About the Instructor

Stella Mamasiyeva is an accomplished musician, composer, and researcher whose multifaceted career spans performance, composition, and groundbreaking research into cognitive benefits of music education.

Born in Moscow, Russia, Stella demonstrated an early aptitude for music, beginning formal studied in piano, voice and composition at a young age. She developed a robust foundation in music theory, ear training, piano, and vocal technique, cultivated through rigorous training in  highly Russia’s esteemed music education system. This early immersion in the discipline laid the groundwork for a lifelong commitment to musical excellence and innovation.

At age 13, Stella immigrated to New York City, where she continued her musical journey at the prestigious Fiorello H. LaGuardia High school of Music and Art as Voice Major.  Attending La Guardia provided an ideal environment to further her skills in Voice and Piano, refining her technical proficiency and developing a nuanced understanding of musical performance and expression.

Eager to expand her creative and technical expertise Stella pursued a Bachelor of Arts Degree at SUNY Purchase, a globally recognized institution for its Conservatory programs in Music and Arts. She majored in Studio Composition, focusing on songwriting and music engineering. This unique program allowed Stella to blend her classical training with contemporary approaches to music production, fostering a versatile and innovative compositional style. Her time at Purchase was marked by a deep exploration of technical and creative dimensions of music, preparing her for the next phase of her academic and professional journey.

Furthering her expertise, Stella earned a Master’s degree in Orchestral Composition from the Columbus School of Music, an institution known for its rigorous and forward-thinking programs. During her graduate studies she embarked on an ambitious research agenda, investigating the profound effects of music on brain development and its correlation with academic success in non-musical disciplines. This research bridged the fields of music theory, cognitive science, and education, examining how musical training enhances cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and problem solving, as well as its role in fostering academic achievement across subjects like mathematics and language arts.

Stella’s current work represents synthesis of her extensive musical training and scholarly research. Drawing on her deep knowledge of music theory, ear training, piano, and Composition combined with insights from her studies on music’s cognitive and academic benefits, Stella has developed a pioneering method that integrates these disciplines.

Stella remains dedicated to advancing the understanding of music’s transformative potential, both as an art form and as a catalyst for intellectual and personal growth for children and adults of all ages.