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.
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Esther currently teaches Mondays through Fridays.
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.
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Rebekah currently teaches Tuesdays through Saturdays.
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.
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Ben currently teaches Tuesdays through Fridays in the afternoon, and all day on Saturdays.
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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.
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Brian currently teaches on Monday/Thursday afternoons, and Saturday mornings.
HELENA WIDMANN
Vocal Teacher
While receiving her college education at Berklee College of Music and Rhode Island College, Helena began working as a professional singer. She performed as one of the lead vocalists in the New England based R&B/soul band, “SoulBabe”. Performances include featured acts in Providence Festival, Rhode Island PrideFest, Pawtucket Arts Festival, Saint Mary’s Feast, JAM’n 9.45 Femme Fatale and more. Helena is also classically trained and has been singing in choir for 20 years. Helena actively performs in the New England area as a solo artist. When Helena isn’t performing live she is a regularly hired session vocalist for Grammy-nominated music engineer, Alexandr Krepkihk.
Beyond her musical endeavors, Helena is passionate about vocal health research, advocacy, and the intersection between mental health and vocal well-being. To further her knowledge in this field, she is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Speech-Language Pathology, combining her love for vocal arts with a commitment to helping others achieve and maintain optimal vocal health.
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Helena currently teaches on Friday afternoons/evenings.
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.
Leah currently teaches on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Eric Zabinski
Drum Teacher
Eric, a member of the drum staff, has been playing since he was 16 years old. He started out here in Pawtucket at Al Drew’s Music where he studied for 10 years. He currently plays with his band Monstrous, (performance schedule available at monstrousri.com).
Eric teaches at Zabinski Music Studio on Wednesday and Thursday evenings after 6pm.
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.
Isa currently teaches on the weekend (morning/early afternoon) and Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday (afternoons).
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.
SABA AGARTAN
Piano Staff
Saba is a student at North Attleboro High School where she is in the Concert and Marching Band. She is also an officer in the Tri-M Music Honor Society. Saba has also played for the Massachusetts Southeastern Senior District Festival, the UMass Amherst Honor Band, and the Rhode Island Philharmonic Youth Wind Ensemble. Outside of music, she is a part of the science club and interns at the National STEM Honor Society. She also plays tennis. Saba has been playing the piano for 11 years, the clarinet for 5 years, and the violin for 1.5 years.
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She has completed the Piano Guild Auditions as a National Member as well as earned a certificate from the Royal Conservatory of Music, completing the Elementary Levels exam.
Saba is available to teach lessons on Tuesdays.
Tristan Arkerson
Piano Staff
Tristan Arkerson is a student at North Attleboro High School where he plays in the concert band, marching band, jazz band, and percussion ensemble. He is also a percussionist in the Rhode Island Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.
Tristan is available to teach drums at the studio on Tuesdays.
REYAN DATTA
Piano Staff & Website Designer
Reyan Datta is a student at Moses Brown High School in Providence, where he plays in the jazz band and used to sing for the acapella group. Outside of music, he's part of the Robotics Team and a Varsity Sailor. Reyan has been playing the piano for 13 years.
He has been an International Award winner for the Piano Guild once, and a National Member of the Piano Guild Association for 4 consecutive years, He has earned the Early Bach Plaque at the association as well. He also earned a High Honors medal at the RIMEA Solo and Ensemble Festival in 2022. Reyan is currently studying to take the Royal Conservatory Level 8 exams.
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Reyan is available to teach piano at the studio on Friday afternoons.
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.
Benjamin is available to teach guitar lessons on Sunday mornings.
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.
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Oliver Giller teaches piano lessons every Saturday morning, from 10:00 to 11:30.
Thomas Mulvey
Piano Staff
Thomas Mulvey is a student at Classical High School, where he plays Saxophone and Marimba in the band. His music career started as a pianist, playing for the last 8 years studying with Courtney Swain and Esther Zabinski. He is also a member of the Classical High School football team, is the president for the junior class, and participates in the Sakura festival run by the Japanese club.
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Thomas has been a National Member of the Piano guild for 4 years and has earned High Honor medals at RIMEA Solo and Ensemble since 2019. Thomas attends Classical High School in Providence where he also plays for the football team.
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Thomas teaches piano at Zabinski Music Studio on Monday evenings.
Ian Betts
Piano Staff
Ian Betts is an enthusiastic drum instructor at the Zabinski Music Studio. He began learning the drum set at 7 years old, currently participating in multiple high level ensembles as well as at the Rhode Island Philharmonic.
Ian is currently taking on students on Saturday mornings at the studio.
Saoirse
Violin Staff
Saoirse McGinn is a student at St Mary’s Academy Bayview. She is very involved with the theater program at Bay View as well as a representative of Unified Bengals (supporting the Special Olympics RI with fundraisers and other events). Outside of school, Saoirse has been dancing for 9 years, and has played the violin for almost 10. Beginning at school as a kindergartener, she found Zabinski music studio in the second grade studying with Rebekah Zabinski.
Saoirse teaches beginner violin on Thursdays.
Hazel Summers
Guitar & Uke
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.
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Hazel teaches guitar and ukelele at the studio on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at any time after 5:45, and on Thursdays from 5:45 - 6:30.
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.
Yael is available to teach piano and voice at Zabinski on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
