Brooklyn Music Factory

Still got some weeks up in the air this summer? Give your child a fun and inspiring week at Brooklyn Music Factory Songwriting Camp!

BMF FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Meet Zoe! Zoe will be performing at this month’s Magic Hour.

What do you teach at BMF?
Voice and Piano

Where did you grow up?
North Carolina

Do you hold any degrees? From where/in what?
Dance Theatre Certificate from American Musical & Dramatic Academy (AMDA), Contemporary Voice Teacher Certification from John Henny Contemporary Voice Teachers Academy

When did you start playing music? Why? Who are your inspirations?
I’ve always sung, and I took up piano as an adult! I wanted to compose music to go with the songs that I write. Singing and songwriting are how I reach out and connect to the people around me and how I look into myself to feel a sense of calm. I’m inspired by artists like Carole King, Whitney Houston, Dolly Parton, Vulfpeck, Sammy Rae, and Lake Street Dive.

What was one of your coolest gigs/musical experiences?
Anytime I see people dancing and singing along to my songs is a magical experience! I also had the pleasure of joining Carissa Johnson & The Cure-alls for a performance at the In Between Days Festival in Quincy, MA. It was a very cool experience to share a lineup with some artists I really admire.

What are your passions aside from music?
I love riding my bike and learning French.

If you could give one piece of advice to your students what would it be?
Slowly is the fastest way to improve!

Fun fact! Share anything else about yourself that you'd like to share with the BMF community:
I spent a few years studying American Sign Language and you will probably see me using some signs in the studio!

BMF FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Meet Violet! Violet will be performing at this month’s Magic Hour.

Where did you grow up?
I’m from snowy Syracuse, New York—go Cuse!

Do you hold any degrees? From where/in what?
BFA in Musical Theatre with a Communications Minor from LIU Post

When did you start playing music? Why? Who are your inspirations?
I’ve been obsessed with music my whole life; my mom still has copies of songs I would ‘write’ and dictate to her at age 3. When I was 9, I started playing viola and singing in choruses both in and after school, and by middle school, I was studying jazz guitar and piano, as well as voice. By the time I was in college, I was music directing full-length shows, leading to post-grad positions in music directing at Brooklyn College and Circle in the Square Theatre School. Though much of my background is in theatre, most of my musical inspiration comes from songwriting and songwriters. Some favorites are Joni Mitchell, Samia, Hannah Cohen, Dijon, Alanis Morissette, and Dora Jar.

What was one of your coolest gigs/musical experiences?
In Fall of 2024, I self-produced a mostly sold-out tour for my artist project ‘Violet Stanza,’ playing shows in cities across the country. Performing my own original music and engaging with local q***r and trans music communities was such a memorable experience that I won’t soon forget!

What are your passions aside from music?
Aside from music, I’m a huge basketball fanatic—as both a player in my local rec league and a New York Liberty fan. When it’s not music or sports, my time is often spent cooking or hanging out with my cat Rosie!

If you could give one piece of advice to your students what would it be?
Never compromise on being yourself! There will always be a space for your talents and who you are in the music world—you just have to find it!

Fun fact!
I come from a big family of cyclists, and in high school I was ranked the 4th best mountain biker in New York State! Biking is still one of my passions

BMF FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Meet Josh! Josh is performing in this month’s Magic Hour!

What do you teach at BMF?
Community Room Teacher, and instructor for guitar, bass, piano, and drum lessons.

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in the sunny and vibrant city of Miami, FL.

Do you hold any degrees? From where/in what?
I hold both a BM and an MM from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, each in Studio Music and Jazz – Instrumental.

When did you start playing music? Why? Who are your inspirations?
My musical journey began at age 12 after my cousin Esteban visited and shared some original songs he had written. His creativity inspired me to start writing music myself, which naturally led me to study guitar more seriously.

I draw inspiration from a wide range of artists, including Chick Corea, Dream Theater, Rush, John Coltrane, Stevie Wonder, and Kurt Rosenwinkel, among many others.

What was one of your coolest gigs/musical experiences?
One standout experience was performing at the Official GRAMMYs after-party when I was still in high school!

What are your passions aside from music?
Outside of music, I love diving into science fiction and fantasy novels, dancing salsa, watching world history video essays, and staying active through exercise.

If you could give one piece of advice to your students what would it be?
In addition to trusting the process, enjoy the process. Every practice session, exercise, and playing experience moves you closer to your goals. It’s exhilarating to see even the smallest improvements in real time. Embrace every challenge as an opportunity to become more of the musician you aspire to be.

Fun fact! Share anything else about yourself that you'd like to share with the BMF community.
I possess a remarkable talent for telling puns that are… impressively un-funny.

BMF FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Meet Grace! Grace is performing in this month’s Magic Hour!

What do you teach at BMF?
Guitar, Piano, & Voice

Where did you grow up?
Austin, Texas

Do you hold any degrees? From where/in what?
I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Recorded Music from the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at New York University and a Master of Arts in Sound Arts & Industries from Northwestern University.

When did you start playing music? Why? Who are your inspirations?
I’ve been singing since I was 3, memorizing all the songs from The Wizard of Oz. I started playing instruments at age 7, beginning with classical guitar before quickly moving on to covers, writing my own songs, and performing shows around Austin with the help of an inspiring guitar teacher. My family is full of athletes who knew little about art or music, so much of my taste came from music teachers who shared their passions. Music instantly clicked for me and became my life’s focus, with my parents supporting me as long as I gave it my all. Even after 20+ years of writing and performing, my relationship with music continues to grow and evolve with me. My biggest inspirations then and now are singer-songwriters like Elliott Smith, Phil Elverum (Mount Eerie & The Microphones), Jason Molina, Arthur Russell, and Judee Sill—artists who balance heartfelt songwriting with experimental production and arrangements.

What was one of your coolest gigs/musical experiences?
A couple of years ago my old professor JD, who’s in the band Le Tigre, emailed me saying their opener had dropped last minute and asked if I could fill in—immediately. I opened the email as it came in, drove an hour to Boston, and arrived 10 minutes before going on stage. It was a huge crowd, an unforgettable experience, and an honor to share the stage with a band I’ve loved since my teens. As a lifelong Riot Grrrl fan, I was completely starstruck performing on the same stage as Kathleen Hanna. A magical, serendipitous reminder to always check your email!

What are your passions aside from music?
Spending time with my cat and friends, watching films, reading poetry and mysticism, bidding on Ebay, decorating my apartment, and searching for the perfect milkshake.

If you could give one piece of advice to your students what would it be?
Always try to make music that you would want to listen to!

Fun fact! Share anything else about yourself that you'd like to share with the BMF community:
I’ve worked with many experimental music organizations and love inventing and performing on unusual instruments. Ask me about the creations my bandmate and I have built!

BMF FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Meet John! John will be performing at this month’s Magic Hour.

Where did you grow up?
John grew up in the California Bay Area and received a BA in Narrative Studies from the University of Southern California – where he wrote his thesis on the narrative properties of music.

When did you start playing music? Why? Who are your inspirations?
"I got my first beat machine when I was 15 and spent years trying to produce like Kanye and Pharrell and Timbaland. In college I bought a guitar and discovered I loved writing songs as much as programming colossal 00’s R&B drums and began a quest to meld those things together."

What are your passions aside from music?
John has a passion for reading and playing soccer… "I am always either juggling a deflated soccer ball in my house or reading one of the 5 books I’m halfway through if I’m not making music."

What was one of your coolest gigs/musical experiences?
"Far and away the most powerful experience I have had in music is exploring the voice as an instrument. Potent social, emotional & spiritual lessons are unavoidable in the pursuit of singing with freedom…"

BMF FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Meet Ben! Ben will be performing at this month’s Magic Hour.

Ben grew up in St. Paul, MN and has a M.F.A in Jazz Piano Performance from The New School for Jazz. Music has always been a part of Ben’s life: “Both my parents play piano and I started taking lessons at age 3. Over the years I had a number of teachers who helped to instill the joy of making music. One of them, who I met around age 12 to begin studying jazz, was Nate Shaw. Much of what I do today can be traced back to my parents discovering Nate’s business card on the bulletin board of a coffee shop across the street from my junior high in St. Paul, Minnesota. I took private lessons with Nate and participated in a few summer jazz camps organized by a local band he played in called the Motion Poets. Those experiences inspired me to pursue a degree in music, which eventually led me to The New School for Jazz and later to work for Nate as he founded Brooklyn Music Factory.”

Ben gets to share that inspiration with his students during Club Keyboard classes. “We love being able to see students every day and really build a relationship with them and camaraderie in the group. Since we play a lot of games and act out the storyline together the classes are so much fun it doesn’t feel like “practice,” but they really do learn a lot in a short period.”

Ben would like to offer one piece of advice to his students: “Never stop learning, exploring, studying, striving and creating. Always have a teacher, coach or mentor. Whatever your interests are, wherever they take you, seek out others who inspire you and develop relationships with them.”

BMF FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Meet Peira! Peira will be performing at this month’s Magic Hour.

Peira is Co-founder and Camp Director of Brooklyn Music Factory.
She was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Peira started playing music at a very young age, and loved to play the piano in her family living room. She began voice lessons at 9 years old, and started writing her own songs in middle school. “Once I discovered the power of writing your own music, I never looked back!”

Peira’s most treasured musical experiences have been when she’s had the opportunity to see artists she loves in small, intimate venues. “There’s nothing like being in a small room, watching a performance of an artist you admire, and feeling like the music is right on top of you. I love that.”

Aside from music, Peira is passionate about the environment and making our planet a better and cleaner place. “I love that saying, There is no Planet B. Feels like there’s no better way to sum it all up.”

Peira lives with her awesome husband who she met playing in a band 25 years ago. They now have two amazing kids and love playing music together as a family.

One piece of advice Peira loves to share with her students:
“Create without limits. Creativity is hindered by rules. Allow yourself to be free and you’ll be amazed at what you can create.”

BMF FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Meet Nate! Nate will be performing at this month’s Magic Hour.

Favorite part of your job: Absolutely it's building a sense of self in my students.

When and why did you discover you wanted to be a musician, or work closely with music? I was playing piano in a blues band in Hong Kong (of all places). I was 21 yrs old & living abroad studying Chinese for 3 hours a day. Digging the food and the massive culture shock. It was a Sunday night gig that I did every week. I was just a wide-eyed kid who saw everything as possible. And then one song (a minor blues in E... I remember it perfectly) I played a chord on the piano and all of a sudden felt something shoot through my body that I'm not sure I had ever felt before. It was bliss. It was joy. It was totally real and physical and emotional. That one moment was when I realized that I needed to keep doing music for the rest of my life. My life has continued to be finding ways to feel that daily through music.

Fun fact: I have been to Bali twice to play with a friend who lives there. I'm always willing to travel for adventure.

Bands/groups/projects: Gowanus Reggae And Ska Society & J Granelli's trio: Mr Lucky