Who We Are
Our talented teachers have extensive experience as educators, performers, songwriters, recording artists and producers. Instead of one standard approach or method, our lessons are tailored to each individual student to ensure learning is personalized, challenging and fun. We meet the student where they are and help them discover what excites them most. Our aim is to support each student and enable a life-long love for making music.
For eight years, Replay Music Studios was a beloved destination for musicians of all ages. We are forever grateful to our amazing staff and loyal customers who helped us make our dream come true by sharing the joy of making music at Replay. Complications during the pandemic led us to simplify our business and focus on education. Our partnership with Music Makers NYC allows us to continue to offer rock band programs and private lessons in a professional studio environment. We also offer the option for virtual private lessons using Zoom. Learn more here.
John Rubin
Founder/ Director/ C0-Owner
John Rubin got his start where musicians so often do: in the basement of the house he grew up in. Making noise soon turned into making music and a passion for playing was cemented. An accomplished drummer, Rubin has been active playing and recording in NYC since he moved here in 1993. His musical training includes periods of study at The Drummers Collective as well as studying privately with Andrew Cyrille and Master Drummer Michael Carvin. After 15 years as a child therapist and social worker and watching his musical son and daughter grow older, he observed that the love of music can make a powerful difference in how an individual relates to the world. Rubin saw a need for a rehearsal studio that caters to all musicians, from new players to pros. He returned to his roots, fusing his love of drumming with his commitment to children’s well-being and founded Replay Music Studios in 2012. Since opening, Rubin has cultivated a rapport with his staff, students and rehearsal customers based on the belief that personal expression is at the heart of meaningful music.
To learn more about John’s teaching philosophy and why he started Replay, watch this video.
Mare Rubin
co-owner & Manager of all things non-musical
Not a musician but forever a fan, Mare believes that music can change moods, lift spirits and transform lives. From her dad teaching her to clap to Here Comes the Sun during long car rides, to watching her mom bob around the kitchen to an Irish jig, music was always part of Mare’s life. When her musician husband had an idea to create a place where all musicians would be inspired to make more music, she was there to transform the idea into a reality. As a marketing executive and brand manager for brands in diverse categories from hot sauce to paper products to paint, Mare loves creating brands and experiences that make people come back for more. She holds a BA from Connecticut College and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business.
Replay teachers
ALEX GOLDBERG
Alex Goldberg is a drummer, composer and producer, originally from New York’s Capital Region. Alex studied percussion and composition at Vassar College, where he received a degree in Psychology. Since graduating, Alex has performed across the United States and Europe with groups ranging from singer-songwriters to avant-garde jazz, and writes and records his own music. Alex brings this variety of experience to his teaching, and encourages his students to learn many different styles of music, in addition to their favorite songs. Alex has been teaching drums at Replay since 2013, and now also leads the Recording Workshop and Recording Camps.
Kate Victor
Kate Victor is a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist from Fairfield, Connecticut. She sings and plays piano, cello, and guitar in several ensembles in the New York City area. She studied Jazz and Music Education at William Paterson University, earning her bachelor’s degree in 2012. Recently, Kate was a featured vocalist in a nationally syndicated holiday TV special with the Boardwalk Jazz Band, and composed music for piano and cello for a live theatrical production of “SheWolf” at the Tank in New York City.
Kyle Morgan
Kyle Morgan is a songwriter, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and music educator. He studied literature, philosophy, and music composition at Messiah College, earning a B.A. in 2011, all the while performing locally with various bands. In 2013, Kyle released his first full-length album of original songs under the name Starcrossed Losers. Soon after, he joined Portland, ME-based folk/roots trio Tumbling Bones and toured extensively up and down the east coast and throughout Europe. He gained valuable teaching experience working at Listen Up! Music: a non-profit music program for adults with disabilities where he helped clients write, arrange, record, and perform over 25 original songs and put on over 15 community concerts.
Mel Chibnik
Mel is a multi-instrumentalist with over 15 years of playing experience on guitar and bass. She is also a pianist and a classically trained vocalist. Born and raised in New Jersey, Mel grew up as a rock band kid, learning to play and collaborate at the local rock school. Now she is thrilled to be in the teaching role, coming to Replay with five years of experience leading bands and teaching private lessons. She is passionate about teaching music to students of all ages, and coaching bands and solo artists through the process of writing and recording original music. Mel can be heard playing in several bands around NYC and NJ and performs and records in her solo act called Melody Strange.
