Niko Gonatos is an accomplished pianist, organist, conductor, composer, and teacher. He comes from a musical family; his parents and younger sister are members of their church's choir, and his dad is a member of a Greek band. His musical journey began when he was a little boy. He would always listen to the sounds of various household appliances like the microwave and vacuum cleaner, and he would identify the pitches that they made. This is how his parents discovered that Niko has perfect pitch! At age 8, he began studying piano with Diane Anastasiades, a Julliard-trained pianist, and he continued lessons until he was 13. After he stopped piano lessons, he discovered a love for the organ, and in September 2016, he began serving as an organist for St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Tarpon Springs, FL - a position he still holds today. Niko has a passion for Greek Orthodox church music, and in February of 2020, he published an original choral composition of the Greek Orthodox Divine Liturgy. Niko also enjoys playing music from his Greek culture, and he has written arrangements of many Greek pop and folk songs for Greek bands to use.
Niko has always had a passion for teaching young kids; he plans on majoring in education. To share his love of music and teaching, he started offering piano lessons in 2019. One of Niko's specialties with piano lessons is his emphasis on personalized learning. His philosophy is to tailor his curriculum for each student's needs and goals; allowing students to have a voice in their learning pathway; and to constantly assess students to ensure mastery of the piano curriculum.
When Niko is not at the piano bench, he loves photographing nature (particularly birds), cooking with his family, and biking outside. Niko is currently attending college at St. Petersburg College in Tarpon Springs and plans on getting an Elementary Education degree.
Niko's favorites:
Favorite composer: Felix Mendelssohn
Favorite food: Steak
Favorite season: Fall
Favorite holiday: Christmas
Favorite color: Blue
Favorite TV show: The Office
Favorite ice cream flavor: Fudge brownie