About Nikiya
Nikiya Exantus is a professional pianist, vocalist, songwriter and composer, with over 20 years of experience teaching. Schooled in classical music and jazz from the age of 5, Nikiya began teaching at age 12, with students ranging from 8 to 41 years old. She was privileged to teach music at Little Red School House & Elisabeth Irwin, one of the country’s most renowned schools for progressive and interdisciplinary education.
Nikiya has performed and recorded with notable musicians such as Anita Baker, Diana Ross, Denise Rich, Rosetta Lenoir, Eric Roberson & many others. She has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Jazz and Blues Music Festival in Montego Bay Jamaica, SOB's and many other reputable venues. Whether working on her own music or with other recording artists, she has recorded in studios that hosted the likes of Aerosmith, Billy Joel, Lauryn Hill, Yo Yo Ma, the Backstreet Boys and Pink.
Nikiya attended high school at Fiorello H. La Guardia School of Performing Arts in New York City. She later went on to Five Towns College to study music. In addition to her musical training, Nikiya studied psychology at St. John’s University and worked for several years in the field of Recreation Therapy .
Rehearsing with 12 year old student right before a performance in Dumbo, Brooklyn, New York
About the Exantus Method
Teaching at such a young age to people of different backgrounds, education, cultures and ages, taught Nikiya that music is universal and breaks down barriers. She began tailoring her teaching to individual students and systematizing her method with rigor and precision. Now with 20 years of experience teaching, Nikiya has perfected the Exantus Method, making the journey towards musical mastery one that is fast, foolproof and fun.
Using the Exantus Method, new students learn to sing properly and/or play the piano on their very first lesson. Over time, they become confident musicians and performers, capable of freely expressing themselves through music. The Exantus Method has been used to educate pianists and vocalists from ages 2 to 70, and is widely praised for its range and adaptability. Nikiya Exantus personally teaches each of her students using the Exantus Method, offering one-on-one classes through virtual sessions via Skype.
By employing the Exantus Method, along with her rich education in musical therapy and psychology, Nikiya successfully trains students with ADHD, learning disabilities and emotional/behavioral problems.
In Nikiya’s words, “My method is a combination of traditional and progressive learning. I teach my students the language of music. They learn how to create and truly connect to music, cultivates a love for music and encourages creativity. With this formula, my students enjoy learning and continue on a long term basis, as a result of the love developed. The Exantus Method teaches students how to sing properly, or play the piano, on the very first lesson..guaranteed!”