of the Brooklyn Public Library.

In 2023, Carolina created Música y Canciones Para Grandes y Peques, a program where she offers Spanish immersion music classes for babies, toddlers, and their accompanying adults at Mi Centro BK in Bed-Stuy and at The Collective Kind in Park Slope. The same year, she got certified as a Canta y Baila Conmigo® instructor, which consists of interactive classes where children and caregivers can learn music and Spanish naturally and organically.

As an immigrant and Latina, Carolina is proud to contribute her knowledge and love of teaching meaningfully to the community of Brooklyn, where she has found a home and raised her family. https://www.instagram.com/musica_grandesypeques

Tess Edwards

Administrative Assistant, Social Media, Private Lessons, Piano Club, Music Makers

Tess Edwards (she/her) is an avid creator, composer, and stage manager based in Brooklyn. She holds a BM in Music Composition and Theory from the University of Delaware and is a recent graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts’ Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. Previously, she has volunteered with the 52nd Street Program and A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children. In addition, she has worked as a stage manager and production assistant with Delaware Shakespeare, New Light Theatre, Rising Sun Performance Company, and Eat the Peadies! among others. She looks forward to collaborating with the wonderful community at Hootenanny!

Isaac Gillespie

Ukulele for Adults

Isaac Gillespie (he/him) is a musician, educator and all around bon vivant based in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Having spent over a decade playing ukulele and teaching music in schools and libraries throughout the five boroughs, Isaac has developed an appreciation for the great variety in students and musical approaches. By night Isaac plays guitar and bass in bands and puts on shows. From 2009-2020 he played primarily in the rock band The Due Diligence, making three albums and a handful of east coast tours. Catch him now on the Brooklyn honky tonk scene playing and singing with Kyle & Isaac.

Charlie Rauh

Guitar for Adults, Recording Artists Program, Private Lessons

Composer/author Charlie Rauh (he/him) has been artist in residence for organizations including the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation and Louisiana State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine. He is the author of “Simply, Patiently, Quietly” from String Letter Publishing - a combination of essays on creative approach, illustrations by Christina Rauh Fishburne, and a songbook of original compositions. Rauh’s work has been featured in Ploughshares, Acoustic Guitar Magazine, and The Advocate. He has given artist talks for music and literature departments at institutions including Louisiana State University, University of Tennessee, and New Jersey institute of Technology.

Cassidy Andrews

Music Together, Private Lessons

Cassidy Andrews has been playing music on stage since the age of thirteen. She grew up playing the piano for hours, then picked up the guitar too- which eventually led to songwriting. Her EP "Through the Dark" and single "What Was Wrong" are available everywhere you can stream music. Now she proudly teaches across the city, mixing her love of music with over a decade of childcare experience.

Genesis Adelia Collado

Music Together

Genesis (She/They) is a performer, vocal coach, and Twitch Streamer based in the Bronx, NY. She made her off-Broadway debut in "Notes From Now,” in 2022, and has since performed in concerts all around the world, including "Broadway in the Park en México,” and "To Feel A Thing: A Ritual For Emergence” for Amsterdam's Holland Festival. Genesis has also lent her voice to audio dramas & albums, and can even be spotted singing in a RuPaul’s Drag Race commercial! Genesis had been building experience with teaching music to & taking care of children for most of her life, and when she first joined a Music Together class, she felt so at home! Along with leading families through musical experiences, Genesis intends to encourage a sense of community in her classes- it takes a village!

Sarah Slipp

Private Lessons, Music Clubs and Group Classes for ages 4+

Sarah Slipp (she/her) is a composer, orchestrator, and music teacher from New Brunswick, Canada. She earned a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance and Composition from Acadia University in 2022 and graduated from NYU Tisch in May, where she earned her MFA in Musical Theatre Composition. Sarah has been working with kids for the past ten years and feels she has found her calling in teaching music, as it allows her to combine her love of working with children with her passion for the arts. Sarah prioritizes getting to know each student she teaches and aims to tailor each lesson to their unique strengths and interests. She loves learning about her student’s favorite songs or musical genres so that she can incorporate something that they love into their lesson, and use it to help challenge them to set attainable and exciting goals.