Meet the Team!

Music Therapist

Peri Strongwater (she/her) MA, MT-BC, is a music therapist who somehow turned a lifelong obsession with harmonies, movie scores, and human emotion into an actual job. Originally drawn to film composition, she realized she was far more fascinated by why and how people connect to music — and how music could help people hear better, breathe easier, find their voice, or simply get through the hard stuff.

Peri earned her BA in music and psychology from Skidmore College in 2011, and her MA in mental health counseling with a specialization in Music Therapy from Lesley University in 2018.
In 2015, she launched DoReMe&You, an early childhood music program that then evolved into Strongwater Studios, where she’s now celebrating 10 years as a business owner. Through Strongwater Studios, she’s led music lessons, summer programs, multigenerational sessions, baby classes, and senior living and memory care programs — and probably a few other projects she’s forgotten about, thanks to her other major life achievement: (birthing small humans who do not sleep).

In 2020, she founded the Music Therapy Program at Mass Eye and Ear, where she’s spent 5+ years making music part of the hospital’s heartbeat, integrating music into specialty medical care.
Along the way, she’s picked up honors like winning the AMTAS Presidential Challenge (2023) and placing 2nd in the Yoto Original Audio Contest (2024) for creating a kid-friendly, song-based intro to music theory.

Her unstoppable talking reflex has tricked organizers into letting her share her expertise publicly at Mass General Brigham corporate headquarters, Berklee College of Music, Boston University and multiple NERAMTA conferences.

She now works at the crossroads of mental health, medicine, voicework, hearing loss, cochlear implants, and inpatient care. If there’s a moment when music could help someone process, cope, or communicate, she’s probably there, guitar in hand, quietly plotting how to use music to meet today’s non-musical purpose.
​
When she’s not orchestrating medically driven music experiences, she’s likely listening to Nickel Creek, I’m With Her, Papadosio, Umphrey’s McGee, James Horner, Stephen Schwartz, Tchaikovsky, Bernstein, Dvořák... or whatever Original Broadway Cast recording she has stuck in her head this week.

Music Specialist

Taylor Marsyla (he/they) is a non-binary voice teacher with a passion for providing affirming voice lessons.

Taylor received their BA from Southeast Missouri State University in 2016, as a double major in Vocal Music Education and Vocal Music Performance. Taylor has been teaching private voice lessons since graduating and taught high school choir and elementary music. Taylor found that they enjoyed the meaningful benefits music brought to their students and wanted to expand upon that idea. Taylor decided to pursue a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling with a Specialization in Music Therapy at Lesley University. Taylor interned as a music therapist at Mass Eye and Ear Hospital, primarily working with trans and non-binary patients using music as a tool for gender affirming work with the voice. As part of their final year at Lesley, they will be interning at Bournewood Hospital.

Taylor has extensive experience providing voice lessons for gender diverse individuals and has been a part of various LGBTQIA+ advocacy concerts. Taylor plans to create a non-profit organization centered around providing quality mental health care for LGBTQIA+ individuals in rural areas of the country.

In addition to singing, Taylor plays the piano, guitar, saxophone, and oboe. Taylor loves songwriting almost as much as they love playing video games. They spend most of their time playing Dungeons and Dragons with their twin and friends. 

Voice lessons with Taylor include the use of exercises tailored (no pun intended) to your specific vocal goals. Goals may include: vocal flexibility, sustainability, maintenance, range expansion, genre exploration, and expansion of expressive qualities among any other personal objective. Lessons will also include learning and singing music you love and chose to work on.

Music Therapist

Nicole Frederick (she/her) has been teaching privately since 2008. After receiving her Bachelor's in Music Education at the Crane School of Music in 2014, Nicole taught Elementary Music in Boston for two years. She recently completed her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, specializing in Music Therapy, at Lesley University.
 
Nicole grew up in a musical home. Her parents encouraged her pursuit of music, starting her on violin when she was 4. She continued her studies of violin through school and in a private orchestra, which challenged her to express music in new ways. This experience led her to pursue music professionally. 
 
While studying at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, Nicole completed a specialization in Special Education, where she was introduced to Music Therapy. Her experience teaching in Boston developed her interest in meeting alternative goals using music, encouraging her to pursue her Masters in Music Therapy.
 
Nicole enjoys exploring music with all ages, in a variety of settings. She has performed with several pit orchestras and professional orchestras, but particularly enjoys playing in chamber groups. She also enjoys outdoor activities, reading, being creative in the kitchen, and yoga.
​
​Teaching Strengths: Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Guitar, Ukulele, Piano