Meet Our Instructors!
SASHA DUBYK
VOICE | PIANO | CHOIR DIRECTOR
Sasha Dubyk is a Philadelphia-raised, Brooklyn-based musician with a voice that can just as easily soar through a bluegrass harmony, glide over a smoky jazz standard, belt a musical theater anthem, or cradle a folk ballad in stillness. Classically trained yet endlessly adventurous, she blends the precision of her Berklee College of Music Degree (Music Therapy + African Studies) with the heart and soul of a lifelong performer.
For over a decade, Sasha has taken her music on the road — touring the U.S. and internationally with her high-energy bluegrass band Damn Tall Buildings as lead vocalist and bassist, and bringing European folk traditions to life as lead vocalist for The Klezmeranians.
In 2017, she put down roots in New York and began pouring her energy and heart into education and building community. Sasha co-founded Crown Heights Music School, a family-run hub offering private lessons for all ages, and launched a women’s community choir because, frankly, singing with your neighbors is the fastest way to turn strangers into friends.
Her belief is simple: performing is a privilege, and great performers mentor, teach and give back. That ethos fuels her work as a Cultural Ambassador for the U.S. Department of Education, sharing and exchanging American music/ culture with artists worldwide. Most recently, she traveled to Ethiopia, performing and leading masterclasses alongside Hadinko of Mesob Band.
On stage or in the classroom, Sasha’s work is about connection — reminding us that music is not just to be heard, but to be shared.
Tyler Jenkins
Guitar | Piano | Drums
Tyler is a multi-instrumentalist artist and composer known for his original work on film and theater productions. He has opened for and accompanied major artists like Alicia Keys, Masego, and Amine. He has played in the San Francisco Bluegrass Festival, headlined the International Festival of Arts and Ideas and played in the historic Palace Theater among many others.
He is a recipient of many fellowships and awards including the National Endowment of the Arts Artist Corps Fellowship, Best Original Score at the LA Crime and Horror Film Festival, the Mellon Foundation funded New Haven Composer Spotlight Fellowship.
MAX CAPISTRAN
PIANO | GUITAR | BASS | CLAWHAMMER BANJO
Max Capistran is a Brooklyn-based performer, songwriter, manager, and educator, and the Co-Founder of CHMS. A summa cum laude graduate of Berklee College of Music, Max holds a Bachelor's Degree in Songwriting, with additional studies in music theory, music business, and guitar performance across blues, jazz, and bluegrass styles. Max is the manager, primary songwriter, and lead vocalist/guitarist for the nationally touring bluegrass band Damn Tall Buildings. Over the past decade, he has built a strong reputation in both performance and music education, offering private instruction in songwriting, music theory, and music business. In recognition of his artistic and cultural contributions, Max also serves as a United States Cultural Ambassador, sharing American music traditions around the world.
Yami Foreman Schwartz
Guitar | Piano | Bass | Ukulele
Benjamin (Yami) Forman Schwartz is a multidisciplinary musician, instrumentalist, producer and DJ.
Yami is a seasoned musician, playing the guitar as well as bass guitar, ukulele, Piano and synths since the young age of 9. Yami is a jazz-trained musician with over 15 years of musical experience, including a graduate degree from the prestigious Berklee College of Music with a focus in Guitar performance, Production and songwriting .
He has participated in several festivals and performances, including the Monterey Jazz Festival in California, as well as winning first place in the annual Jerusalem guitar competition. He is currently an active member in the band Zaltys, playing lead synthesizer, drum machine and guitar.
Yami is a lifelong tutor and mentor with a natural knack for teaching the wonders of the musical world. Teaching since he was in high school, Yami has over 10 years of teaching experience working with students of all ages and levels.
Faith Quashie
Voice | Piano | Songwriting
A seasoned traveler across stages as a soloist, bandleader and sideman, Faiths versatility and command over her craft are mesmerizing. Beyond the stage, Faith stands as a cornerstone within her community, a driving force in the movement to elevate women in music. Collaborating with luminaries like Cyrille Aimee, Candice Hoyes, and Sasha Berliner through the Women in Jazz Organization, Faith is not just a vocalist, but a catalyst for change. A recent participant in The Woodshed Network Residency program alongside the legendary Dee Dee Bridgewater and an assembly of industry titans including Sheila E., Faith's trajectory is set to soar even higher, propelling her career into new dimensions through the alchemy of networking and transformative workshops.