Meet our Teachers
Martina Caruso
Co-Director & Vocal Instructor
Martina Caruso is a classically trained musician and educator. She received her Undergraduate Degree in Opera Performance from Carnegie Mellon University in 2014 and earned her Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Carlow University in 2020. For as long as she can remember, Martina’s two greatest passions in life were Music and Teaching. She spent the majority of her childhood singing in choirs, like the Junior Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh and performing in various Musicals and Concerts, under the direction of her private vocal teacher, Claudia Benack, followed by Maria Spacagna at Carnegie Mellon.
Martina’s professional career has included aspects from both her undergraduate and masters degrees. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University, she spent several years singing as a freelance vocalist, specializing in weddings and events in the Pittsburgh Region. She also worked full-time in Development for various prestigious Opera Companies in the US, including The Glimmerglass Festival in Upstate New York and The Pittsburgh Opera. In-between music professions, Martina worked in Programming for another Pittsburgh-based Nonprofit, Beverly’s Birthdays. It was her time working with the children within this organization that brought her back to school, pursuing her second passion and a career in education. She now works as a K-5 Music Teacher for the Pittsburgh Public Schools and continues to sing throughout the community. She is excited to combine her passions and expertise now, opening the Children’s Music Academy of Greater Pittsburgh, in the exact area of Pittsburgh where she first fell in love with music and started her roots as a musician.
Michael Bernabe
Co-Director & Piano Instructor
Michael Bernabe is a wide-ranging musician and has performed in a variety of settings throughout his life. After learning to play piano with the Suzuki method at a young age, Michael attended the American Boychoir School at 12 years old and had a rare opportunity to perform at home and abroad in places like Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and with symphonies like the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony, and Chicago Symphony. While with the Boychoir, Michael toured and performed throughout the US, to Canada, and even to Japan. It was this experience that laid the foundation for a future career in music.
With an undergraduate degree from Duquesne University, and a graduate degree from Rutgers University in jazz piano performance, Michael spent a number of years performing in the New York City and Philadelphia jazz scenes. Now back in Pittsburgh, he frequently performs in and out of town with Dwayne Dolphin, Hugo Cruz, James Johnson III, Reggie Watkins, Paul Thompson, Tony Campbell, Brian Edwards, George Heid III, Eric DeFade, and Mike Tomaro. He is active in many different music scenes in the city, including jazz, R&B, neo-soul, pop, and even salsa. Throughout his education and career, he has also had the opportunity to share the stage with a number of other all-time great musicians, including Jeff "Tain" Watts, Randy Brecker, Sean Jones, Eddie Palmieri, Buddy Williams, Poogie Bell, Renee Manning, Earl McIntyre, Roger Humphries, and Victor Lewis.
As an educator, Michael has held various positions in settings that involve children, teenagers, and young adults. Since relocating back to Pittsburgh, he has worked primarily with students with behavioral issues and those that are at an economic disadvantage in the Pittsburgh Public School district. That experience served as another example of Michael's desire to serve others. He also teaches piano privately throughout the Pittsburgh area, and he continues to maintain an active performance schedule. He looks forward to sharing everything he has learned with the future of Children’s Music Academy and M&M Music.
Daniel Mihelarakis
Guitar, Bass, Ukulele
Daniel Mihelarakis is a composer, educator, and multi-instrumentalist from Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. He has been drawn to music from a young age, and grew up listening to his dad’s cassette tapes of Bob Dylan, James Taylor, and many more. When he was 12 years old, he started learning how to play the guitar by teaching himself some of his favorite classic rock songs by ear. Soon, this hobby turned into a passion, when he decided to attend Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School to learn more about music. It was here that he was first exposed to both jazz and classical music.
After graduating, Daniel attended Youngstown State University to pursue a degree in Music Composition and to further develop his musicianship. He graduated summa cum laude from Youngstown State in 2021, and has since moved back to Pittsburgh to continue his career as a professional musician.
Daniel plays many musical styles such as jazz, folk, rock, and R&B, and has played with a diverse group of ensembles, including jazz bands, musical theater pit orchestras, and even symphonies. Daniel is excited to share his experience and love of music with the students here at M&M music.
Noah Skowron
Voice
Hello! My name is Noah Skowron. I studied at Wright State University where I earned my bachelor’s degree in music education with a concentration in vocal studies. I started singing in church when I was really young. I always enjoyed the hymns and being able to have that opportunity to discover how much I loved to sing. From there I moved on to singing in the chorus at West Allegheny from elementary school all the way up through high school where I was also able to join the show choir as well. I also participated in a number of high school musicals where I had the pleasure of playing some lead roles.
Growing up with music in my life led me to pursue it as an education. At Wright State University I sang in three different choirs and also played a part in two operas. All throughout my college career I studied voice under Dr. Kimberly Warrick and organized and performed my own Senior Recital. With my education, I am well trained to teach methods of the classical singer as well as the musical theatre singer. I am well endowed with singing techniques, performance techniques and vocal health methods that will benefit the aspiring singer. These things can really transform the sound of the voice and take a singer from excellent to superior.
With my education, I am well trained to teach methods of the classical singer as well as the musical theatre singer. I am well endowed with singing techniques, performance techniques and vocal health methods that will benefit the aspiring singer. These things can really transform the sound of the voice and take a singer from excellent to superior. My goal as a vocal teacher at M&M is to help the student discover their true sound. I believe that great singers are born through hard work and practice as opposed to merely being born a singer. Music has transformed my life and has gifted me so many fond memories, and friends. It brought me out of my shell and helped me find my true voice. I sincerely know it can do the same for my students.
Matt Rees
Brass
Matt Rees is an accomplished music educator and trumpet performer based in the Pittsburgh area, with a strong foundation in both teaching and performance. He began his musical journey in the fourth grade and is a proud alumnus of the North Allegheny School District. Matt earned his Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania in 2022 and went on to complete his Master of Music in Trumpet Performance at Carnegie Mellon University in 2024. While pursuing his degrees, Matt was extensively involved in a wide array of musical ensembles, including wind ensembles, orchestras, and jazz bands. He studied under world-class trumpet pedagogues and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra musicians Neal Berntsen, George Vosburgh, and Dr. Micah Holt, gaining valuable insight into both classical and contemporary trumpet performance.
A dedicated educator, Matt brings a breadth of teaching experience across all grade levels. He is currently the elementary band director in the Pine-Richland School District, where his goal is to inspire young musicians to achieve anything they put their minds to through foundational instrumental instruction. He most recently served as Director of Bands for grades 4–12 in the Crawford Central School District, where he led concert bands, marching bands, and instrumental programs. His student teaching placements included grades 9–12 band and K–5 general music at the North Hills School District, where he refined his instructional techniques in both classroom and ensemble settings. Matt has also held leadership roles as a trumpet graduate assistant for the North Hills and North Allegheny marching bands, and has been a key contributor to beginner band camps at the PYCO School of Music in Wexford and Slippery Rock Area School District.
In addition to teaching, Matt remains an active performer. He plays with a variety of local ensembles including the Musicians Concert Band of Butler, PA, Murphy’s Big Band of Leechburg, PA, 56 East Jazz/Cover Band Combo, and frequently performs with the worship team at Christ Church at Grove Farm in Sewickley, PA. Outside of his musical pursuits, Matt enjoys staying active through exercise, exploring new places through travel, and following his favorite Pittsburgh sports teams.
Joseph Seman
Woodwinds, Guitar, Piano
Dunbar, Pennsylvania native Joseph Seman began playing music at a young age, settling on the saxophone at age nine, followed by clarinet and flute shortly thereafter. When his family moved to Colorado, he was able to study improvisation under Air Force Falconaires trumpeter and UNC Greeley jazz faculty member Mark Israel.
After receiving the Chancellor’s Scholarship to study Music Education at Duquesne University in 2016, Joseph relocated to Pittsburgh. While at Duquesne, he played with Duquesne’s Jazz Ensemble I and Wind Ensemble, studying both classical and jazz under James Houlik and Mike Tomaro respectively. Having graduated from Duquesne in 2020 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Music Education, Joseph completed a Master’s in Saxophone Performance from Carnegie Mellon University in 2023.
In Pittsburgh, Joseph has performed as a leader of his own groups as well as with musicians such as Roger Humphries, Thomas Wendt, James Johnson III, Paul Thompson, Jeff Grubbs, Mark Strickland, John Shannon, Cliff Barnes, Jeff Bush, Reggie Watkins, and many others. He has performed with organizations such as the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and MCG Jazz, and continues to be an active member of the music scene in Pittsburgh.
Tess Vanek
Strings, Piano, Ukulele, Woodwinds, Accordion
Tess Vanek is a music educator and multi-instrumentalist in the Pittsburgh area. Beginning with piano lessons at age 8, Tess showed an immediate enthusiasm and proclivity for instrumental performance, and soon learned to play the saxophone, the violin, and eventually the accordion, all of which she has played in a variety of professional settings.
Tess received her undergraduate degree in Music Education in 2021 from Duquesne University, where she was awarded for excellence in student teaching among her cohort. Her dedication to performance continued throughout her time at Duquesne, where she was named winner of the 2019 Robert and Carolyn Shankovich Wind Concerto Competition as well as the 2020 Women’s Advisory Board Competition.
Tess recently received her master’s degree in Saxophone Performance from Carnegie Mellon University, where her interests were focused toward independent research projects in ethnomusicology. At CMU, Tess was awarded the 2022 Gindroz Prize for Summer Study and Travel in Europe for her proposal to study music of diaspora in Paris. She is so excited to continue to share her knowledge, experience, and passion for music.
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Martyna Janulioniene
Voice
Martyna Janulioniene is a dedicated and enthusiastic voice and piano teacher with over 20 years of experience in music. I have a strong foundation in vocal performance, with an extensive background as a performer in various settings, including television shows, musical groups, and weddings. My experiences have equipped me with valuable insights that I eagerly want to share with my students. I am passionate about cultivating a love for music in both children and adults and fostering an environment of creative expression.
Jared Wolf
Piano, Woodwinds
A native of Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, Jared Wolf is a classical saxophonist, pianist, and conductor. Jared completed his bachelor’s degree in Saxophone Performance at the Mary Pappert School of Music, Duquesne University, where he won the Women’s Advisory Board Competition and the Duquesne Concerto Competition, resulting in his performance of the Tomasi Saxophone Concerto with the Duquesne Symphony Orchestra.
After his time at Duquesne, Jared traveled overseas, studying with musicians at the Royal College of Music and Royal Academy of Music in London, England. While in Europe, he also worked as a vocal coach in Italy, Germany, and Bulgaria. He currently serves as the Director of Admissions and Development for the Bologna International Opera Academy (Bologna, Italy) and as the Administrative Assistant for the Sofia Opera Performing Seminars (Sofia, Bulgaria), in addition to being a pianist, coach, and conductor for these programs.
In Pittsburgh, Jared enjoys work as a performer and educator. Currently, he is serving as the organist for St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in McKeesport. He also performs regularly alongside local musicians as a collaborative pianist and coaches vocalists privately.
Jared’s teachers include: Faith Shiffer, Dr. Keith Young, Simon Haram, and Kyle Horch for saxophone; Barb Kerker, Debra Ronning, Dr. Justin Badgerow, and Kenneth Burky for piano; Dr. James Gourlay and Nicoletta Conti for conducting.
Nick DiMercurio
Recording & Production
Nick DiMercurio is a seasoned musician, producer, and educator with over a decade of experience in music technology and production. He has worked in professional recording studios, including ID Labs. With a background in audio engineering, songwriting, and music marketing, Nick specializes in helping students develop their creative and technical skills in music production. His teaching approach blends hands-on experience with industry insights, ensuring students gain a strong foundation in recording, mixing, and digital music production.
Kassi Barry
Voice
Kassi Barry is a passionate and dedicated music educator specializing in vocal studies. Graduating in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education, I developed my musicianship through performing in diverse ensembles, demonstrating skill in both vocal and clarinet performance. With two years of experience in private instruction, I have worked to create lessons that blend traditional technique with the innovative methods inspired by my college training. I am committed to fostering well-rounded students that want to develop both their skills and confidence in music.
In lessons, I emphasize independence and strong musicianship, equipping students with the skills to discover and learn music on their own. I focus on proper vocal technique, ensuring they build a healthy foundation for singing while developing confidence in their abilities. I want to guide students in exploring music effectively, fostering both creativity and technical growth. In the end, I want my students to love the music just as much as I do.
