My daughter had the pleasure of having Valerie Alfonso as her piano teacher for the past five…read moreyears, and has been an excellent experience. Starting lessons at the age of 7, my daughter has gained confidence with performing in front of an audience, reading music and has an overall appreciation for music all thanks to Valerie's incredible teaching. From the very beginning, Valerie created a welcoming and nurturing environment that made learning fun and engaging (throughout Covid, too). Her patience and dedication, while also tailoring the experience to each of her students is unmatched. She provided just the right amount of challenge (and encouragement) to my daughter for her to move outside of her comfort zone and learn how to play the more complex pieces of music. Valerie not only excels in connecting with children, she makes each lesson enjoyable while at the same time instilling a strong foundation in music theory and technique. The recitals and performances organized by Valerie are always well-prepared, and each comes with a fun theme -- doing so makes the feelings of nervousness a student may be feeling (especially their first recital) lessened because Valerie doesn't put unnecessary pressure on her students and continually cultivates an environment of creativity and fun. I am immensely grateful for the positive impact that Valerie has had on my daughter's musical journey. It is because of the foundation Valerie created and cultivated over the last five years that my daughter felt the confidence to register for the middle school band. If you're looking for a piano teacher who is not only highly skilled but also kind, encouraging and passionate about teaching, look no further than Valerie Alfonso. Thank you Valerie, for five wonderful years of music education and memories!

Mrs. Alfonso is a very great piano teacher! She is very patient when teaching and never pushes a…read morestudent to do a piece. My two kids have been with her for 8 years and they are very happy. Mrs. Alfonso is the greatest (not "one of") piano teacher my kids have been with! I recommend her to you whether you or your kids are just starting piano or they are achieving to more excellence. Kerwin Li (Elk Grove, CA)

Simply the best! A little pricey, but you get what you pay for, yeah? Our daughter has flourished…read morein the 5+ years she has been here! Voice lessons (thank you sooo much Stevie), guitar lessons (thank you Mike), and the innumerable group leaders in the Performance Bands Sophia has participated in. Our daughter, now 14, once shy, now fearlessly performed for her Middle School Awards Ceremony! You can't "buy" confidence & grace under pressure...unless maybe your child attends SOR! Thank you SOR Elk Grove! Rock on! As we leave for Tennessee, Sophia will continue at SOR (Knoxville). Again, thank you! :)

I went to a concert this past weekend to watch my nephew at Silt Winery. He is a student at School…read moreof Rock. He and other students gave an amazing show! I was so impressed. I can see that these kids love to showcase their talent. Great job kids. And to the teachers - Thank you for helping the students discover their passion for music and for making each lesson fun and engaging. Your influence has been instrumental in their growth as a musician. Thank you for your patience and dedication. Bravo to you!

I just wanted to share what a fantastic experience we've had at New Songs in East…read moreSacramento--especially with Ms. Terry! Our daughter has been learning music here, and Ms. Terry has truly made a lasting impression. She's always welcoming, patient, and incredibly kind with her students. The way she guides them--with genuine care, encouragement, and warmth--really sets her apart. It's rare to find a teacher who connects so naturally with her students, and Ms. Terry does exactly that. She's such a valuable asset to the organization, and we feel very lucky to have her as part of our daughter's musical journey. Highly recommend!

Music classes for little kids. Is it chaotic? YUP. Is it noisy? YUP. Do the kids enjoy themselves…read moreand learn at least a little something about music? YUP. Look, for my experience (a just turned 4 year old), it is a good general exposure to music. Learn songs, sing, improvise, learn a bit about rhythm. All good. Is your kid going to walk out of here the next child prodigy? Well, maybe your kid is, but generally speaking, nah. But it will give them an introduction to music instruction that can be foundational for their next steps in development (piano lessons, anyone?). I believe that the school offers more than just the classes for the REALLY little ones, so maybe that transition to the next step can happen right here. The instructors are very patient, and boy, you need it with some of these kiddos. We'll keep going for a while, at least!

Teacher Liz at Music Yard has been wonderful for my daughter's piano lessons. She does such a great…read morejob building confidence while helping her learn and improve each week. Liz is patient, encouraging, and keeps my daughter motivated and on track with her progress. What we appreciate most is how she also helps guide us as parents so we know how to support our daughter's practice and learning at home. It really feels like she's invested in her success. We're very grateful for Teacher Liz and the positive learning environment she creates. Highly recommend her for anyone looking for a supportive and skilled piano teacher!

Poor customer service. I took an instrument to them to be repaired, called them 6 weeks later and…read morethey did not know where my instrument was. Megan said they would call me back. I called them back later that day and the next day, the manager did not bother to get on the phone with me but was relaying messages to Megan on the phone. They assured me they would be calling me back. The next day. I received a text message letting me know it would be six more weeks and the manager would update me. I had yet to talk to a manager or receive an apology. I texted back that it was unacceptable since they already had it 6 weeks and they lost it. They said they would try to get it done as soon as possible. Two weeks later I was informed the manager would be picking up the instrument and would contact me. A week later Gabe contacted me and was very apologetic for the situation. This was the first apology that I had received. Gabe is the reason this review got one star. He went above and beyond to apologize, communicate and called me more than once. I did get the instrument back. However, when I went to go pick it up, Megan acted like she did not want to help me or recognize that I was in the store. I paid over $300 to have the instrument fixed and my daughter informed me not all the pads were replaced. Very disappointed in this music store and the customer service received. I will be using a different music store in the future

Raquela is very bESt Vocal Teacher in Northern California. She helps her students to go and…read morePerform. She is very positive and her teaching really takes the student to next level where they can shine on the Stage. Reviews are just snapshot of what she does, you really need to take her Vocal lesson to become Better Singer. Right Teacher always gives right direction and makes journey more efficient and productive. Here is proof of her one student to whom she assisted to shine. https://fox40.com/2017/11/14/12-year-old-musical-prodigy-plays-44-instruments-practices-6-hours-a-day/

I feel obligated to post this review because Raquela has personally helped me so much with my…read morevoice. I only wish I could have started lessons with her earlier. I've sung on teams for years at our church, but when I finally heard myself on YouTube I knew I needed professional help. LOL. What makes Raquela the consummate voice instructor? She has a true depth of understanding of what needs to come together in order to sing well-- the musculature, breathing, psyche. She is also extremely articulate, so she can explain these intricacies to me. An excellent observer, she truly listens to me and watches me sing, providing constructive criticism. Just a glimpse of the level of her expertise-- she was asked to teach lessons in breathing to her fellow Broadway singers!! She cares deeply and is fully committed to the growth of her students, personally invested for sure. Any student who listens to her and works hard will get to the next level. What's more, she's even tech savvy, so she hasn't missed a beat during COVID and is still teaching fabulous lessons through Zoom.

I am so in love with Rachael's work. She made my violin come alive again. Her pricing is very…read morereasonable. The drive to her place was a bit of a pain coming from Elk Grove, but It was worth it. Now I have a concert ready violin, unfortunately I am not concert ready.

I am so glad I connected with Rachael! She is a pleasure to work with and obviously very…read moreknowledgeable. I wanted to learn to play again, so I took my very old, and somewhat abused, violin. It is perfect. I would say it looks like new, but it doesn't - that's not what I wanted! My violin had some structural issues, but mostly it was just old and need to be refurbished. You would never know that it had been repaired. Rachael is very detail oriented. She explains everything the violin needs in detail - including the expected cost. She came in right on budget. Honestly, I'm a bit verklempt to to have my violin back. I can not thank Rachael enough for her amazing work.

I wanted a nylon string of my own, and Trinidad helped me find one I am extremely happy with. After…read moretesting a few for their action, feel, and sound, he brought me a 1965 Model 900 Giannini that has aged surprisingly well. Trinidad even cleaned and restored the guitar whilst telling me more about its history. I am a proud owner and will do my best to preserve my beautiful guitar.

While the band was in California, I had to go to a Music Go Round. It's a store that sells used…read moregear. This one was somewhat small but there were some deals to be found. I just wanted to buy a keepsake to remember the trip. I found a used Hobo Drive that had been marked down. Got it for less than $60 and it usually goes for more. I did see a used Studio 3 - this is really old from the 90's. I used to work for the company that made it. Those were good times!

Expensive instrument rental. If you need an instrument go find someone to borrow from or go buy…read moreonline or something. I haven't played my trumpet since elementary school and I wanted lessons to re-learn the basics. The guy never answered my questions so I left. As for piano lessons, I'm pretty sure you can find someone in your neighborhood to teach you. There are a bunch of people out there who have the talent of piano playing.

Horrible customer service. The teacher is always sick and they make their son teach the lesson…read moreinstead. Very unprofessional.

Stopped by the shop while visiting from out of town. Had a good selection of instruments and some…read moreinteresting unique guitars. Paul was super helpful and we had good conversations about gear and possibly getting a tube amp repaired in the future. It's a few hours from home, but I plan to be back. Good people and good service. 2 Thumbs up from me.

This place was a staple during my teen band years. Sheet music, reeds, guitar strings and I had no…read moreidea they had only been open about a year at the time. It was as cozy then as now. Looking like it had been there for 200 years. I've popped in over the years when I'm in town for the usual. Last week it was to talk about freshening up my autoharp. As I walked in a clocked a hammered dulcimer in the corner. I've wanted one for years! After my autoharp questions were answered I asked about the hammered dulcimer. It was on consignment and had been for nearly a year. I asked how much it was and it could be in my price range. I was excited. They called the seller and we made a deal. So excited. It's a hammered dulcimer made in Nevada City. So special. No matter what you need in the music world this store has you covered even 50 years later. Everyone so friendly so helpful. Helped me carry my new instrument out to my car and gave me great ideas for my autoharp.

Horrible! Dan…read morePool's words: "...I need to be able to expect a consistent income. It should be rare for you to miss a lesson. If all my students miss just one lesson and don't pay that adds up to a lot for me." Me: "I am talking more about make up lessons for lessons changed in advance. Any provisions? And what if your student falls ill?" Dan Pool: "If I am sick I will cancel the lesson and you will not have to pay. If the student is sick then yes, you have to pay. Something to consider: I do not teach on holidays and my students do not pay for those days although they themselves might still get paid from their employers." My response: "You know when you give provisions you are still paid but your clients give you in-advanced notice for the need to change the day and time for a lesson. Why do you think that you are above your clients that when you are sick you are ok to cancel on us like we are at your disposal and then when it is the other way around then you have no way out for your clients? No way we are taking you as my children's teacher! If all you care about is income not your clients that is why you are losing customers and now looking for new ones who would leave you very soon anyways."

My daughter has been taking piano lessons with Dan for a year and a half and she has really enjoyed…read moreher time. He tailors his teaching for each student so that they get the best experience and knowledge for their individual goals. He is patient, encouraging and supportive. We highly recommend Dan if you are looking to learn to play piano!