This is a warning for anyone who's considering employment here or working with Valery Goldes. I…read morehighly recommend reading this to the end. Thanks. In late January, prior to my move to LA, I was hired by Val as an in-home piano instructor with a mutual understanding that although I wouldn't have a full roster of students yet, I would start out with at least one student and build. Up until late May when I reached out to Val for the final time, I had worked a total of 0 seconds for him. After three months, I had asked him multiple times for work, offered to drive far distances to accommodate any student, and he had ghosted me for a month. I couldn't believe it when he said that there were no students available for me in the entire Los Angeles area. Now, I'm fully aware that I moved here voluntarily as a working musician. But I didn't come here blindly. I had accepted Val's offer under the mutual understanding that I would at least start with one student or have work available very soon (part time into full time). Would I have taken this job if he had been transparent about the lack of any demand for teachers in LA (which I find extremely hard to believe) and that it could be a long time until I start working? NO. LA is a popular destination for working musicians and I know how important it is for us to secure work here. I know a few myself who moved or are planning to. So with this in mind, I explained to Val that if I'm not given any work soon, I have no choice but to warn others about taking a job with him, because there's a strong chance they won't get any, like me! But guess what? Instead of understanding my real need for work (you know, as someone he hired to...work), he started by insisting that I call him over a recorded line. When I refused, he fired me and said that if I tell anyone about this, he would sue me for "defamation". I never laughed so hard in my life. At least give me some work before you fire me haha. So, I proceeded to explain to him that most businesses don't threaten to sue people for leaving reviews or talking with other people because they reflect the individual experience of the reviewer. They understand that the validity of the testimony should be left to the reader's discretion. So it's very telling that he'd threaten me like that. I'm not scared one bit about his threats, and I made that loud and clear for him. Lol After this ordeal, I talked more with fellow musicians and teachers around the city. Many of them related to my experience and said to watch out for things like this in future jobs, especially to avoid an experience as nasty as this one. For anyone interested, I have all the emails and texts ready to share. Thank you.

Valery has been my piano instructor for the past several months. I was a raw beginner when I…read morestarted lessons with him and have been astonished with how quickly I have been able to grasp some of them more difficult concepts. Reading music was completely new to me and the way he walked me through and offered exercises has made this difficult and intimidating process much more simplified. He's an absolute professional and has an impressive commitment to his role. The guidance I've gotten from this man has been extraordinary and it has really helped me build a commitment to the piano which I did not have before. Definitely recommend for anyone at any level.

We're very happy we found Tosheff Piano Studio. Our son started with Ilia when he was in 4th grade…read moreand only stopped (for now) because he left for college. Ilia is such a wonderful teacher. Very encouraging, supportive and positive. He really makes it a point to get to know his students. What's even better is that Ilia allows students to learn music that they truly want to play while still learning the needed technical skills that can be used for any kind of music. To top it off, lessons can be done in person or online, and still get the same quality of learning regardless. We have no doubt our son's love for music will continue on throughout his life and we can't thank Ilia enough for that.

Velly has been a wonderful piano teacher for my daughter (9 y.o). We started taking classes around…read morea year ago, and my daughter made outstanding progress. Velly offers her the support and assurance that she can play simple as well as complex compositions. Each week, my daughter eagerly anticipates her lessons. Velly and Ilia are highly professional piano mentors and it is a great pleasure to have them as teachers. I enjoy being present in each class, I feel like it is a new small performance every week that recharges me for a week. Velly is an amazing piano teacher, mentor, and composer. I would strongly recommend taking the first class and seeing how exceptional she is.

Elite Piano Institute is hands down one of the best piano studios in the South Bay. My child has…read morebeen studying here for about two years, and we've seen steady and meaningful progress. The teacher is extremely patient and detail-oriented, focusing not only on technique but also on musical understanding -- including the background of each piece, tone production, and proper movement. Lessons are thoughtful, encouraging, and very well structured. Highly recommend for families looking for serious and caring piano instruction.

I received a consultation from Anna how to start my own business as a music teacher . Anna really…read morehelped me and gave me confidence to believe in me. Also I learned how to value my time and choose the right clients. If you are a music teacher and really looking for someone who can step by step help you to grow your business ,then you are in the right place.

As an adult student juggling a demanding schedule with career and a 5 y/o kid, finding time for…read morehobbies usually feels impossible. Yet, it is amazing that I've managed to work with Rebecca for over two years now. Rebecca is flexible with scheduling, which is a lifesaver for my unpredictable weeks. Her teaching demeanor is friendly and encouraging, and she is always willing to customize her pedagogy to fit my specific goals and my personal learning idiosyncrasies. Zooming in on the actual playing, her diagnostic skills are brilliant. She quickly identifies exactly where my technique needs to be fixed. More importantly, she doesn't just tell me what to do; she uses clear, understandable language to explain the underlying mechanisms of the technique in detail. Having a teacher who can break down the biomechanics and theory makes all the difference. I recommend Rebecca to anyone, especially busy adults looking for an adaptable, knowledgeable, and supportive piano teacher!

Rebecca is a wonderful piano teacher! She is truly passionate about piano and music, and that…read moreenthusiasm comes through in every lesson. After studying classical piano as a child and teenager, I returned to playing after a 15-year break. I've been working with Rebecca for the past two years, and from the very beginning she identified both the gaps in my training and the areas where I had a strong foundation. Her thoughtful, individualized approach has helped me rebuild my technique while introducing me to new ways of thinking about music and playing the piano. She strikes a great balance between making each lesson enjoyable and encouraging me to challenge myself. Rebecca creates a supportive learning environment while consistently helping me grow as a pianist. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a knowledgeable, patient, and inspiring piano teacher.

Absolutely a horribly run school. Bobby, who books everything cannot pick up the phone and forces…read moreyou to correspond via email, yet will not respond to half of the communication while what he does respond to is incomplete. He makes excuses, changes times last minute, and says he's going to fix the air condition in a stuffy warm room for several weeks now. There is one talented teacher (Jett) that I worked with but everything runs through Bobby and his email. You can hardly do anything on the website. I was so frustrated with his antics and interference that I donated the 100 credit I had because he was so clueless and difficult to work with. Do you think he took the time to thank me? Of course he did not.

We love Songsmith LA!! Over this past year we have had…read morevirtual piano lessons with Elizabeth. We adore her and Bobby too. Elizabeth is incredibly patient, kind and a fantastic teacher. It cannot be easy teaching virtually, so we have appreciated all of her efforts. Thank you Songsmith LA!!

Fay is wonderful. Her inspiration, experience, upbeat attitude and musical skill have made a…read moreperfect environment for our kid to learn and to love music. She's funny, kind and motivating. Can't say enough good things about her as a teacher and a human being

Fay has inspired our son so much he now plays both flute and sax has his own combo and has gained…read moreadmission to a top rated high school for music. Thanks Fay! You're the best!

At the age of 5 our son took a sudden interest in playing piano. I knew I had to do some quick and…read morethorough research for an instructor who could successfully teach a child so young. I found Val online and we feel so incredibly blessed that we did. Val consistently provides a high quality education due to his incredible musical talent and a natural ability to understand and communicate with students of various ages and backgrounds. For example, he knew that air high fives, Avengers discussions, and "cool haircut" compliments were very important to initially spark our 5 year old's interest and attention. Over time, our son continued to look forward to each lesson, and Val continued to see and bring out our son's musical potential. Val challenges and motivates him in such a way that by 6 years old our son was recently able to perform at his first piano recital... a feat we honestly did not think would happen so soon. Seeing the success Val was having with our son inspired me to go back to taking piano lessons as well! I used to play when I was younger, and have performed in recitals - but sadly, as I got older, I always fell into the category of "I never have time anymore." Val helped me to see that it is NEVER too late to start (or in my case, RETURN!). My lessons with Val are now geared toward learning particular pieces that I've always wanted to learn but never found the time to practice (ie now practicing expressive Bach and Chopin pieces)... and eventually I will want to learn some of my favorite 80's songs from Chicago and Billy Joel (I am actually super excited about that LOL). Val helped me to rediscover the musical talent I always had, and most especially find the ME-TIME I needed to just relax, sit, and play. We know firsthand that along with hard work, daily practice, and patience, Val is more than qualified and capable of guiding you in bringing out your best self - which transpires to living your best life. He is hands down a true teacher in every sense of the word. Highly recommended (times 8,000 - as my son would say :) THANK YOU VALERY!

Before we came to Val, my 9-year daughter had two piano teachers. One was way too nice to set up…read morediscipline, the other one was so strict that my daughter's hands would turn cold before the class. Luckily we were introduced to Val, and he changed everything. His class is so fun and complexed with both technique training and theory foundation. He is strict but sets up disciplines in a fun way. My daughter enjoyes every single lesson with Val. As a parent, I am so happy to see her passion in piano and her own understanding in music. An absolute "thumb up" for Val's lesson.

I have worked with Feona on the film score, and she is an incredibly talented composer with rare…read moresensitivity. She offers non-standard music solutions to scenes and can approach scoring from a holistic perspective. Her ability to immerse herself in a story is outstanding. She is a great collaborator, always striving to understand the emotional arc of the film, which allows her to create a truly brilliant score. Additionally, she is very easy and pleasant to communicate with. I will definitely work with her again.

"I'm endorsing a friend who does professional hand readings. It's interesting that this very…read moretalented and intuitive woman is also a classical pianist who teaches both children and adults. I have been to Feona's recitals in San Francisco and the East Bay and more, particularly the Rachmaninoff 2 and 3 which my grandmother introduced me to, and I loved hearing it played by Feona and friends and with her teacher Kenn Gartner, in two pianos. I have seen her students from ages 5 to 12 grow into excellent pianists. Feona has studied the science of reading hands from inked handprints. She has the sensitivity and knowledge of how the markings on hands tell of a persons' character and their inherent abilities. She has done readings for 4 of my family members. My hand reading by Feona was an opening to a new way of appreciating my own potential. Personally, I always wanted to be a "pianist". I studied art and painted all my life. But I took piano lessons 4 times, did a recital and then left off to paint again. Feona was my last teacher. At age 77 I took new lessons and Feona helped with pieces I was already familiar with. Für Elise, Joe Clark's Boogie, Imagine, The Entertainer. I did great the first recital with Feona's kids and parents at the Steinway store in Walnut Creek. I performed on the 7-foot grand upon the pedestal near the window and focused and went seamlessly through my Beethoven piece. I thank Feona sooo much for pointing out where I needed to follow the music and give it my all. I so enjoyed my lessons with Feona. To learn more about Feona's works and to have a hand reading or a piano lesson online (!) please contact Feona Lee Jones at for booking: info@feonaleejones.com for all other inquiries: feona@feonaleejones.com