The following are excerpts from articles that have been published about the Mike Risko Music School. We invite you to visit us in the school and see our full gallery of articles on display. Go to contact for more information.
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From the New York Times, Sunday July 11, 2004 by Marc Ferris
Playing Together, Art Sport and Music Work Their Magic on Families...
It's a common complaint from Parents, starting in the pre-adolescent years: Children would rather do just about anything than hang out with them. It's just not cool.
But many youngsters and their parents in Westchester are sharing pastimes ranging from karate to rock n roll to painting. The connection helps keep the lines of communication open and, just as important, is fun too.
...but the involvement can run even deeper. When Adam Kornreich, 12, decided that he wanted to learn the guitar, his parents, Tom and Barbara enrolled him in lessons at the Mike Risko Music School in Ossining.
His mother had played guitar when she was younger. Sitting in the waiting room during Adam's lessons rekindled her interest in playing. Adam's dad then decided to learn how to play the drums. Now the three of them are all taking lessons. They practice together in the corner of the laundry room of their Chappaqua home.
Their play list includes rock standards as well as songs by current groups...they also play Adam's original tunes...."Sharing the music gives us the same vocabulary," Ms. Kornreich said.
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| Picture and article from the Journal News September 2008. |
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From the Journal News, Tuesday, December 17, 2002 by Rashod D. Ollison
Musical Couple Tie The Notes....
As the sun slides down the sky just after 4:30, the Mike Risko Music School on Croton Avenue comes alive with sound. Rebecca Chalsen, sits in the waiting room with her mother and sister. She has been studying music here for three years. "The teachers make it fun, " she says. "At the recital, I was the first to sing and play piano and I wasn't nervous."
Miriam and Mike Risko like to hear that kind of confidence from their students.
The Mike Risko Music School has grown steadily since it opened. Going from 40 students in its first year to more than 500 currently enrolled. Thirty instructors,operas singers, jazz players, song writers, folk artists are on staff. Performance is strongly encouraged. The Riskos assemble bands and produce showcases throughout the year.
Although the school takes up the bulk of their time, the Riskos, who met while in a band still play venues....Over the years they have done jingle work and performed in bars and clubs and at weddings. In 2000 before family and friends, the couple got married inside the school. "This is very much a part of our lives," Miriam says beaming. "We like to make music fun. And it should be."
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From the New York Times Sunday November 3, 2002 by Susan Hodara
Together, 24/7.....
Imagine working with your spouse: Daily battles at the office carried home at the end of the day, surely leading to the destruction of your relationship. Not necessarily. The mom and pop business model still works and it is enjoying something of a rebirth, especially in small entrepreneurial enterprises.
...Some married couples who work together find both their work and home lives enriched. "We are best friends and business partners," said Mike Risko, owner of the Mike Risko Music School in Ossining, which he founded in 1995 and now runs with his wife Miriam.
Ms. Risko finds their relationship particularly advantageous in business meetings. I can look over at him and know what he is thinking," she says.
"Sometimes its difficult not to talk about work when we leave, but we attribute a lot of our success to being able to brainstorm anytime," he says. "You can't imagine how many ideas we have come up with in the Food Emporium.
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