About the Teacher

Welcome and hello Friends!

I’m Nikiya and I'm thrilled to be able to share the gift of music with you. With over 20 years of experience teaching, I developed a method of learning music, making the journey towards musical understanding one that is fast, foolproof and fun.

At the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, I studied Classical music, vocals, music theory and theater. My training continued at Fiorello H. La Guardia High School of Performing Arts in New York City. Later on, I went to Five Towns College to study Jazz/Performance. Learning different styles of music gave me the freedom to not only understand music, but create music. Let me share with you how it all began.

I was born and raised in New York City and the 2nd oldest of five children. My family is very musical and I was exposed to many different genres of music. My first connection with music starting with singing and dance. Singing is something I did naturally, and as early as I can remember. At age 3, my mother noticed I would always moved to music so she put me in dance school where I took tap, ballet and jazz. Then at age 5, I remember like it was yesterday, coming home from school, my 1st piano! It was a beautiful Baldwin upright piano, and I immediately started playing around with the keys. 

It got to the point, where funds were low and my mother couldn’t afford for all of us to continue lessons. So, it was decided that I would continue training and teach my siblings. At age 12, I began teaching students ranging from 8 to 41 years old. Teaching music to people of different levels, backgrounds, cultures and ages, taught me how to teach according to the learning style of the student.

Since getting baptized in 2005, my focus is on serving Jehovah full-time, and music took a back seat. I began regular auxiliary pioneering after baptism and was in roofing (RBC). Two years later, I began regular pioneering and was blessed to serve in the Persian Field for 6 years. Pioneering has brought me great joy and opened many doors to do more for Jehovah, including commuting to Bethel for 4 years now.

I am so thankful Jehovah has allowed me to use the gift of music and the art of teaching, to do more for Him and help others. Especially moms who make so many sacrifices, like my mother did.