MMS is amazing! We adore the teachers, staff, the program, studio environment, and the special events that they host, to build community with their students. My husband is a professional musician so we were very thorough when selecting a music school for our daughter. We feel so lucky to have found MMS! Our 10 year old daughter has been taking lessons with the magical Lizzie for 5 years. Lizzie has been an incredible and inspirational guide! Our daughter is thrilled with every lesson, always wants it to last longer, and loves the musical selections she is assigned. It is a joy to see how our daughter has grown musically and truly loves playing piano. read more

Covid Update: I wanted to drop in to give a updated review of life at MMS during Covid. My daughter has been taking piano lessons at MMS for 4 years, and continues to relish her weekly lessons. MMS didn't miss a beat in pivoting to online lessons when shelter-in-place began - this has been a much appreciated normalcy for my daughter in an otherwise chaotic time, and I also appreciate that we can continue to support the working artists/MMS faculty in this time. We do lessons via Skype, set up the phone with a view of the piano, and my daughter continues to deepen her love and understanding of piano. The teachers strike a perfect balance of patience and challenge, and present music theory in a systematic way while also inviting students to play songs of interest; my daughter has requested songs from John Denver to Queen to Sinead 0'Connor to Les Mis, all arranged by Lizzie to be at her level. MMS combines talented musicians who are patient and kind teachers with adaptability and professionalism across the board. Highly recommend! See my daughter's review below. My daughter's review: I am a 10 year old student and I have been going to MMS for four years ( after begging my parents for a year to get piano lessons!). MMS is AMAZING and so are the teachers! The teachers are very patient but also work to challenge you and interest you. I've had so much fun learning songs that I enjoy! Since Covid the teachers have been providing virtual lessons that, even though online, have kept me engaged and I continue to learn! MMS has taught me so much in the past four years and I am sure they will continue to - even with this crisis going on around us! I would recommend MMS to anyone who would like to learn how to sing or play piano! read more

McAllister is awesome! After a frustrating experience with another studio in the city we were beyond excited to stumble on McAllister. Super professional and great at matching the intensity level of the lessons with the desire of the kid/parent. This was our last shot at 'encouraging' our daughter to take piano lessons and she went from complaining about it to absolutely loving it. She's been taking lessons with Lizzie for over 2 years now and LOVES every minute she has with her. Lizzie is just amazing. As for the new normal of remote lessons, we were initially pretty skeptical, but they haven't missed a beat. It's been super smooth and our daughter has continued to learn at the same rate. We highly recommend McAllister Music Studio and can't speak highly enough of Lizzie. read more

MMS is an absolutely amazing community full of wonderfully talented teachers and students. Enrolling in lessons gets you so much more than just the one-on-one time spent with your teacher; you get access to multiple performing opportunities, from masterclasses where you get peer and teacher feedback, to community outreach performances, to casual open mic nights full of love and support from every angle, to an extravagant yearly winter recital where we rented out a large beautiful church and performed on a beautiful grand piano, which was a real treat. I'm 24 and about 3 years into my piano playing journey and I've been taking piano lessons with Andrew for the latter half of that where we've been focusing on playing jazz. Andrew is an amazing jazz pianist who has accelerated my learnings tenfold. I started not knowing much about jazz piano and Andrew has been teaching me to read lead sheets, play jazz standards (we've been working through The Real Book), jazz theory, how to voice chords, how to improvise, play with backing tracks, among many many other skills. We've also done ear training and worked on some classical pieces as an exercise to improve my overall playing, which have been super helpful. Andrew also gives me jazz album recommendations to listen to every week (moving chronologically through the jazz greats) and we start each lesson off by briefly discussing the album. If you want to play jazz, Andrew is your guy (though he teaches other styles as well). He's also an incredibly supportive and kind person who is super down-to-earth. I highly, highly recommend him as a teacher. Taking lessons here has kept me motivated to practice almost every day since I started a year and a half ago! Every time I leave my lesson I am filled with excitement and enthusiasm to practice what I learned that week. Before joining MMS I had tried similarly priced lessons elsewhere in SF and there was no comparison at all. I cannot recommend MMS enough. One last note regarding COVID: As I write this review, lessons are currently happening entirely online, and it has been working very well! While I obviously miss seeing my community in person, the school has a great system using either Skype or Zoom, and I do not feel like the transition to online lessons through the pandemic has hindered my progress. In fact, MMS started hosting bi-weekly music nights on Zoom which have been a fun and great way to perform more frequently and connect with my peers! I'm still very excited to continue taking lessons here for the foreseeable future. read more

McAllister Music Studio in the Mission is the next expansion of an already incredible music educational presence here in the City. I myself have been studying piano , voice and songwriting with the school for many years and have watched it grow from the owner Ciara's home studio, to 320 Fillmore (the now-legendary Lower Haight teaching studio and home to the open jam session Lower Haight Music Night) to the swanky, lesson and recording space in the heart of the Mission. The Mission Branch, along with offering a great environment for music lessons, is focused on recording and performance, and was configured as such from the ground up. There's a sound-isolated room for voice and instruments, a separate mixing/control room as well as a fantastic-sounding live room, with high ceilings, a restored Rhodes stage piano and a killer Boston upright. The quality of the recordings that have been produced there thus far are excellent. A few months ago I had the pleasure of working with Tyler Dennis, who not only teaches piano, voice and songwriting with the school, but also heads up the recording program at MMS. Over the years I've been mixing my own projects in my home studio but had trouble getting vocals to integrate. Two hours with Tyler and I jumped ahead YEARS in mixing and production knowledge. The guy knows his stuff. And he's so COOL- equally skilled, talented and personable. I seriously need more excuses to hang with Tyler! Last thing worth mentioning is the live room as a performance space. One enormous benefit of MMS is the availability of performance opportunities. The school offers their adult students two main performances per year- a recital and an adult "master class" which is open to just students. In addition, several times a year they offer the aforementioned Lower Haight Music Night, an open mic-type event where students can perform in front of a lively audience of fellow students, musicians and passersby. The MMS Mission space is the next step in all of that, where students and guest artists alike perform to an intimate audience of about 25. I've attended a few of these performances and they are incredibly fun and inspiring- so much so that I will be performing my own show there in just a few short months! Thanks to Ciara, Lizzie Clapper (my voice instructor), Tyler, Naomi Markle (best admin/scheduler ever) and the rest of the MMS crew for creating such an outstanding environment for music students that only continues to expand its versatility and prominence, and for keeping the artistic spirit of SF alive! read more

I'm sure the teachers are talented, but the infrastructure is lacking big time. I've only had two lessons here but with both of them the communication via email was lagging and unclear. There is no online or automated scheduling system so there was tons of back and forth with errors in dates etc. I missed a lesson that was booked ahead of time because there was no automated confirmation or reminder emails that went out. I paid up front and they would not work with me to reschedule or even credit me part of the lesson. Nope I lost $125. I only live a few blocks away and they didn't even call at the time of the lesson to see where I was. Very disappointing as I think with some automated admin would help things could run much smoother, but it seems like they want to take advantage of that. Prices are also extremely high for this type of non professional service. I hope they take this into account and reevaluate their systems. Will be looking for an independent voice coach! read more

Can't say enough good things about MMS. I've been an adult student for 5+ years starting as an almost complete beginner at age 50. I have both learned a lot of fundamental skills but also had a great time writing and playing original songs. The performance opportunities are great and this year, because of Covid, MMS arraigned studio time for the students to record our pieces for a high quality holiday concert. This just highlights Ciara and all the teacher's dedication and real world music experience to come up with something special for the students this year. Give it a try, the teachers are great and MMS really works at building a community for all the students (who are also kinda amazing). read more

I have to start with I LOVE the McAllister Music Studio family. I cannot express in words how much this school has helped me develop my musicianship. I have been working with the owner Ciara and her incredible staff at MMS Mission for the past year now. As a professional working singer, songwriter, and musician in San Francisco, I am constantly in admiration of the knowledge, skill, passion, and professionalism each and every teacher possesses at this school. It's truly a haven for music in San Francisco. The MMS Mission location is in the heart of the Mission District in San Francisco, surrounded by incredible restaurants, boutiques, and local music venues. It was built as a recording and performance studio, with integrated practice and teaching rooms for aspiring pianists, singers, and songwriters and anyone who has the desire to develop their passions in music. With a mix room, sound room, performance space, and stylish interior it is an inspirational environment for music making and has such a warm, eclectic vibe where I feel like I'm in my apartment playing piano! I recently played a show in May 2018 at this location, and it was one of the best live venues I have played at. The main room is so intimate and cozy. With a turquoise velvet sofa and pull-out seating we were able to fit 30 people within the space. You are so close and connected with the audience, that every interaction feels magical. Tyler, one of the incredible teachers and in-house engineers of the school, recorded the entire show live via the recording room. We also set up two video cameras and stands for live footage. I've also seen several live shows here and am always so impressed. Working with Ciara, Tyler, Naomi and the rest of MMS staff has been such a pleasure. Ciara is an indescribable badass. She's a fierce singer, songwriter, pianist, business woman, and artist in her own element and you can feel how much love she pours into her school. Naomi is amazing. She handles all administrative and scheduling stuff and she's always so incredibly simple, easy, and professional to work with. I talk to her whenever I need to book a lesson or set up a show and it's literally instantly figured out. And as I mentioned earlier, every single person apart of the MMS is incredible and are actively apart of the local music and arts scene here in San Francisco, which I find invaluable because you are seriously learning from the best of the best. McAllister Music Studio Mission is a true haven for aspiring and established artists in San Francisco. It's so rare these days to be able find and be apart of such a thriving, spirited community of musicians in the Bay Area, and if you are looking to do that MMS Mission will offer this and more! read more

McAllister Music studio is awesome! I played piano for 10 years growing up then took a break for almost 10 years from lessons. I started taking lessons with Ciara and within a year I've completely dove back in and have become a songwriter! The community is also really great and supportive. There are also many McAllister Music studio events that allow you to perform in front of friends, family and other students. I would highly recommend taking lessons here! read more

I took classical music as a kid and as an adult I wanted to learn chord progression and improvisation. I've done just that and more During my 4 years with the studio! I look forward to each lesson and have even gotten over my fear of performing- thanks to Friendly supportive teachers. Can't believe it But I'm playing in the recital in December!!! Lady K read more

he school is an important community resource as well as a great place to learn. The students are diverse and enthusiastic-no attitude here. I started from scratch and have now written two songs and performed them at a wedding and birthday party. I'm learning a lot. The lessons are serious but the teachers don't take themselves too seriously. They provide the perfect balance of support and discipline with a good measure of humor. read more

When I discovered McAllister Music Studio I thought I'd take a semester's worth of classes as a means of trying something different that didn't involve a computer screen (and because I had just seen the musical Beautiful about the life of Carole King and decided, perhaps a tad late in life, I wanted to become her). Two and a half years later I can't imagine my life without MMS. It's more than a music school, it's a community and in the midst of a global pandemic, music and community are more important than ever.  The caliber of the teachers at MMS is extremely high. Lizzie has been my instructor for nearly two years and she is an incredible musician, wonderful teacher and fabulous person. From the beginning, Lizzie met me where I was at, an adult with basically zero piano experience, crafting lessons that are engaging and challenging. The lessons are made more engaging because part of the ethos at MMS is focusing on the music that makes you happy, that you actually like. There is a workbook with songs at my level that I play songs from weekly, but in addition I'm always working on a stretch song outside of the workbook that holds meaning to me, aka every Carole King song ever written. Every lesson is a pleasure -- even the ones where I'm working on a challenging song -- because Lizzie is able to provide thoughtful feedback and break down the challenging parts into bite sized, achievable bits. A good lesson for life in general. I had been attending lessons in-person, first at the cozy MMS location in the Haight and then at their lovely studio in the Mission, until the pandemic. Both spots are well-equipped and easy to get to via bike and public transportation. Since Shelter-In-Place (SIP), all lessons are held virtually via Skype and the transition to virtual lessons has been seamless. Throughout every lesson Lizzie takes notes as she always did, but now after class she drops the notes into my Google Drive, so I always know what to work on and practice for the next lesson. The streaming quality and audio is good and Lizzie has a great ear. Even via Skype she spots my wrong notes and gives guidance on dynamics and phrasing. In addition to virtual lessons, during SIP MMS has hosted virtual student recitals and master classes and has even held bi-monthly music nights where both students and non-students gather via Zoom to play music for each other. The evenings are expertly hosted by MMS founder and another incredible musician, Ciara. Participants are encouraged, but not required by any means, to donate to a local charity.  The routine of weekly lessons and practicing when life feels so uncertain is grounding and the sense of community built by MMS when people are feeling more isolated than ever is healing. I'm so darn thankful for the joy and learning and community that MMS has brought to my life. If you didn't think now was the time to start playing the piano or singing or becoming a singer/songwriter, with MMS it is! read more

McAllister is a great piano studio. Our daughter has been going there for about a year. Her teacher Andrew is positive and moves the learning along. The studio is responsive in all communication and I would recommend them. The community is great and supportive. I highly recommend them. read more

We've been sending our boys here to work with Lizzie for around 9 years, and MMS has been nothing but warm, talented, flexible, and inspiring. We've witnessed over time our boys' authentic appreciation and passion for music deepen, and for this we're so grateful. They seem engaged with the online classes as well and with practicing throughout the week. We highly recommend enrolling in this course, as they also do a fantastic job linking the kids' musical interests with their learning. Well worth the investment. read more

McAllister Music Studio is an all-around great addition to SF and is a well-oiled machine. The teachers are carefully chosen seasoned musicians and educators. They are well-trained around the thoughtful philosophies of the school. They offer clear and inspiring lessons and homework alongside excellent support and encouragement. My 9 year old daughter happens to be dyslexic and learning the language of music has been exponential in her overall personal growth and learning confidence. As icing on the cake, MMS throws magical performance parties where families swoon while young children make their way to the stage. In this, children (and adults as they do this for both groups) learn how to get over their fears and get out in front of people. This is a life lesson that will transcend time. MMS, gratitude to you for making this block of the Mission (and beyond) a more musical and warmer place. read more

My daughter started taking lessons with McAllister when she was 10. They did a great job working with young fingers (and attention spans). We have had a couple of different teachers over the years, all have been patient, talented, and supportive. They have a few different locations which are quiet, intimate, and conveniently located. I especially love the one on Fillmore in the Haight. A wonderful place to introduce a child to music. I highly recommend McAllister! read more