Exemplary piano teacher who truly gives a damn about fostering love of music and does not need to work within the sterile walls of traditional lessons and material. We searched high and low for a teacher who could work with our daughter who like myself has a natural ear and loves anime and video game music scores. She is playing pieces from Undertale to Miazaki (Ghibili) = Jazz & Classical. After a year and half she is playing way above the skill level I had through traditional piano. Leon is able to work with my daughter's passion to help imbue knowledge and technique into her lessons. We enjoy hearing her practice multiple times a day on her own accord because she has connected with the music and is not a mindless parrot. About me - composer, audio director, career sound person. read more

We searched for a piano teacher on the penInsula and happened to find Leon Rosen. What a great teacher! My son brought in some audio recordings of his favorite songs he wanted to learn on the piano, and Leon quickly figured out how to play the music. Soon my son (a teenager) was able to play it himself. I am amazed at how much progress my son has been able to make in a year. He quickly advanced from novice to playing Beethoven and Chopin. Hire Leon. He's a great teacher and works with kids of all ages. read more

Leon is a great teacher! I came to the u.s. a year ago to work here and wanted to continue taking piano lessons. After a little research I found teacher Leon. Now that I've taken lessons with him over a year I definitely can say it's the right decision to pick him. We started having only one lesson per week, but I felt like it's not enough for me. I wanted to grow faster. Since he is really supportive in any way he after a while told me about his 'intensive piano program' so in April 2014 I started having lessons 5-7 times per week, about 2-3 hours. He invested so much time, I am very grateful for that. My work schedule was sometimes unpredictable, so Leon and me haven't had a set schedule, which allowed me both to focus on my job and have enough time for piano lessons/practice. That was very generous since I knew that he had other students as well. Somehow it worked out pretty well and I could do the program for three months. After three months we switched back to regular piano lessons, which was 1-3 times per week. I had some music teachers so far, but none of them was as supportive as Leon. A lot of teachers told me 'You're too old for your dreams' ( I'm 24 and someday want to become a pianist). When I first talked to Leon on the phone, one of the first things he mentioned to me was 'It's never too late, you're young. Go for it' Similar to that :-) That day I was so happy and motivated and scheduled my first lesson with him right away. I talked to him specifically what I want when I first met him and I thought, well by now he'll think I'm crazy for having this kind of dream.. but nope, he did not. He supported me even more. He gave me the motivation to practice songs that I never thought I could manage. Thanks Leon!!! Leon is really talented. His piano skills are phenomenal. I heard him playing in our lessons before but recently I got the chance to hear him playing at his concert. That was amazing. He writes his own songs too which is super impressive. My job is taking care of kids and when they heard some of his songs they loved it. Even the youngest ( 2 years old) could not stop 'singing' his songs. He impresses old and young! read more

My son (11 years) took piano class for a month in Burlingame Rec Center, and the teacher there was great to introduce Piano to Nolan. But when I signed him up for the 2nd month, it was not the same teacher, and it didn't go well (as my son said, the 1st teacher was way better). Then we signed him up with another piano teacher from another organization. Didn't work out. So as parents, we spent quite some time and efforts to find "THE" piano teacher for our son. Then we found Leon in San Mateo. Our son took a trail lesson for free with Leon, and he told me and his Mom that he wanted this teacher. It's been almost a year now, and we are all so happy to have Leon guiding our son's journey in piano! Leon is a talented artist and talented teacher! He is student-oriented rather than book-oriented, which is so important for beginners. I have introduced Leon to my friend, and her daughter enjoys the classes with Leon as well. I would recommend Leon to any parents looking for piano teachers for their kids (and Leon teaches other instruments as well)! read more

Before I write about Leon, let me give some background about myself. I'm 29, been playing piano for 17 years, and have focused primarily on classical. I had different teachers all growing up, but I realized that I had no real good knowledge of theory and "why things work". I was hoping one day to compose music from quiet piano nocturnes to EDM and be able to improvise as well. Leon has been instrumental in helping me attain a deep understanding of music by going back and re-learning pieces I've already learned through the eyes of the composer's who wrote them. One will never really know what was going on in the minds of Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven, Debussey, etc, but with Leon, I've been able to understand how they arrived to certain arrangements, chord progressions, and themes. There are a lot of music teachers out there, but Leon's combination of knowledge and skills can not only craft you into a great piano player, but a great musician as well! read more

I have been really impressed with how much my 7 year old daughter has improved on the piano since we started taking lessons with Leon only 9 months ago. He has been incredibly patient with her, which is no small feat given how easily distractable she is. To keep her engaged, he's been creative in trying different styles of music, different songs, different types of practice exercises ... it's clearly evident how seriously he takes teaching. Unlike the kinds of piano teachers who give your kid one new song per week, Leon really works to teach the underlying principles of playing the piano. He's an amazing teacher. Highly recommended!! read more

Ariel Elisha transformed my knowledge of music and dramatically improves my piano skills through regular weekly meetings and at times intensive three times a week sessions. My approach to learning music in the past had been through books, YouTube videos, online classes, and magazines. Lear ing in person with Ariel over the course of a few months rapidly advanced my skills far beyond my years of self-paced study. Ariel always had an answer to my questions and the abstract musical concepts I had read about in my studies came alive under his direction. I like that Ariel varies his teaching approach from week to week and he clearly focuses on what I need to develop in each of our sessions. I would never have been able to play in all the musical keys without his encouragement for diligence in this area. Ariel's classical and jazz education also shine through in his lessons and I appreciate being able to improvise with him and explore music in a more tactile and real way. I highly recommend you contact Ariel Elisha and pursue taking your music education to a new level. read more

This is my first Yelp review and for good reason! Leon has been my kids' piano teacher for 3-4 years. He's a good soul, got a good vibe and has the patience of a saint. Plus, he does more than just teach kids how to play music. He somehow manages to ride the balance between teaching notes and theory while at the same time encouraging creativity and fostering a love for music. My kids have different learning styles and strengths, and Leon truly takes the time to understand what will keep each of them motivated. Most importantly, my kids simply love him. He's fun, funny and they can tell he truly cares about them. read more

Leon has been my 5 year old son's piano teacher for the last 1.5 years. There are so many amazing attributes that Leon has, but most simply, it's that my son adores him. I think it has to do with his style and vibe, which is a combination of going with the flow and having fun and serious instruction. Leon also has a huge heart; it's obvious that he genuinely cares for each and every one of his students and wants each of them to succeed at whatever pace is appropriate for them. Among other things, his individualized approach sets him apart. We can't thank Leon enough for showing our son a love for the piano. It's amazing how much he has progressed at such a young age with him! read more

I am taking lessons after decades of not sitting at the piano. The long hiatus had to do, in some not insignificant measure, with not really finding a teacher with whom to partner successfully despite many attempts. And then I found Leon Rosen! Leon is, first of all, a music lover and an inspired and inspiring musician. He is tremendously talented at designing a pathway for students that resonates with the student's own love of music. He is super fun to be around, resourceful, easy going, reliable... I am thrilled where he is taking me in my journey of connecting with this instrument I love, in a way that is meaningful to me. His studio is comfortable and welcoming, and when you get there, you are likely to find a kid whose feet can't quite reach the ground making some magic with little fingers over the keys, in great part due to Leon's teaching style. I hope this review helps you as you search for an awesome teacher for you or your kids! In my opinion, not only can't you go wrong with Leon: you can't go better, either! read more

Great with Kids. Leon can turn my 6 yr old daughter from tantrum to piano bliss in just a few minutes.

It's difficult to find such a versatile teacher that can give a student something extra that is suited to their strengths and needs. He is not only teaching piano but the creative process. read more

Leon is the consummate instructor because he isn't going to teach to simply get a paycheck to support his own musical endeavors. He does it because he genuinely loves teaching and watching his students progress. That said, don't expect Leon to have the magic dust to sprinkle on your student. It's still incumbent upon every student to practice, but if the student is committed, Leon will make them exponentially better. Leon explains the fundamentals in smart ways, while keeping it fun. On occasion, he can be firm with the student if they are neglecting their part of the program. He is open to questions (even online if you are practicing at home and confused.} If you really want to learn, you'll find that's his intention too, and why he makes it the best for the money (yes, it is a bit pricey, but justified) and everyone's time. He's a talented artist, with a fun personality, and a great love of music. I know Leon takes newbies, (like me) but he also works with students at every level. If they are showing signs of promise and enthusiasm, Leon will make them exponentially better. He is willing to teach theory, while also mixing in fun songs the student just wants to learn how to play. I took a handful of lessons, having never played piano before (I play some other string instruments) and learned a lot. My daughter had been to other instructors and was inching along, but lessons with Leon prompted a new level of attention to the fundamentals and the output of her lessons has been notably more satisfying than other teachers. For the reasons mentioned, he's a busy/popular teacher, so don't expect a lot of open slots for timing. read more

Leon is an artist and a teacher, who knows how to inspire kids. Both my kids really enjoy their lessons (practice ...that's more work!!). They come out of the lesson excited and wanting more. He has a way of guiding without pushing, while letting them feel in control. He reads them very well and knows when to push a bit and when to pull back. He is an incredible talent and genuinely a good guy. read more

We have 2 boys(6 and 9 years old) who started learning piano couple of years ago. After we moved to the bay area last year, we had trouble finding good piano teacher who can keep them interested in the music and enjoy playing the instrument, until we found Leon. He's fun and dedicated, his passion to the music has influenced the boys deeply. He's understanding and patient, he takes time to know the boys; tailors and adjusts different teaching method to them based on their personality and their responds to the different music. Now my boys enjoy practicing piano and looking forward to the piano lessons every week, I can't ask for more from a piano teacher. If you are looking for a piano teacher that will make learning music a fun journey and lasting benefit, I would highly recommend Leon! read more

Leon's teaching style was perfect for my 6 year old grandson. Leon tuned in to his natural abilities to teach him rhythm, fingering technique, and playing by ear. He was very gentle and patient with his teaching. Leon was flexible with the the time of the lessons and how many lessons while my grandson was here for the summer. I asked my grandson before each lesson if he was wanting to go, and he was always excited about going to the lesson. If he lived in San Francisco all year, he would have definitely continued lessons with Leon. read more