The Northern Westchester Music Teacher's Alliance in Yorktown, New York

For many years pianist Peter Tarsio and vocalist Jennifer Eyges worked out of the Northern Westchester Center for the Arts as salaried instructors with the full support of the community. Today, after the demise of that organization, although not affiliated with the school, they share space with Soundview Prep School at 370 Underhill Avenue as the Northern Westchester Music Teacher's Alliance. "We're almost like music teachers without walls," said Mr. Tarsio, and since they instruct on-site and in people's homes, his analogy makes sense.

With Manhattan School of Music graduates Ms. Eyges and Mr. Tarsio, the alliances presents talented teachers from around the world. Violinist Alexander Abayev of the Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music in Kiev carries the strings with guitarist Tamar Rosenfeld of the Hassadna Music Conservatory in Jerusalem, while Kyung Ae Chung of the Seoul National University of Music bangs out the piano lessons - even without the far-off address and the ample space that once housed so many talented artists.

Holding their own from close to home are violinist Gabriel Tevan of the Hartt School of Music in Connecticut and local rock 'n' roll guitarist Geoff Hartwell, who has a B.A. in music from Hartwick College. Finally, Justin Wolf of William Paterson College and the High Mountain Symphony Orchestra in New Jersey pounds the percussion into students with his classical and contemporary background.

As a result of all the classical experience these teachers offer, serious students can stay in front of the musical learning curve, according to Ms. Eyges. Challenged by the difficulty and understanding the necessity of classical study, "The very talented kids, once you expose them to it, they always stick to it," she said. So after mastering an aria or something like "The Marriage of Figaro," Broadway really is as easy as do re mi, and it translates into anything else they choose to do later.

Mr. Tarsio instructs from the same premise. For instance, he said, "If you¹re going to do jazz, you'd better make sure you study Brahms, Bach, Debussy and Beethoven." Long dead, the theory behind their work may seem the same, but being a good musician - especially a keyboard player - means having an understanding of what brought their work to life, according to Mr. Tarsio.

This sets apart not only the musician but the Alliance teachers from the typical musician offering piano lessons to your child on the weekends. "We're not just artists; we know how to bring people through the process of learning music," he said, and that covers a range of flexible methodologies relevant to each student's needs and abilities.

Study and scales mean little without the opportunity to turn theory into theater. Besides the two yearly concerts, many of the students sign on in order that they can stack up against all the competition that is auditioning for community theater and school musicals.

The alliance also encourages its students to find their own voices as they form bands and compose music for the popular styles that they enjoy. From that, an instructor's job entails that they demonstrate the crossover between classical and popular. "It's not that I'm trying to differentiate between what they know and what we know," Mr. Tarsio said, "but I'm trying to hook them in somehow so they can see the whole big picture."

What they then see in return shines from the young eyes that dream of singing on Broadway or performing onstage. "My mission is to help them bring out what they'd like to accomplish, and nothing gives me more joy than watching these kids sing in concert," Ms. Eyges concludes.

Rich Monetti interview of Peter Tarsio and Jennifer Eyges