Lora Kompelmakkher is an extraordinary piano teacher! She works to bring out "the artist" from…read morewithin her students. She is very patient, caring and encouraging. My daughter *loves* Mrs. Lora and enjoys studying with her.

My daughter has been taking lessons from Mrs Lora for 2 years. Mrs Lora is very passionate about…read moreteaching music. Besides basic piano skills, she explains interesting pieces and composers. She often pairs kids up for duet and group fun. I really love her recital programs where she creates opportunity for kids to play music together in solo, duets and choir. I highly recommend Mrs Lora.

I studied flute with Cecily for 7 years (6-12th grade) and she helped me grow so much as a…read moremusician, both in solo and orchestral playing. I started taking lessons as almost a brand-new flute player, and over the years, Cecily helped me prepare for and pass orchestra auditions, win awards, and play more confidently everywhere, including: - Youth orchestra (GSYO), where Cecily helped me level up from the lowest (6th grade) to highest (12th grade) group, and played successful auditions to earn principal flute and piccolo parts. - 2025 CASMEC (all-state), qualifying as one of 40 of the state's top flutists. - Solo recitals, where Cecily encouraged and coached me to perform challenging and exciting repertoire. - Admission to Northwestern University, where I prepared a flute performance portfolio as part of my academic application. Cecily has been an extremely well-rounded teacher; in private lessons, we always cover tone, technique, musicality, interpretation, etc. - everything to be successful in performing and auditioning. She shares different methods for approaching challenging pieces or excerpts, clearly drawing from her own training and experiences as a musician. She responds quickly over text about scheduling lessons and questions about music, and she's professional yet friendly. With Cecily, I've grown as both a musician and a person. Highly highly recommend taking lessons with Cecily!

Terminated Without Explanation and then Ghosted…read more My daughter, now 13, started weekly flute lessons with Cecily one year ago, in November 2020. We had an OK experience with her up until this month. All lessons have been remote via FaceTime, we have never met her in person. Yesterday I received an email and a text from Cecily, out of the blue, stating that it has not been working out and the lessons will stop. When I immediately replied, asking for details about why, she did not respond. The only possible reason I can imagine for her "terminating" us is related to a billing question that came up this month. But this is truly an unreasonable way to resolve such a difference. Here is what happened. Each month, Cecily sends an invoice in advance of that month's lessons. The invoice is sent by email and payment is expected by the 7th. The invoice is sent on different days, for example I received: -- August invoice on 8/4 -- September invoice on 8/29 -- October invoice on 10/16 -- November invoice on 11/3 Though the invoice is for upcoming lessons, she states that payments are late if not received by the 7th. This month I missed the 11/3 email and so she replied on 11/9 that I now owed a late fee of $25. I promptly paid the invoice plus late fee, but also sent some feedback such as: -- typical payment terms for businesses are things like NET30, NET45 which is based on the invoice date; I have never received an invoice from any business that is considered late within 4 days -- if you are expecting payment by 7th of each month, sending the invoice on the 3rd is putting a lot of burden on your customers to monitor their email boxes and respond in just a few days -- you are invoicing for services not yet rendered, which seems even less reasonable to call a payment late for a service not yet rendered and a suggestion: -- One simple change you could consider to mitigate most of the above concerns is to send your invoices sooner or have the due date be a little later in the month. Say you send on the 1st and they are due on the 15th, or keep the date at 7th but send the invoice 14 days before that. Cecily also cited that her "studio policy" clearly states that there is a late fee. However, I had only signed the previous year's version, which had no mention of late fees. She never sent me the "2021" version (which does mention a late fee) until after this month's discussion. I was in the process of debating whether to continue with her -- because it wasn't clear how much benefit my daughter was gaining from the lessons -- and so I didn't immediately send back the signed 2021 studio policy. So that was the situation when I got the email and text from Cecily.  No explanation of what wasn't working out. No effort to provide any closure to her young student, or give her any final feedback or encouragement about her playing. She just pulled the plug and ghosted me. Fortunately my daughter is quite resilient and didn't take this personally. But I felt I needed to share my story here for others who are considering working with Cecily.

Kathy is a fantastic teacher. She prepared me for many…read moreauditions, and most importantly, the one for entering the Master of Music in Vocal Performance, where I am now finishing my master's. She will guide and teach you to have a healthy technique and a complete connection with your body and emphasize the approach to the text that is so important for a singer. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced singer, she will be great for you.

My association with Kathy is almost a decade long! She first taught my daughter when she was in…read morehigh School and then my son through his high school years. She is thorough and methodical in her approach and able to harness an individual's talent and interest and channel it into something quite extraordinary. Kathy cares about her students and her knowledge and passion for music is apparent from the first time you connect with her. She took the time to understand the goals and aspirations of both my children and always coached and provided thoughtful and actionable feedback to help them improve their vocal range, tone, control and technique. She is an inspiring teacher who genuinely cares about her students and goes the extra mile to support and encourage her students. During the four years under her training for classical vocals and musical theater, my son matured from a young child to a bass-baritone, performing regularly at school and external events. He's now a sophomore in college and is continuing to take voice lessons there and is also a part of the University choir. More recently, my daughter, now 24 years old - who took lessons from her as a high student (and is now graduated from college and an adult) - began taking voice lessons from Kathy again for the past year and it's been a pure joy to know that she is in good hands. My daughter is currently in Berlin, Germany, but Kathy has made the time to help her with her lessons at a time that is convenient and effective for both to have meaningful lessons even though they are separated by thousands of miles and nine hours apart! I am sure when my daughter decides to go back for her Masters, she will continue her vocal journey and be a vibrant participant in the music community of whichever University she joins. The greatest gift she has given to my children is the love for music and performance for which I am most grateful. I highly recommend Kathy Ludowise to anyone who is seeking a vocal coach - no matter what level of previous experience. Her talent, passion and knowledge makes Kathy a wonderful vocal instructor who truly cares about her students and their goals. You'll be in good hands with her.

I do love my online piano classes with Thomas. He is…read moreprofessional ,patient ,and enthusiastic support for me as a beginner. Even my school ES teacher was so surprised at my progress in such a short period of time. Thanks a million to Thomas! And also many thanks to Sarah ,Lindsey,all studio musicians. You guys are awesome! Thank you!

I can't say enough about what an incredible instructor Sarah is. She took my daughter as a student…read moreat two and a half (you read that correctly, see the picture attached). Aside from it being amazing she was willing to teach a two and a half year old, she made it fun, she made it engaging and she planted a seed of love for music and specifically piano in my daughters life that we will forever be grateful for. Now my daughter asks to play the piano on the weekends and after school as a "treat"... she makes up her own songs and looks for new things to play- all on her own. Sarah is not only great at engaging children but she is a master at her craft and she is always learning and growing herself, taking classes, performing, going to workshops. As Sarah invests in herself she continues to bring new and innovative tools for her students. I personally took piano as a child for about 5 years and I wish Sarah could have been my teacher, I'm sure I would have had a much different relationship with the piano and music had she been. I have highly recommended Sarah to family and friends and will continue to do so.

Jaymee immediately saw the potential in my daughter and was able to not only build her vocal and…read moremusical theater skills but her confidence. The growth my daughter has had since joining Stage Presence has been incredible and has set my daughter up for a successful transition into her college musical theater program. Jaymee has a gift to truly see the students she works with and that produces amazing results. Jaymee has a unique way of seeing potential and pushing her students in the best most thoughtful and kind way to allow her students to see that potential in themselves.

My daughter describes Stage Presence as a "judgment-free zone that still encourages you to grow."…read moreThrough participating in productions and taking lessons, she found friends who share her love of musical theater, opportunities to develop her authentic voice and grow as a performer, and a greater sense of belonging and encouragement during an important stage of her personal growth. Anyone who knew her as a young child knows just how shy she was. Watching her gradually become comfortable performing on stage has been a joy!

My daughter has taken private flute lessons from Larissa for 3 years. She has improved greatly, and…read morehas become a very advanced flute player through the guided meetings with her private teacher. She enjoys them very much and develops new skills easily. Larissa is a very motivational and encouraging teacher who is easy to communicate with and is always understanding. She is definitely a teacher that is a need for both beginner and advanced flute players. :)

Working with Ms. Kerobyan has been a great pleasure! As an adult student coming back to the violin…read moreand reworking the foundations, it has been a big challenge to get over my nerves, to get used to the instrument again after ~10 years off, and to unlearn my old habits-- Ms. Kerobyan has been instrumental through this process by not only coaching me with her meticulous attention to detail to rebuild a more solid technical foundation, but also by nurturing my confidence as a violinist. Needless to say, it has been an incredibly rewarding and highly collaborative experience that has impacted and enriched my life beyond the classroom. I truly appreciate the opportunity that I have now to take violin lessons with Ms. Kerobyan, and I would recommend her as a teacher for young and adult learners alike-- her level of dedication to both music and teaching is very rare, and I feel fortunate to have come across her studio.

Our family appreciates Ms. Ann's guidance on our musical journey. I have two children who are…read morepassionate about music. My son became interested in the violin at age 8 while we were living in San Diego. After moving to the Bay Area, we were fortunate to find Ms. Ann, who demonstrates how an exceptional teacher can unlock a student's potential. Her teaching techniques and fundamentals are strong; she excels in those areas. What truly sets her apart is her remarkable ability to inspire my children to develop a deep connection to music and foster a positive attitude toward learning. The month after switching to Ms. Ann's studio, my son struggled to correct the posture he had developed in the past. Ms. Ann offered creative ways to help him improve his posture during this transition and also checked on him frequently. When the goal of daily practice became challenging, Ms. Ann communicated effectively with both children and parents, motivating the kids to try their best. My son's skills and confidence improved week by week, and he has grown into a proud young musician who cherishes music as a joyful part of his life. My son said, "Ms. Ann is caring and loving. She emphasizes the artistry behind the techniques. She is always fully engaged in my lessons and provides valuable feedback. She makes challenges fun." Ms. Ann also organizes recitals, mini-concerts, and workshops to help the kids gain stage experience. She prepares them for competitions or exams if they wish to participate, but only when they are ready. Her philosophy of sharing the love of music distinguishes her from many others. She teaches my kids not to pursue achievements for their own sake but to enjoy and share their passion for music; the results will follow naturally. My younger daughter started lessons with Ms. Ann later, and I was impressed by how she customized and organized her lessons. Ms. Ann thoughtfully personalizes her approach, adjusting the curriculum to suit my daughter's unique personality. My daughter has gone from being shy about performing on stage to being excited to share her music with the world. She said, "Ms. Ann is incredibly warm and encouraging; she explains everything clearly so I can easily understand. She always believes in me!" I have attended my children's lessons and observed how patiently and persistently Ms. Ann discusses areas for improvement. She guides them in overcoming difficulties and helps them learn from mistakes, even when they feel frustrated. My kids have not only learned to play the violin beautifully but also developed a growth mindset. They understand that hard work pays off and have learned to manage their time and practice effectively. It is rare to find a teacher who not only instructs students on how to play an instrument but also serves as a true mentor, imparting valuable principles applicable to both music and other subjects. As my husband said, "Ms. Ann is like Yoda in the realm of violin pedagogy." We believe the lessons she has taught our children will become treasures they carry with them throughout their lives.

I would highly recommend taking lessons at Kat Parra Voice Studio…read more I've had a great experience working with Kat the past 2 years. She really knows her stuff and is always learning more! I have found that the longer I've worked with her, the more she learns about my voice and teaches me how to get the most out of it in a healthy way. Prior to taking lessons, my voice would always feel hoarse from improper singing technique. Now it feels stronger and healthier than it's ever been. Kat also does a great job of making her students feel comfortable when practicing/performing. Not easy to do, especially for singing! Her dog Fiona is also a great buddy to have for lessons :) My only complaint is that because I've improved so much under Kat, my family makes me sing for them as much as possible! Sometimes I need a break!

Going to Kat's since 2017 - I can confidently say I'm a totally different singer than I was when I…read morefirst started and she was a key figure in making that happen. I went from sounding like I smoked way too many newports to being able to sing a wide variety of genres from jazz to soul to ballads and musical theatre stuff My voice and self perception of myself and what is possible has greatly benefited from working with Kat! 5 stars all around