Teachers
Laura Ziegler
JAM Director and Lead Teacher in NYC
Laura is a music educator from Illinois. She graduated with a bachelors in music education from Illinois State University and has taught and performed in various settings throughout her career. Her work includes solo and group performances, teaching private lessons to all ages, teaching adults with (dis)abilities in a rock band setting, studying and teaching traditional Jamaican drumming in Jamaica, and founding and teaching the K-7 general music program at Great Lakes Academy in South Side, Chicago. She is part of day-to-day operations and is the lead teacher for all groups and private lessons at JAM in Astoria.
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Kim McCord
JAM Founder and Director in Southern CT
Kim is Professor Emerita of music education at Illinois State University and adjunct professor at New York University and the University of Bridgeport. She received her doctorate in music education with a secondary emphasis in special education from the University of Northern Colorado. Her accomplishments include performing in professional rock and jazz groups, decades of teaching experience in public schools in Colorado and Illinois, serving the International Society for Music Education (ISME) as a Board member, founding and being first chair of the ISME Jazz Special Interest Group, and as the past chair of the ISME Commission on Music in Special Education. She founded and served as the first chair of the National Association for Music Education Special Research Interest Group on Children with Exceptionalities, and was a co-author for Exceptional Music Pedagogy for Children with Exceptionalities and author of Teaching the Postsecondary Music Student with Disabilities published by Oxford University Press. Kim is the founder of JAM and the lead teacher of all groups and private lessons at JAM in Shelton.
Lucy Kubrin
JAM Voice and Piano Teacher
Lucy is a music educator from Ridgefield, Connecticut. She now studies under Founder and Director, Kim McCord, at New York University. Living in New York City, she has had the opportunity expand her work as a teacher and performer. Her teaching career began as a traditional private voice instructor, and has expanded to leading A cappella groups, teaching private piano lessons, and teaching adults with (dis)abilities in a rock band setting. In joining JAM, Lucy has worked on building JAM's social media and marketing platforms to gain experience in the music business industry as well. She is the voice and piano teacher for JAM in Connecticut and hopes to expand her work to New York City as well!
Annie Stone
JAM Teacher
Annie Stone (Nirschel) is an NYC based musician with several years of teaching experience. She's led music classes for little ones between the ages of 0-5 since and has worked at theatre workshops, taught dance, voice, and guitar for years and years and years. Right now, she performs all around NYC as the front woman of the band "Luxury Bones", as 1/2 of the duo, "Sanderling", and as a solo artist. She loves being at JAM and working with all the amazing musicians!
Russ Stone
JAM Teacher
Russ Stone is a multi-instrumentalist and educator from Austin, Texas with several years of teaching experience. He has been playing piano for 26 years but also has a love for the melodica, occurina, theremin, and kazoo. Currently, he plays drums in a local band called "Luxury Bones" that can be seen playing all over the city. He will be graduating from Queens College summer of 2023 with a Masters in Chinese Education and he is so excited to be part of the #JAMFAM!
Mikayla Cohen
JAM Teacher
Mikayla Cohen is an upcoming singer, songwriter, and actor from sunny South Florida. She received her BFA in Music Theatre from Elon University in North Carolina and has performed as a professional actress/singer around the world. Since graduating, she has released her debut EP entitled “Same Stars”, started a thriving business for children of all ages (Little Light Princess Company LLC), and has performed across the globe, appearing on various platforms including The Today Show, Good Morning America, Forbes Magazine, National Public Radio (NPR), and The New York Times. She has taught voice, music theatre, acting, and music from ages 2-42! She has a passion for teaching and inspiring people of all ages by focusing on fueling the fun in music while teaching proper technique. She can't wait to join the JAM fam!
Michael Hernandez
JAM Teacher
Michael began his trek on the never ending road of music at the age of 6 with the piano and by age 14, he started to incorporate the guitar in his studies. In 2015, he graduated from Fordham University with a degree in Visual Arts & Music Composition and also had the great fortune of privately studying and building personal relationships with true musical masters such as Ric Molina, Adelaid Roberts, Virginia Luque, & Michael Daves. Over the years, Michael has functioned as a studio musician, touring/gigging musician, accompanist for theatre troupes, and teacher for students ranging in 5 years of age to 60+. He views music as a narrative driven art form with the capacity to tell a story - to develop emotion with the unfolding of tension and resolution. Michael hopes to give you the tools to assist you in sharing your story!
Ryan O'Neil
JAM Teacher
Ryan comes to us with 17 years of experience in early childhood education both as a music teacher and in the classroom. Ryan specializes in guitar, ukulele, and music production. He is a singer/songwriter, rapper, producer who is always willing to share what he knows.
Robin Pahlman
JAM Guitar Teacher
Robin Pahlman is a guitarist, producer, and educator with 20+ years of experience teaching guitar to hundreds of students of all ages. He has worked with bands, recorded albums, and played shows all over the world – from small DIY spaces in Vienna, Austria to Carnegie Hall in New York City. He has organized band classes and various music workshops for children and teenagers and worked as musical director for theatre productions. In 2023, he performed as guitarist in the production of Disney Encanto X CAMP in New York City. Robin is a patient teacher who wants his students to succeed. He is excited to join the JAM fam.