Kokila Jodi Bennett

Composer, Pianist, Harpist, Teacher

Kokila Jodi Bennett has been a musician for as long as she can remember. Music has always been her passion and she imparts that in her teaching style. She teaches children with a childlike enthusiasm and gentle approach that inspires trust and affection in young people. For more then one student she has been not only teacher, but mentor, and has close ties with her students long after they have 'graduated' from her tuteledge. Starting her own training when she was 6 years old with a
series of private teachers, she quickly found herself immersed in the classics. Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven all were dear to her. A graduate of Port Washington's Schrieber High school, she went on to study intensely with Julliard Professor, the late Maria Cysik, at her Carnagie Hall
studio in New York city. Also at that time she started studying baroque recorder
and developed a great love for medieval and early music, playing in an ensemble at an early age. When she was in her early teens she developed a passion for the Celtic Harp, started studying privately, and now plays on many of her CDS and for weddings and events, including her own
concerts.
Kokila's mother was a folk singer however, and it is that which instilled in her a deep love of simple songs and later Celtic music, which has formed, alongside her classical training, a love of that style of music. This in turn has inspired her own compositions, which many call Celtic, but are also classically inspired solo piano compositions. Kokila started composing music in her late teens and
was quickly discovered by a record producer who released her first album, 'Celtic Angels' when she was 25. The success of that inspired her to further release on her own numerous other albums, all of her own compositions. You can hear more of her music on www.kokilamusic.com
Many practicioners of the healing arts use her music for their patients. Children too love her music and many of her students play her compositions, and mom's buy her CDS to play at bedtime!
Kokila has been teaching for almost 20 years, and children form the base of her clientele. She centers her work on children from the local areas of Port Washington and Roslyn, and has numerous devoted students who have been studying with her for many years. Children naturally gravitate towards Kokila's gentle, imaginative, supportive teaching style, which is geared towards play, rather then mental 'adult' style discipline, which scares off lots of children, and makes for adults later on in life who "hated" piano lessons! It is her goal to have all her students say, "I love piano!" Rather then, "I hate lessons!"
Kokila also has worked for the museum division in Nassau County, as she grew up on the Sands Point
Preserve. She created and produced 'Music in the Mansion', a concert program for the museum which drew large audiences in 2003-2005.
Growing up at the Preserve has inspired much of Kokila's creativity as well as having a mother who was an artist. Ths inspired an imaginative child who turned inward rather then outward for inspiration and who enjoyed nature and animals of all kinds. It has made for a lot of original
ideas with her work with children, and has also brought much inspiration to her composing.
Kokila gives concerts of her own music at libraries and art centres around the metropolition area. She has played at most libraries in Nassau County and is a regular at the East Meadow library for numerous events. She has played at many prestigious country clubs as well, such as the
Piping Rock Club, the Garden City Country Club, the Rockaway Hunt Club, and is a regular at the Seawanaka Club and the Glen Oaks Club.
Currently Kokila has 15 children who are studying with her privately at various levels. Some are children with special needs such as autism and ADD. Kokila's life is filled with music, children and inspiration to bring to others in her creative life and she hopes to share that with others (including her own son!) in the future and see many more learn the beauty of the piano! To give
the gift of music to a child is to bring them enrichment beyond measure. That is an immortal gift that every child deserves.

Contact info:
Kokila Jodi Bennett
460 Round HIll Rd.
Roslyn Heights NY
11577
Email: Kokila1music@yahoo.com

Facebook fan page: Kokila Bennett