I was looking up YMC online for the calendar and Yelp site came up second on the list. I was amused…read moreby the rating so I read all the reviews and felt compelled to write my own. I sent my 2 kids (now 15 and 11) to YMC for over 6 years. First of all, the parents must expect to be part of the system in order for it to work, at least for several years. If the plan is to drop a 4-year-old kid off once a week and expect the kid to come home practice, unleash his/her undying love for music, while cannot wait to boast to your friends and family that your child is a musician, you are kidding yourself. The group lesson is a little over $100 for about 4 lessons a month, I doubt a private tutor goes for less than that, or an hour a week is close to sufficient.... For us, group lessons for the kids at the beginning worked out well. You and your child get to find out if you are up for more serious commitment later. The class setting gives kids a chance to learn with their peers. You know if your child is ahead/behind and you work with your child. YOU get to learn the same time as your children, so you can reinforce what's taught, at least at the beginning. Consider you are paying for 1 and get 1 free. The start is going to be slow. Learning music is not easy. If I pay for private lesson instead I would most likely not be invited to listen in and unable to assist with the child's progress. Yamaha trains through what they consider the correct way, where kids tend to like to play by ears, they learn to read the music scores, study music theory (yikes to some), and it is not necessarily easy or fun for most. Looking back, if you wonder if it's too early to put the kid in piano at age 4 or 5, my daughter is able to achieve more than my son at her age, despite they are 4 years apart. Even though my son is playing more difficult pieces, as he's older, with more strength and longer hand reach, she progressed faster and completed the same level tests as him. Now that my son is in high school, his school work load and his other interests make it much harder to commit to playing piano. If you are to push your child to play an instrument, 4-14 is likely the period they can be pushed as they have the free time to do so, AND before the teenager weirdness kicks in. So while a child could barely play a simple Christmas song after a year in group lesson, ability to play fluently at intermediate level (like learning to speak) comes after the second year for mine. Practice at home is so important. I sat with my kids at least a couple times a week for years, plus they were expected to practice on their own for 2 times. I stopped sitting down with them last year, for at some point in time kids should learn to 'take care of their own chores/practices' especially they have all the tools to succeed on their own without their parents. Our teacher, Ms. Ana, is very nice, talented and works very hard. She has a lot on her plate, so it comes down to us the parents to help the kids with organizing - because guess what - my kids have poor organization skills, and it's nobody but the parents' job to teach and preach, even if it frustrates me to no end why they are so difficult to teach :) Over the years, under Ms. Ana, my kids had played many difficult pieces and composed several, and even though they did not earn them first prizes, and the push at home was tiresome, it's a proud accomplishment and memory for us looking back - and I have plenty of concert videos to look back to. Last week we went to a relative's home for Thanksgiving lunch; they had a piano and my kids went and played without being told. That, to me, is the true accomplishment - they love playing music, and one true gift a parent can give to a child, a skill to play a music instrument that lasts a lifetime. For those who find their teachers with accent they cannot understand, I could only suggest you speak with the front desk and ask for a different time slot for another teacher; speak with them in person before committing perhaps. For the director, we don't interact with her much, but she has always been courteous to us. To put things in perspective, she does not play a part in the child's learning experience, I would not rate the school poorly because of a poor interacting experience between the adults, but that's just me. In summary, playing music, like sports, is not for everyone; it's totally understandable, and most kids are not born self-motivated geniuses. I want my kids to learn how to play piano good, and the Yamaha system works for my kids, Ms. Ana is patient and kind, and I'm sure my kids' classmates and their parents will agree to that. The group lesson supposedly ended after the 6th year; the kids actually love the class so much they wish to continue, and Ms. Ana is providing them new ensemble pieces to play. That is where my 5 star is based on, from 6 years of experience with the school.

Very disappointing experience. After realizing the program wasn't a good fit for my 5-year-old, I…read morerequested a refund. Instead of a simple resolution, I dealt with weeks of delays, poor communication, and an unfair outcome. The customer service was far more disappointing than the financial loss. Parents should be aware that if you need to withdraw, don't expect a prompt or customer-friendly resolution.

***Highly recommend Mr.Felix**** We started with We Play…read moreMusic and Mr. Felix last year, and he has been the best piano teacher for our son. He is very kind and patient, and our son always looks forward to his piano classes. He helped our son complete two RCM levels, and we're so grateful for his guidance. Mr. Felix listens to the kids, encourages them to be creative, and teaches them based on their interests. At the same time, he gives them a gentle push when needed to keep them motivated and on track with their RCM goals. He is also great at keeping parents updated, with clear communication, planning, and instructions, so we always know what to expect. We honestly couldn't have asked for a better piano teacher for our son. Also, the front desk staff are amazing! They are always friendly, helpful, and welcoming. We highly recommend We Play Music to anyone looking for a great music school.

**Highly Recommend Mr. Joseph!** Mr. Joseph is an incredible…read moredrum coach! He has been teaching my son for more than 3 years now, and the progress has been amazing. My son absolutely looks up to him as the "GOAT" and has started taking his drumming so much more seriously because of his mentorship. What makes Mr. Joseph truly stand out is how exceptionally well he prepares students for the big stages. Whether it's practicing for individual recitals or keeping up with the intense precision needed for drumline, his teaching style is spot-on. He knows exactly how to motivate kids, build their confidence, and teach excellent technique. We are so grateful for his dedication over the years!

One of the nicest and the most knowledgeable piano instructors in Southern California. She is…read moreextremely caring and understanding and doesn't mind explaining something over and over again until you fully learn it. I like it that she starts from the basics and teaches classical songs as well as contemporary and pop songs. It's also great that she offers both online and in person classes. I fully recommend her both to beginners and intermediate students. Her classes are worth every penny

I took piano a while back in college but unfortunately I didn't learn much! a friend of mine…read moreintroduced me to Yass Piano since her kid was learning piano with Yassi and was making a good progress! I'm so happy I took her advice because I thought I will never learn to play piano but now I can call myself a professional! ;) her teaching style is easy, effective, and practical! you will learn how to use your fingers correctly when playing, learn to read notes, and you will be motivated to play over and over until you get her approval! Yassi is patient and helps you to gain confidence in playing! all in all she is a great teacher and I will recommend her piano lessons to everyone!

Great music center! Friendly staff that is always willing to help you out. I was looking to…read morepurchase a cello fir my daughter but didn't want to spend thousands of dollars. The sales person (I forgot his name) took time to help me and find a cello that wasn't too expensive but also good quality. My daughter loves her cello! We will be coming here for all our music needs from here on out!

We had a poor experience from start to end unfortunately…read more I had called and left three voicemails over the span of two weeks, different days and different times. I never got a call back, and I decided to try once more where I finally got someone and booked a session. (Our other local music school was relocating farther from us, and my daughter really wanted lessons.) Our lessons were.. okay. They didn't always start promptly and they were usually in tiny, hot rooms big enough for one small folding chair (plus instrument and standing student with teacher). We tried it out for a couple months and it was not for us. When canceling, they assured me it would be okay, but of course they continued to charge us the following months. I called, and again no return messages. I called again, spoke to someone and they said James would call me back, but not a word since two weeks ago. I had to dispute the charges with my card, but save yourself the effort I went through and seek lessons elsewhere.

We have been taking piano lessons with Ms Jenise for last 6 months. My daughter needed a lot of…read morehelp with her theory and notes reading when she 1st started. Ms Jenise has been so very kind and patient with her. She encouraged my daughter while pushing her gently to make strong basics in piano. My daughter loves going to her piano class every week. Ms Jenise is very hard working and easily approachable. I would highly recommend her to anyone who really wants to succeed in piano.

My son has been learning piano with Ms. Jenise for seven years, and we feel incredibly lucky to…read morehave found her. She is very professional and always gives clear, detailed guidance, but she's also kind, patient, and encouraging. My son truly enjoys his lessons with her. Ms. Jenise has taught him how to practice smart and build strong skills, and her guidance has really paid off. He has won multiple awards in competitions, and next year he'll even have the chance to perform at Carnegie Hall under her instruction. We're so grateful for Ms. Jenise and highly recommend her to anyone looking for a wonderful piano teacher!

I discovered McCormick a year ago when I found a beginner's open jam session on Meetup. At that…read moretime I had been learning bass for about 5 years on my own through YouTube tutorials and tabs. It used to take me several weeks just to learn one whole song at tempo. Improvisation skills were at zero. Plus, I didn't know anyone else who played an instrument, so I wasn't making much progress. The two times I had previously attempted joining a random open jam, I was completely lost and frustrated. But then I attended that first McCormick jam session... What I love about the open jams is that it's run by an instructor, so they'll often suggest easier songs and run through the chords on a whiteboard before starting. The people that attend are welcoming and friendly for all skill levels, and it's nice to see the same faces come back each month. Beginner/intermediate players get a chance to play along to easier songs, but there's also a chance for more advanced players to improvise and solo. I wound up having so much fun that first time, that I signed up for private lessons the week after, and have been going to the monthly jam sessions ever since. If you take private lessons, you can also sign up to join a student band that practices once a week to perform at concerts 4x a year. For beginners/intermediate who think they're not good enough to join a band, or if none of your friends are musically inclined, this is PERFECT. No matter who much you practice by yourself and can play along to a recording at home, it doesn't beat playing live in a group. Private lessons + band practice + monthly jams have seriously leveled up my skills in the past year. Now, I can learn a song well enough to survive a jam session with only a couple run throughs beforehand if I've never heard it before. I can survive a 12 bar blues jam without any prep. Plus I've also connected with a couple people during the jam sessions, and am now learning 3-4 new songs each week! Also, shout out to Jules who's helped me learn songs much faster by simplifying basslines that I thought were too hard to play, and getting me to work more on listening and improvisation instead of relying 100% on tabs. He's an excellent and encouraging teacher, and I've picked up tons of tips and advice in the past year. Really happy I found McCormick! I've always loved playing an instrument, but it's 100x more fun if you get to play with other people.

Amazing teacher, amazing students , amazing learning environment to really grow and harness…read moremusical skills. I would give it 10,000 stars if I could.

My 8 year old daughter has taken piano lessons at St. John's for 2 years. We love the location, we…read morelove her teachers and we love the music recitals! We believe that a love and knowledge of music is an important life skill that effects many different areas of one's life - emotionally, spiritually and even academically. Therefore, we make music and music lessons a priority in our family and in our home. And besides, it's fun! Our daughter has such joy and confidence as she plays the many songs that she has now mastered!

We have attended the music conservatory for 4 years now. The caliber of teachers is unparalleled…read moreand my children have both become proficient piano players under their tutelage. The facility is quaint and charming with lots of parking. There are always lots of children around so my kids enjoy spending time with friends they see each week while waiting for their lesson to begin. We highly recommend Miss Kim- she is patient, wise, and so skilled!

My son is a goofball who has some struggles with social settings and being around people he doesn't…read moreknow. We enrolled him in Rock 101 on guitar because of his interest in music, lack of interest in sports, and our desire to get him involved in something that would force him out of his comfort zone. The results have been more than I could have asked for. We're approaching 2 years in, he's performed about 6 concerts now (each time feeling less and less anxious), and has developed a real skill. His private teacher Cameron is just awesome, and has provided our son with consistent, encouraging feedback. He's made our son comfortable in a way I didn't expect from this place. We signed up our younger son for drums, and he loves it as well. I highly encourage kids to sign up. It's free to try out and the monthly cost is worth every penny. Our kids are ages 6 and 9 and love it.

They offer trial class, so I took my kid there to try. It's about 4-5 kids got together in the room…read moreand playing different instruments and since my kid was new and she didn't know what to do and it's very loud inside that they didn't warn us or offered us headphone to protect my kids's ears till I asked about it. We wanted our kid to focus on guitar, but their way of making a band looks a little chaotic to me without a good system...not exactly what we were looking for. We checked out and also found out the price was very high and we knew that it's not a place for us. Recommend people to take the trail class they offer first before making a decision to see if that's something you and your kids are looking for. Once you signed up, I don't know how easy of getting out of the contract.