By Beverly Meaux | Posted January 29, 2026
Sabina Patel brings an extraordinary background that combines classical training with a modern approach to music education.
Sabina Patel, founder and president of the newly opened Hashtag Music Academy in Skillman (Princeton address).
Now accepting students, her Hashtag Music Academy offers piano, violin, and voice instruction for serious music students of all ages and ability levels. The academy emphasizes an immersive, curriculum-based approach inspired by the structured teaching methods Patel experienced while growing up in Uzbekistan — methods designed to develop not just performance skills, but deep musical understanding.
Patel began studying piano at the age of six, practicing daily and following in the footsteps of her grandmother, a professional singer and pianist, and her mother, an accomplished pianist who later became a physician.
At seven years old, Patel was accepted into the prestigious Republican Specialized Music School named after V.A. Uspensky in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where she did nine years of intensive professional music training.
Sabina Patel grew up in Uzbekistan.
She continued her education at the Academic Lyceum for Gifted Children at the State Conservatory of Uzbekistan. There, she studied for three years under Professor Sayora A. Gafurova, an international performer. During this time, Patel also worked as a piano accompanist at the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre and collaborated with performers and music directors at both the Bolshoi and the Diydor Theatre- Studio in Tashkent — experiences she said strengthened her skills as both a performer and teacher.
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While music was always central to her life, Patel had also pursued a long-held dream of diplomacy. She was accepted into the University of World Economy and Diplomacy, completing five years of study in global economics, political strategy, and international relations. She then worked in television, before she felt the pull of music once again and formalized her teaching career by opening a music studio in Uzbekistan with a partner.
Patel moved to Montgomery four years ago after marrying her husband — Rupesh J. Patel, a technology entrepreneur and president of Kyosis, a NJ-based parking-technology company that delivers smart infrastructure projects.
“My husband, while he is not involved in the academy’s operations, has offered his entrepreneurial insight and support, and encouraged my vision,” she says.
Sabina focuses on helping students understand the “why” behind the music — developing independent thinkers who learn theory, harmony, listening skills, and ensemble performance alongside technique.
Rather than relying on once-aweek lessons or learning popular songs purely by muscle memory, her students attend lessons at least twice per week and follow a structured curriculum. This better prepares students for competitions, auditions, school and university admissions, and ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) exams, she says.
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The academy is open daily with studios outfitted with new Yamaha Clavinova CSP-150 digital pianos, which combine authentic piano touch with interactive learning technology. Features include guided key-lighting, instant sheet-music generation, built-in accompaniment, and ensemble capabilities.
711 Executive Drive, Princeton
Website: hashtagmusicacademy.com
Phone: 732.880.0355
