Kelsey is a very encouraging and creative teacher! With her, I rekindled my interests for piano :D…read more The environment of the classroom and its surroundings is also very nice. It's very quiet and helps you concentrate. I recommend coming to class with some questions in mind, and also know what you are interested in and how she can help you learn. You'll have a wonderful experience!

I've been learning piano with Kelsey for about 2 years now, and my experience has been wonderful…read more As a first-time adult piano student, I'm thrilled that she has had the patience and encouragement to take me through the theory of piano and music. She has given me a solid foundation in classical music, and is always eager to work on the pieces I want to work on. I highly recommend Kelsey's piano lessons, she is a super friendly instructor!

I've been learning fiddle with Robin for 2 years, and I'm so grateful I ended up with her as my…read moreteacher! I played classical piano growing up, and when I started to play the fiddle, I wanted to learn not only how to play with musicality but also new things like how to play by ear and how to improvise. Robin's been absolutely amazing at teaching me how to sound good AND how to play by ear and improvise... as well as a lot about musical theory I didn't know to ask about! She has so much experience with all types of traditional music, and both a deep respect for traditions and a joy in experimenting with new things. When she teaches me a tune, it's not just about the music, but the story and context behind it, and the ways it's traditionally played. If we improvise something a little different, she'll delight in good music while also pointing out if we've veered from what traditional musicians would do. Robin is an outstanding teacher and I'd highly recommend her for anyone interested in learning fiddle, mandolin, and guitar!

I've been taking fiddle lessons, as an adult beginner, from Robin for a few months. She's…read morefantastic. Robin quickly identified that I needed to work on rhythm and has been helping me make my music more fiddley, without hyperfocusing on intonation and scales. Robin's strength is that she's deeply embedded in the local music community and can share tribal knowledge only gained from years of jams. She deeply cares about her students, personalizes lessons, and will often go overtime to ensure you have the videos, recordings for practice until the next lesson.

Karen has been teaching our teenage son guitar for a couple of years. He is thoroughly enjoying…read moreexploring various styles of music and he looks forward to his weekly lessons. Karen has met him where he is at in terms of his learning style and has been so supportive of him finding his own musical nature. It's been an invaluable addition to our son's life having a kind and knowledgable guitar teacher who has gently pushed him out of his comfort zone (ie performing solo at a recital gathering). We couldn't be happier having a skilled & talented teacher like Karen in our son's life.

My son started guitar lessons with Karen over a year ago and is very excited to be constantly…read morelearning a range of pieces she has introduced to him, from classical to jazz, as well as how to read music and improve his technique. Karen has been so attentive, encouraging, and instructive in helping him grow as a musician - he looks forward to his lessons with her every week!

Warning: Long one, coming in hot!…read more For the longest time, after my vocal nodule injury, (a rough, blister/callus that forms after over-use/incorrect voice technique), I thought that music was an arena that I no longer could visit. But one evening, a decade later, as I had done many nights before, searched Craigslist for vocal coaches that had experience with my injury. The copy in her ad was cool. Our email exchange was revealing. So... I took the plunge. What I thought I was getting: a voice teacher on my journey back to music. What I got instead: a guru, life coach, music shaman and career planner. Like a bountiful apple tree, she's brimming with knowledge on all aspects of musicianship and what it means to be a professional. It's just sitting in her Oakland studio, (or online right now, as we're living in the time of Corona.) All of this while maintaining a casual and down to earth persona. Having been together for two months now, my musical aptitude and powers are bubbling up from their dormant sleep into my fingers and throat.If you're willing to work hard, embrace humility and listen, I can assure you that whatever gift is buried inside of you will burst from your soul into whatever reality that is. Lindy has been an invaluable part of my life. At the risk of coming across as a shill, my only regret was not meeting her 10 years sooner. My life would've been markedly different. If you have music in your heart without the knowledge to pull it out, contact Lindy today and live your life with one less regret.

Saying that Lindy is great at everything related to music, though slightly hyperbolic, is totally…read moretrue from my perspective. I can only remember maybe just a few small things over the years where maybe she wasn't totally familiar with something I asked her about, but after a week she'd be knowledgable, and after a month she was an expert. The dedication that she brings to growing and polishing her own abilities get equally applied to her students and clients. She will help you achieve your goals. Facts. She's thoughtful, creative, flexible, well-connected, and perhaps most importantly, honest. Ambition and dreams aren't enough when you are talking about developing a skill, you also need a plan. Lindy can not only teach you the fundamentals about what you're trying to learn, but she'll also teach you how to put them all together. She will help you get where you want to go and be who you want to be. That's the story for me anyways and I've seen the same happen for her other students and clients. I am super grateful for her contributions to my career.

Viki is a wonderful instructor for all levels of players. I began taking lessons with her in…read moreSeptember 2021 and have enjoyed every session I've had. I was hesitant to learn an instrument as an adult but was referred to her through a friend who also plays the violin. I came in with no other goal than fulfilling a childhood dream, and she has displayed phenomenal kindness and patience in teaching me this brand new skill. She is quick to encourage a variety of perspectives to help me understand techniques and theory, while providing supplemental research material for my enjoyment whenever I get curious about different topics. Her hours are flexible and she offers both in person and online instruction.

I want able to use due to short notice but super friendly and helpful with referrals!read more

Violin/Viola Lessons- East Oakland Stephanie Railsback is an…read moreexcellent viola and violin teacher in Oakland. My daughter has been taking from Stephanie for 6 years and she has enjoyed every minute. Stephanie is patient, nurturing and very encouraging. She uses the Suzuki method, but is happy to add other styles to suit your child ( my daughter wanted to play fiddle and Lindsey Stirling tunes). Stephanie wants your child to be engaged so she is always open to discovering what interests and excites each musician. She has helped my shy child become more comfortable with performing and has coached her through several years of the ASTACAP certificate program which helped give my daughter a goal work towards. The yearly recitals feel like family, and I enjoy seeing all the musicians progress. My daughter will be going onto college next year, but she plans to continuing playing in that setting, and we owe all of this to Stephanie.

My two teen daughters and I have all studied with Amy…read more I would recommend her enthusiastically to *any* interested student regardless of age, gender, skill, ambition, or genre of interest. If that sounds like a strong statement, then you read it right! And if you perhaps feel bit scared, worried you won't be good enough, like you might disappoint the teacher or they'll criticize you, then I *especially* recommend Amy. Yes, her technical knowledge of the human voice runs very deep (as deep as her credentials suggest), and that's important. But more than that, she is a genuinely warm, caring, patient, and supportive human being. She's always going to be on your side, and I think you will feel so much more at ease within minutes of getting started. I'm grateful that my kids have Amy in their lives, and for all that I have learned from her myself!

Amy is an amazing voice teacher. She has taken my singing to a whole new level. Along with teaching…read morehealthy vocal technique, Amy is a kind and caring human being who really wants you to succeed. And, along with being an amazing teacher, she is hilarious and often makes me laugh! I feel so blessed to have found Amy.

Wow! This was such a delightful experience. Octopretzel was great at getting the kids engaged and…read moreeven the adults loved the music! Highly recommend and we hope to have them back.

Melita is a super star of the kids music scene! Her eclectic music selection is silly, fun, earthy…read moreand magical. Kids get to dance, play instruments, contribute ideas and have an all around great time. In our house, we are singing songs we learned with Melita every day. She brings her magical style to kid classics as well as her own material. Our whole family LOVES Melita's class!