My son has been studying with Fresh Start Piano Studio for over a year now. We've studied with both Mr. Kevin and currently Mr. Evan. Apart from getting quality instruction, and good technique I like that my kid enjoys going to his lessons and seeing his own improvement. These teachers are growing a love of music in my kid and I'm so glad I found these talented teachers who are adding beauty and a solid musical foundation to my kid's life. Many of our school friends go to the same studio and I noticed there are many more students now than when we started. These folks are extremely professional and clearly have a passion for their work. If you are interviewing for teachers, you should definitely check out this studio. read more

I've known about FreshStart and their teachers for a couple of years because some of my friends and my daughter's friends have been taking piano lessons with them. They all raved about the teachers so when I felt my seven year old daughter finally showed enough interest, I decided to have her go there. Kevin Kao thought that Alice would be a great teacher for my daughter and he couldn't be more right. My daughter has come home from her 45 minute lessons happy and enthusiastic about learning piano. I honestly didn't know how it would turn out, but she has shown progress over the course of several months and continues to love taking classes as well as practicing at home. Alice has been so warm and inviting and I can tell from my daughter's excitement that she enjoys every lesson. read more

During pandemic 2021, I was looking for a place that provided in-person piano lesson for my 9 year-old daughter who has never taken any piano lessons before. I emailed quite few music schools and FreshStart has the most prompt replies. FreshStart staffs are so professional and friendly. They are very patient answering all my questions and accommodated my schedule for the first trial. My daughter immediately loves FreshStart after the first trial. The place is new, clean and with energy. I especially appreciate their "Dojo" program which offers all the kids 30 minutes practice time FREE every week. I don't know how to play piano so I can't keep up with my daughter anymore. The "Dojo" program really helps my daughter improve a lot! Also, my daughter loves her teacher, Ms. Joyce. Ms. Joyce is very passion and with lots of patience at the same time. She gives my daughter a lot encouragements and great advice. My daughter is always looking forward to next piano lessons. Ms. Joyce always reminds my daughter to practice 20 minutes EVERY DAY and Ms. Joyce puts note on the portal after every lesson. I can see great improvement in my daughter's piano techniques. FreshStart also offers lessons for violin, voice, ukelele and group music classes for younger kids. FreshStart is really the BEST music school in Irvine! read more

Kevin is a knowledgeable, energetic and fun teacher who imparts good techniques and at the same time instills a lifelong appreciation of music. He is extremely professional and responsive yet warm in his communication style. I would certainly recommend him to any one who has always wanted to learn piano but never got around to it like myself. Better late than never. I am looking forward to and enjoying every lesson as my journey in this musical adventure embarks. read more

I started learning piano when I was 4 and half years old back in China. I had a very strict teacher which I later appreciated. Since I had to move around a lot during my middle school/high school years, I stopped the piano lessons. Eventually, I made my way through college in the U.S. and landed a job in Irvine. I wanted to pick up piano again because I really love music and many of my favorite classical pieces are piano works. Therefore, I wish one day I would be able to play them myself. I googled around trying to find a good teacher in Irvine area. At first, I was interested in X studio because it seemed formal and well-advertised on the internet. However, I read a bunch of bad reviews complaining about frequent staff change and other issues at X studio, I backed off. Now I am really glad I didn't go to that studio. Instead I found Kevin at FreshStart Piano Studio. I booked an interview with him and we hit it off right away. I have been learning with Kevin for a bit over a year now. I really enjoy his teaching style. He was able to identify my technical issues and correct them effectively. For example, I tend to play with only finger strength. As a result, when I play fast pieces, I felt weak. Kevin immediately noticed that I was not using my arm and wrist strength and he taught me how to fix the problem. Moreover, Kevin encouraged me to push myself. Sometimes he'd assign me more difficult pieces that I doubt if I could play them. With his patience (yes he is extremely patient) and guidance, I eventually manage to finish those difficult assignment. As an adult learner, I was concerned about my learning speed and lots of "bad habits" that I developed during my childhood piano experience. Nevertheless, Kevin was very sharp at detecting my problems and providing me several solutions to fix them. I look forward to my piano lesson every week. I always had a great time during my 60-minute music session with Kevin. Last but not least, Kevin also set up adult get-together event for his adult students. We play each other what we've been working on. It is one of my favorite part about having lessons with Kevin :) read more

My 8 yr old son has developed a passion for learning how to play the piano, read & even create music after taking classes at FreshStart. His instructor, Kevin is assertive as well as upbeat providing a positive and nurturing environment. His distinct technique keeps my son focused while enjoying every class. I highly recommend this Studio! read more

My 6-years-old daughter takes private piano lessons withMs. Tsai and group class with Ms. Clare. Their music material is systematic and they are experienced in teaching young kids. When Annabelle is confused with the music note or rhythms, they will offer her extra iPad music practice material s or digital music recording to train her brain. Annabelle progresses steadily and gains confidence from their encouragement. I feel Annabelle gets lots of individual attention from them,which she might not have in YAMAHA or other franchise commercial music school. Annabelle is happy to go to her piano class every week. read more

My sons (7 and 8) are just completing their second year of lessons at Fresh Start, and we have seen tremendous progress in their skills in this time. Our youngest started with group lessons with Ms. Claire, whom he just loves. Then in his second year he moved up to private lessons with Mr. Andy and now Ms. Gabby whom he adores as well. Our oldest has been studying with Ms. Belle for both years and really loves her learning from her. All of the instructors at Fresh Start have been super patient and loving to our boys, and as a parent who studied piano for 10+ years in my youth, I really appreciate their approach to teaching music in a positive, affirming atmosphere. Claire and Kevin have created a special studio that focuses on the talents of each individual child to help them foster a love for music. We also joined Fresh Start's choir this past year with Ms. Gabby and we noticed a real difference by the end of the year in their ability to hear pitch, control their breathing, and sing in a group. The pace of instruction is perfect for the age of our boys. They study an average of 3-4 pieces per week, and about midway through the semester lock in a recital piece for the end of semester recital (which is a blast to watch). I will say that as one who can sight read and play piano, it helps that I can help my boys practice and reinforce good technique. For parents who don't know how to play, I highly recommend taking advantage of the Dojo practice sessions to give young ones a little more guidance on how to practice (I would suggest doing it 1-2 days after their lesson, so they can know how to practice the rest of the week). You'll see faster progress that way. The studio also has a nice way of accommodating some flexibility for missed lessons (as kids will inevitably get sick sometimes). Their staff has always been professional and super responsive (with texts as well which I appreciate since I'm usually behind on personal email). There's always a sense of joy and optimism in the studio which we all need more of in this world, and which I believe instills a positive influence on all the kiddos who study here. Thank you Fresh Start for being such a great experience for our boys! read more

We found FreshStart about 2 1/2 years ago, looking for a piano teacher for my then 6 year old. Having played piano as a child myself, I was really looking for a very encouraging teacher and a positive environment where my kids would develop a love of music and the piano. We found this when we met Kevin, whose cheerful personality and patience have allowed my older one to love playing the piano and even enjoy listening to classical music! My younger one is in group lessons with Clare, who is equally patient and wonderful at fostering a love of music yet also emphasizing technique. The new studio is inviting, comfortable, and clean, which is great since I seem to spend a lot of time there! read more

My son used to have a private piano teacher who comes our home. He didn't correct my son's hand position and not let him recognize the notes, the teacher wrote the notes instead. So I finally stopped it and found fresh start studio and started to learn from Ms Liu. I can see my son has improved a lot. Even more, my 4 year old daughter just started Ms Claire's group class. She seemed very excited after class and she keep asking me to go the class everyday. I like this studio, they are professional! read more

As a child, practicing and learning piano became a nightmare to me. So when my 8yo asked to learn, I was appalled, but determined to find a piano teacher who would nurture his curiosity for music. Now only 5 months in, my now 9yo AND even my 4yo absolutely LOVE to play piano; they even fight to practice! It is a complete joy to see them thrive under Mr. Evan and Ms. Gabby. My 9yo is encouraged to learn at his own pace, and he even understands music theory to a level I never understood and appreciated. My 4yo loves the friends he has made in his group class, and even competes with them to get to get to class first; he was so proud to perform in a recital, only 3months in! I am very grateful to FreshStart Piano for bringing out a special side of my children, and even encouraging me to find my old piano pieces to re-learn and enjoy. Thank you! read more

My wife learned piano when she was young. The experience was boring and dragging via the traditional (or common) teaching method. When my wife and I looked for a piano teacher for my 7-year old son, our main concern was that my son wouldn't keep up the interest. We were lucky to find Kevin. Kevin methodologically blends in skill, theorem, dynamics since day one and keeps my son engage in learning. I can hear and feel the musical elements during my son's daily practice in the very early stage that he was not just merely hitting notes on keyboard. It's been almost 18 months since my son started lessons with Kevin. The progress is very obvious and pleasant! The most important thing is that my son continues enjoying playing piano and learning to appreciate the beauty of music. It's my great pleasure to recommend Kevin to anyone who is interested in learning piano! read more

My son has been taught by Kevin Kao at FreshStart Piano Studio for 3 years now. We absolutely love Kevin because he is extremely knowledgeable and patient. We do commute from Corona and it is worth the drive. My son has improved greatly with Kevin's help. He has made him a more well rounded pianist by making him read and memorize the music. His studio has a warm family environment and that is something hard to find nowadays. At FreshStart Piano Studio there are many qualified teachers so you can't go wrong. If you are looking for a studio that has the whole package FreshStart Piano Studio is the place. read more

When I began taking piano lessons with Kevin, I had some piano experience. However, it had been years since I studied and needed to brush up on my skills before pursuing a graduate degree in music therapy. My new degree path requires six semesters of piano courses. Kevin and I set some objectives for the mere 6 months of time we had as teacher and student, with the final goal being my placement into the 2nd piano class. Kevin is an extremely talented musician and pianist with very effective teaching methods. Based on my musical background and experience, he was able to adjust our lessons to the level of instruction that was necessary to meet our goals. We not only worked on technique, but also theory, musicality, effective practicing, and building repertoire. Thanks to Kevin's positive and encouraging teaching style, lessons were always enjoyable. Upon entrance into the university, I placed into the 5th piano class (which far surpassed our original goal), and have been growing as a pianist ever since!! I owe my continued success to Kevin and FreshStart Piano Studio, and give my highest recommendation to any level piano student that seeks instruction. read more

My very restless 4-year-old daughter has been attending Ms. Clare's group lessons for the past year. Ms. Clare has been extremely patient, always caring, thinking of different strategies to get her to sit still and remain engaged. My daughter now feels very comfortable on the piano, is excited to play, and has overcome her stage fright. It is obvious that Ms. Clare, as well as the other teachers at FreshStart care about their students, parents, and the community. I would recommend them to anyone. read more

Fresh Start Piano Studio is a clear choice for me. As an adult beginner/intermediate, Kevin is very patient and focused on making sure to achieve my goals - play music and understand keyboard theories. One of his trait that I like most is that he can see my weakness on my performance and he can teach techniques on how to execute and better perform the piano piece. Techniques in finger movement, precise beat timing, music dynamics, etc. Learning is hard work but Kevin has a way to make it fun and interesting. Also, the adult piano recital is an evening to look forward. It is a gathering of small group of adult piano students together with few adult students taking voice lessons from another school. It is a casual evening where musicians perform what they learned and share their fun experiences in music. It is a friendly environment and truly an enjoyable experience. read more