MEET THE FAMILY
Get to know us
ESTHER ZABINSKI
Co-Owner / Piano & Voice Teacher
Esther has been teaching piano and voice lessons for over 20 years. Before starting Zabinski Music Studio with her sister she taught at One Voice Studios and Chepachet Music. She is a member of the Piano Teachers Guild of America and holds certifications in Somatic Voicework (Lovetri Method), Elementary Piano Pedagogy (Royal Conservatory of Music) and Intermediate Piano Pedagogy (Royal Conservatory of Music). Esther has also worked extensively with theater, acting as musical director for Theater by the Sea, Ocean State Theater Company, University of Scranton Players, URI Theater Department and the Pawtucket Community Players. She is also the music director at St Marks Episcopal Church in Foxboro MA.
REBEKAH ZABINSKI
Co-Owner / Piano & Violin Teacher
Rebekah is a fiddle and piano player who has also been known to dust off her bassoon when the mood hits. She came to teaching music after spending her childhood playing in different bands and orchestras. After pretending that music was not her calling and instead pursuing business management, Rebekah finally came to her senses when she and Esther decided to open Zabinski Music Studio in 2010. She has since honed her teaching skills and provides lessons in piano and violin as well as running the studio's business activities. She can be found fiddling in the community (often bringing her students along for extra performance experience) as well as leading a weekly sing-a-long at the toy store Henry Bear's Park in Providence.
BEN ZABINSKI
Piano & Vocal Teacher, Tutor
Ben Zabinski has been playing piano and singing since before he could read. Brought up in a very musical family, he studied Psychology at Clark University while singing in regional choruses. He brings his experience in psychology to teaching students in voice and piano, using classical, jazz, musicals, pop songs, and more. Ben's goal is to make sure his students have an experience that is fun, rewarding, and marked by steady progress. When he is not teaching, you can find him singing with the Greater Milford Community Chorus.
Ben also offers tutoring services in-person or online.
BRIAN GROCHOWSKI
Guitar/Ukelele/Mandolin/Bass Teacher
Brian Grochowski (guitar, bass & ukulele instructor) spent much of his career playing in pit orchestras for various theatrical companies. He has most recently played for Trinity Rep in A Christmas Carol. Other gigs include Broadway in Jersey Boys & Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, Off-Broadway in Jacques Brel, Toxic Avenger, Gone Missing, See Rock City & Sphinx Winx. He has toured productions of Copacabana, Grease, Fame (China), Will Rogers Follies and A Chorus Line. Brian is a private instructor in guitar, bass and ukulele and teaches rock band classes at Zabinski Music Studio.
Leah Katsos
Piano Teacher
Leah Katsos, a member of the piano staff, has been playing piano since 2000. She took lessons at Peabody Music Box with Pauline Martiwichuck. She began teaching at The Peabody Music Box in 2004. Leah attended UMass Amherst from 2008-2012 earning a Bachelors in Kinesiology while continuing to be active in the music program. She then went on to earn her Doctorate in physical therapy from UMass Lowell and has been a practicing physical therapist since 2019. She began teaching at Zabinski Music Studio in 2022.
Isa Arango
Piano & Voice Teacher
Isa is a member of the voice and piano staff at Zabinski Music Studio. Isa encourages her students to challenge themselves and help them reach their goals while keeping the philosophy that music should be something that they find joy in and do not see as a chore. Isa is currently working on completing her degree at Rhode Island College. She has also studied at CCRI and Berklee College of Music as a voice principal. In addition to the piano and vocals, Isa also plays the electric bass, In her free time, she enjoys traveling in southern RI around the coast.
Austin Nadeau
Drum and Bass Instructor
Austin Nadeau earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance from UMASS Dartmouth in 2016. During his time there Austin participated in small ensembles such as steel pan, percussion, African drum & dance, and jazz, as well as wind ensemble. He has also been a part of multiple community ensembles and performances around South coast MA. He has been a music educator in the south coast since 2011 with various high school marching bands and after school ensembles, as well as various private student ensembles.
Andrew Dyson
Drum, Guitar, Piano Instructor
Andrew earned his Bachelor Degree in Music Education from The University of Rhode Island in 2024, and is currently the music teacher at Central Falls HS. He has been playing drums for 15 years and has extensive experience with many percussion instruments (Vibraphone, Xylophone, Conga Drums, Timbales etc.). He also has experience playing the piano and is versed in music theory. The main style of music he plays is jazz and latin jazz fusion, but he is also experienced in rock, pop, and R&B drumming. He has played all around New England and had the privilege of playing at The Newport Jazz Festival in 2023 and in 2024. Andrew’s goal is to make sure his students’ not only learn a lot from the lessons, but also that the students have fun and enjoy the process of becoming a musician!
Lauren Boulanger
Voice, Piano, Guitar Instructor
Lauren is currently a Music Education Major at Bridgewater State University. She teaches beginner piano and voice lessons to youth and teen students and thinks that anyone can learn how to play! Lauren took guitar and voice lessons at Zabinski Music Studio herself, so knows just how fun it can be. She is a member of various choirs at school and plays for various churches in the Rhode Island area.
Charlie Bridgham
Voice, Piano, Guitar Instructor
Charlie Bridgham is a music education student at the University of Connecticut, where they study voice with Constance Rock. Charlie teaches all ages and skill levels and believes anyone can sing! Ouside of teaching, they enjoy making visual art and singing with their a-cappella group, UCONN's Extreme Measures.
NEXT GEN ZMS TEACHERS
Next Generation Teaching Staff at Zabinski Music Studio are High School students who are of legal working age and who have achieved Intermediate Levels on their instrument and invited to learn how to teach lessons. They attend training sessions and are mentored by ZMS faculty members to teach elementary beginner students. This program gives our advanced students a chance to work as a music teacher while continuing their studies and ensures that we continue to have well trained music teachers for the growing student body.
Benjamin Giller
Guitar Staff
Currently a student at Classical High School in Providence, Benjamin has been playing guitar for 6 years and trombone for almost 2 years. He began lessons on piano at Zabinski Music studio, but found his passion when he started guitar with Brian Grochowski. Benjamin plays guitar in Classical’s Jazz Ensemble and Rock Band, as well as the Rhode Island Philharmonic Jazz Big Band. He also plays trombone in the school concert band. Outside of music, Benjamin is also a member of the Chess Club at Classical High School.
Oliver Giller
Piano Staff
Oliver has been taking piano lessons at Zabinski Music Studio for 9 years. He attends Classical High School in Providence, where he plays clarinet in the school band. Oliver is also part of a piano trio with students from the RI Philharmonic Music School. He is on his school’s Science Olympiad cross country team. He enjoys listening to classical music and jazz, and he encourages his students to listen to and play like the musicians they love.
Oliver has been a National Member of the Piano Guild for 4 years, last year earning his Early Bach Plaque. He is also the winner of the Piano Guild’s 2022 Raissa Tselentis Scholarship for this performance of Early Bach music. He earned a High Honors medal at the RIMEA Solo and Ensemble Festival in 2022.
Ava Cheung
Piano Staff
Ava Cheung attends Moses Brown school in Providence, and has been playing piano for over 10 years. Ava also plays clarinet for her school's wind ensemble. Outside of music, she also swims at the YMCA and for Moses Brown.
Gabrielle Zabinski-Valdera
Piano Staff
Gabrielle is a student at Mount St. Charles Academy where she plays saxophone in the band. She has been around the studio her entire life, starting piano lessons when she was four years old. She studied with her grandfather and her Aunt as well as former ZMS teacher Courtney Swain. Gabrielle is an active lacrosse player for both Mount and her club team.
Hazel Summers
Guitar & Piano
Staff
Hazel attends Lincoln school in Providence, and participates in the school's rock band. Hazel has been playing piano for 9
years, ukelele for 5, guitar for 3, and has also played bass from time to time. Outside of music, she also rows for NBC crew. She has partook in the guild auditions for 4 years.
Yael Tesar
Piano & Voice
Staff
Yael goes to Lincoln School in Providence, where she rows, stage manages for the fall play, and performs in her school's winter school musicals. She's been playing piano for 12 years and singing her whole life.
Next Gen ZMS Alumni
Former (and future?) teachers who have moved on to continue their education and careers:
Giovanna Jiacovelli, 2023
Ian Betts, 2025
Tristan Arkerson, 2025
Thomas Mulvey, 2025
Saba Agartan, 2025
Reyan Datta, 2025