Nicholas Reis is a pianist, composer, and improviser raised in Menlo Park . After graduating from UCLA, he returned to the Bay Area to continue his musical journey.

Nick began learning musical fundamentals when he was 7 years old. However, he was about 11 when he became enamored with improvisation. The music’s spontaneity and adventure reached him viscerally, and he studied briefly under Don Haas - a well known Bay Area pianist and arranger - before Don passed away.

In Los Angeles, the vibrant musical culture spurred and supported Nick to work in pianistic contexts spanning everything from small group combos to collaborating with a tap-dance ensemble .

Upon his return to the Bay Area, Nick has both deepened his commitment to improvisation and forged a powerful connection with musical composition. He maintains a broad taste in repertoire.

Nick approaches teaching by thinking first of a student’s aesthetic preferences. From there, he culls his musical wisdom together to assemble a customized approach that addresses those preferences while conveying vital principles and techniques; the result is is a lasting growth and musical expertise in the student.