Celebrating emerging talent in music and aerial arts
Welcome to Rising Stars, a special showcase presented by Peak Music Studios and Good Karma Studio. Join us at The Egg on June 28, 2025, to celebrate up-and-coming musicians and aerial artists taking center stage to share their passion, dedication, and talent.
Teia has been interested in singing for a few years. This is her first year with Peak Music Studios. She has been on a dance competition team with Dance Dimensions for five years.
In 9 short months, Ziva has evolved into a graceful, precise aerial silks enthusiast. Under the instruction of Sydney at Good Karma Studios, she’s gained confidence and sovereignty from this unique aerial practice. She’s delighted to brighten your day with her very first performance.
I started playing electric guitar in November of 2023 at Peak Music Studios. It’s been a really great journey. My favorite things about guitar is learning my favorite songs or even writing my own songs. Some of my favorite songs to play on guitar are Master of Puppets by Metallica, Heart Shaped Box by Nirvana, and Given Up by Linkin Park.
Joseph is an 11th-grade student with a passion for history and a love of music. His musical journey began in 3rd grade with the French horn, followed by percussion mallets in 4th grade. By 6th grade, Joseph had picked up the ukulele and guitar, and he hasn’t looked back since. As a guitar student at Peak Music Studios, Joseph continues to develop his skills and share his love for music. When he’s not practicing, you can find him enjoying Roblox or lifting weights at the gym. Joseph is excited to bring his energy and talent to the stage!
I am a sophomore at Niskayuna High School. I have been training with Lili for 3 years on the silks.
Alysha is a bright and cheerful 12 year old from Valatie, NY. She has been part of the Good Karma family for almost 3 years. Alysha’s joy of aerial arts and love for helping others makes her hope to one day join her Good Karma family with teaching and inspiring kids just like her.
At 11 years old, Aja has already discovered her love for aerial silks, a captivating art form that combines strength, flexibility, and grace. She began her journey at Good Karma, where she quickly fell in love with the challenge and beauty of the practice. When not practicing on the silks, her hobbies include running cross country and playing the viola.
Derick Defreest is a 18-year-old high school graduate with plans to become a music teacher. With 13 years of singing experience and a deep love for music, he has already made a name for himself as a multi-award-winning Elvis Tribute Artist. Derick has been a cherished part of Peak Music Studios for seven years, embracing every moment of his musical journey. His dynamic performances captivate audiences, showcasing his passion and talent. A constant source of encouragement and inspiration, his grandmother—fondly known as his “Grandmanager”—plays a key role in his success. As he prepares to attend college in the fall, Derick continues to share his love for music with every note he sings. Get ready to be entertained by this extraordinary young performer!
Alison is sixth grader who has been a student of Good Karma Studio for three years. Alison has done two other performances with the studio and is delighted to be performing at The Egg. Alison would like to thank her family, friends, and Good Karma family for all the love and support.
Allison Ferracane is 14 years old and has been singing with Peak Music for over three years. She also began electric guitar lessons with Jeff last year. Her favorite song to perform is the Star Spangled Banner, and she sings it nearly every day. Allie enjoys entertaining others, having fun and spreading joy.
Cora Fredette is a senior at Shen High School who plans to study theater tech in college. She loves Broadway musicals and has been involved in musical theater for several years. She recently had a leading role in SIX the Musical. She has been a voice student with Peak Music for four years, and is a wonderful entertainer with a powerful voice and stage presence.
Francesca (Frankie) Graven is 8 years old and passionate for all types of music. In the car, on a walk or doing her homework, Frankie can often be heard carrying a tune wherever she goes. Since joining Peak Music Studios over a year ago, Frankie’s skills and passion have grown significantly and with it her ability to “hit the high notes.”
Hi, my name is Bianca Guedes, and I really enjoy singing. I have been with Peak Music for almost 2 years now, and really enjoy every lesson. I also enjoy spending time with friends and family.
Hi! My name is Sofia Guzda, and I am 12 years old. Ever since I joined the fall play in 6th grade, I have fallen in love with theatre and performing. I feel really at home with my musical community at Shaker, and I am proud to say that I have been with them for 2 years. One fun fact about me is that last August, I climbed down one of the tallest mountains in Poland. Thank you!
Mila is a 9-year-old with a growing passion for aerial silks and a love of being in the air. When she’s not on her silks, she’s training as a competitive gymnast, constantly challenging herself to reach new heights. Mila brings strength, grace, and a fearless spirit to everything she does.
Rylee Honsinger recently turned 12 years old and successfully completed 6th grade at Farnsworth Middle School in Guilderland NY. Her love for aerial yoga developed through YouTube videos, and after her first class at Good Karma, she couldn’t get enough. Aerial yoga is her happy place! Outside of class, Rylee is a softball player, a Cadette Girl Scout, and a brown belt at Pais Taekwondo. Her family loves her!
Hi, I am Eily and I am 12 years old. I’ve been singing at Peak Music for about 6 months, and I really love to sing. I have a double doodle dog named Leo. My sister is Aylish and takes piano at Peak Music. In my spare time, I like to sing, do gymnastics, and hang out with my friends!
Matt Jones is new to electric guitar and started taking lessons at Peak Music in March 2025. Inspired by guitar legends like Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix, he enjoys playing rock and blues.
Hailee is 12 years old and has a passion for aerial silks. She has only been doing this for less than a year but can’t wait to share what’s she has learned so far combining strength, flexibility, and creativity into her routine. When she’s not soaring through the air, she enjoys horseback riding and spending time with her family and friends.
Oaklee has been practicing silks at Good Karma for 2 years. Her favorite moves are the Rebecca Split Drop, the 360 Drop and the One Knee Hang. She is going into middle school next year.
Charlotte loves dogs, art and playing outside. This is her second year at Good Karma Studio and she looks forward to getting to Level 2 in Lyra and Hammock!
Madelyn has been doing silks for several years now, and loves to climb & drop! She likes spending time reading, playing field hockey, and hanging with friends. She lives with her 2 brothers, 2 cats, and 2 parents.
Teagan has always loved music and started with singing and humming to the melody of “Annie” at two years old. She started performing musical theater when she was eight years old, beginning with Annie and has since broadened her musical palette with all genres of music. Most recently, Teagan learned the bass to play the role of Katie in SLOC’s production of School of Rock. You can find Teagan singing along to 80s rock and pop songs wherever she goes.
Gianna loves singing because she says it “shows who I am.” That’s why she joined Peak Music Studios in September: To get better at something she loves. Whether it’s belting out a tune in the living room or on stage in front of a big crowd, Gianna is truly in her element when she’s singing.
Maeve is in 6th grade at Bethlehem Central Middle School, she enjoys hanging out with her friends, playing viola, petting every dog she sees, and silk hammocks!
Hi! I am Christi Michael, I go to Blessed Sacrament School and I love to play my instruments including my guitar.
Elias is 12 years old. He started with Peak Music studio in June of 2021. Elias also plays the trumpet in his middle school band. Elias is very proud of his Guyanese heritage. Elias loves anime, cats, and Roblox.
Mabel is 12 years old and attends Robert C Parker Independent School. She enjoys being with her dogs, swimming, rock climbing and violin when not doing aerial arts. She would like to thank her parents, siblings and Good Karma teacher, Sydney!
Lily is a joyful and passionate 9-year-old who lights up every room she walks into. She has a deep love for nature, softball, dance, art, and swimming, but singing holds a special place in her heart. Whether she’s performing in front of a crowd or just singing around the house, Lily puts her heart into every note. She’s proud to be surrounded by her loving moms, her adorable foster siblings, her playful pups, and her awesome extended family and friends, all of whom cheer her on every step of the way. Lily is so excited to share her rendition of “Stick Season” with you tonight—enjoy the show!
Ashlynn Palmer is 12 years old and has been singing since she was 3 years old. That same year, she appeared in a music video featuring a song that was written for and inspired by her. In addition to her passion for music, she’s a 6th grader at Shaker Middle School who loves playing basketball. Ashlynn is a giving and caring girl, and is very happy to be raising money for Building on Love with her friends at Peak Music.
Aubreigh, AKA, Aubs, is 8 years old from Mechanicville, NY. She has shown her interest in performing for quite some time, always singing and dancing whenever she hears a beat! We were lucky to join the Peak family in September of 2023. Aubs favorite singer at the moment is Michael Jackson. She is in awe of his singing and dancing. She loves to dress up just like him and perform all of her skills at home for her Mom & Dad. One of Aubs best qualities is her big heart! She loves making new friends and making others happy. In her spare time she likes to ride her bike, take walks with her Mom, play Roblox, love on her cat Binxy and FaceTime all of her cousins and friends! Aubs looks forward to continuing to grow her voice and progress in the music field to see how far she can go.
Quinn Pritchard is only five years old, but she’s already a seasoned performer. Quinn has been taking music classes since she was just two months old and has spent the past six months honing her vocal skills at Peak Music Studios. Whether she’s belting out Katy Perry, channeling Alicia Keys, or hitting the high notes from Wicked, Quinn’s love for music shines through every note. Quinn is also learning to play the guitar and brings the same energy and enthusiasm to her instrument as she does to the stage. She also dances competitively and lights up any room when performing with her favorite duet partner, her little sister Harlow. Quinn’s joy for music and performing is infectious, and she’s thrilled to be sharing it with you today!
Juliana Pucci is a talented 8-year-old vocalist with a deep passion for music. She began exploring her musical interests at an early age, and since joining Peak Music nearly a year ago, her love for singing and performance has flourished. Juliana is constantly engaging with music in her daily life-often singing and dancing at home-and especially enjoys duets with her mother. Her enthusiasm, dedication, and growing talent continue to sing both in and out of the studio.
With over one year of dedicated practice, Aashirya is a seasoned aerial yoga artist specializing in silk hammock techniques that combine strength, flexibility, and mindful movement.
Reese “The Reesester’ has shown a love for singing from a young age and has been with Peak Music for almost two years. Outside of the studio, Reese is a passionate soccer player and enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and pets.
Hello, I’m Saila and I’m 13 years old. I really love music and some of my favorite artists are Hole, The White Stripes, and X-ray Spex. Singing lets me express myself. I love my dog and her name is Indu.
Kenzie Smith is a smart, creative, and inquisitive 10-year-old who has been practicing the Silk Hammock for the past two years. Her natural curiosity and love for movement shine through in every routine she performs.
I’ve been seeking for as long as I can remember. It has been a constant as I try new things such as drama, cross country, writing, and even when I moved across the country from California to New York. After the move I started at Peak Music Studios. It was love at first song! The Peak Music community was so welcoming, and welcoming to my friends, too, as they joined. They are so supportive me and my voice and now I am an intern at Peak Music helping other singers find their voice. I love singing and Peak Music!
Teagan is going into her senior year at Shaker High School. She loves playing music and dancing, which she has been doing for 15 years. Her favorite instrument to play is the drums, and her favorite style of dance is tap. She hopes to one day be on Broadway and be able to tap forever.
Chuck VanZandt is Peak Music’s resident shredder and a long time student at Peak Music. Chuck’s biggest musical influence includes the late Dime Bag Darrell of Pantera, and he plays Dime’s signature flying V. When he’s not rocking out, you’ll likely find Chuck watching horror movies and hanging with his family.
Aadvik will be starting 4th grade this fall and has been learning guitar since April. This is his first performance, and he is super excited! Aadvik is a fun-loving person who likes playing with his friends and building stuff using Legos and blocks. He hopes to become a guitar-plaing engineer someday!
Maanasa is a junior at Shaker High School with a lifelong passion for music. She plays the violin and piano and, of course, loves to sing. Recently rejoining Peak Music Studios, Maanasa is excited to embrace new opportunities to grow as a musician. Her favorite music genres are R&B and indie, reflecting her diverse musical tastes. In her free time, she enjoys reading, drawing, playing violin, and singing!
Kevin is in 10th grade and loves music, art, and basketball. He is a very creative young man and loves to draw sports figures. He has been studying guitar at Peak Music for about a year and is very quick learner. Kevin has a bright future in the music and arts!
I have always loved to sing and dance and have been taking voice lessons for 5 years now. Singing makes me happy. I love performing on stage with my friends. The best feeling is making my family smile when I’m singing.
Nicole Zieba is 8 years old and full of energy and craziness! She has been with Peak Music Studios for over a year, and she loves it. Nicole has had a passion for singing since she was 6 years old. Besides singing, she enjoys swimming, boat tubing, fishing, and relaxing on the family boat. When she is not in the water, she loves mushroom picking, camping, and bike riding. Nicole loves nature and animals but at the same time she likes to go bowling, going to movies, and the water park.