I've been a student of Simply Music for about 5 years now and my 7 year old step-daughter is coming…read moreup to her first year anniversary. It's an amazing system and Karen is a true master of it. She's patient and thorough, and very committed to her craft. She does free introductory sessions every once in awhile and I highly recommend you go find out for yourself how great and easy Karen makes learning piano.

Karen's love of music (and dance) is absolutely infectious! She puts so much heart into her Simply…read moreMusic teaching. To quote Eric Clapton - She's got the boogie-woogie right down in her very soul! I highly recommend Karen and the Simply Music method for your piano lessons.

I thought it might be time to do a little 5 year check in! That's right, I've been taking lessons…read morewith Ciara for 5 years now and have enjoyed every lesson and over the last year have enjoyed watching her business grow and flourish! She now has multiple piano and voice teachers at the school, all of whom are fabulous people and teachers. In the time I've spent with Ciara, I went from having no idea what a C scale was to writing and recording my own songs! Ciara has been there with me every step of the way and has provided me with just as much emotional support as she has musical support. I've also participated in a couple of her other projects: Join a Band SF and Collab (with the fabulous Heather Pierce, voice teacher extraordinaire!), and I really enjoyed both projects and learned a lot, while having a ton of fun. On the business side of things, I appreciate that Ciara is up front with her policies from the beginning and feel like she has always treated me and from what I hear, other clients, very fairly. We're kind of a family, and Ciara has done a great job of keeping that communal spirit with the annual Master Class and the Recital, where our friends and family and our MMS (McAllister Music Studio) family can enjoy and witness the progress we have made during the year. Lizzie and Carlos are true gems, with voices like angels and the patience of Saints. If you are looking for a fun, supportive environment to learn a new instrument or brush up on your skills, I highly recommend Ciara and all of the teachers at MMS!

An obvious 5 stars! I've been taking piano lessons with Ciara every week for almost a year and a…read morehalf, and it's been one of the best experiences (and life choices) I've made since moving to San Francisco. I took piano lessons when I was a kid, but quit when I was 11, and Ciara made me feel like I picked up right where I left off, 11 years later. I'm learning music theory, writing songs, learning covers - she designs your lesson plan around your needs and goals, and makes the entire learning process approachable rather than intimidating. Whether you're a singer, songwriter, piano player looking to explore a new genre, or a piano newbie who can't read sheet music (like me)...McAllister Music Studio is the place to go :)

Karma is an extraordinary teacher. She loves the physics and anatomy of singing ("vocal geek…read morestuff") but will also gladly go beyond and help you bring out the soulfulness and emotion of your voice. From the very first lesson I came away with deep & useful tips that I expect to use for as long as I'm singing. If you want to connect with your voice and use your singing to connect with other people (especially if, like me, you're not already in love with your own singing voice) you'll get something great from her coaching. Full disclosure: Karma is a friend, via our shared music community. But that just tells you that she's also a really warm and kind person as well as a great teacher.

Karma is an excellent vocal coach! She takes a lot of technical knowledge about the anatomy and…read morephysiology of the voice and vocal tract and applies it in an approachable way to help you achieve your singing goals. She taught me a lot about how to use my voice and breath support in new ways to improve my singing voice. I always leave her lessons excited about what I've learned and ready to go home and practice more. Highly recommended!

Esperanza is patient, skilled, and a beautiful person with a joyful disposition that makes lessons…read morefun. We tried multiple piano teachers before Esperanza, and the most noticeable difference was in my kids wanting to play at home and go to lessons. She teaches a method that gives kids the immediate rewards of being able to play songs right away and integrates reading music slowly so that the love is instilled early on. Esperanza taught both my kids for many years, and they had a rewarding experience that left them with a love of music and the fundamentals to continue playing piano beyond lessons. Esperanza created personalized lessons for my daughter when my daughter requested to play specific types of songs, and now (10 years later) my daughter continues to write her own music for personal enjoyment.

Wow. You won't believe it until you see this with your own eyes. My daughter learned to play the…read morepiano after one session. We had her in after-school piano but after a few sessions we couldn't stand her complaining every week about how much she hated it. The after-school teacher was nice enough and taught her standard piano notes, very boring basics,...but she picked up very little. After one session our daughter was playing double hands and liked piano! We heard about Esperansa after we saw two of our friends daughters playing piano beautifully and then hearing that these same kids loved piano (vs being forced to play/learn by the parents). Esperansa uses a different technique so that kids enjoy learning. I myself learned the traditional way and hated piano. I wish I had this program when I was young. The program that Esperansa uses is amazing - it's almost like magic...

Pollyanna is a great talent and educator. Her classes are a joy. She offers many formats. Soar…read moreSong is great fun and very e pressure. Her workshops are top notch individual training

I've been taking private voice lessons with Pollyanna for the last six months and recently a group…read moreharmony class. I've taken voice lessons from other teachers but none compare to Pollyanna's focus and expertise in making me a better singer. Her technique is a huge success in Europe but only recently catching on in the US. I highly recommend Pollyanna to anyone looking to improve their vocals. The harmony class is the best class I've taken as far as useful content and technique. I've taken over 10 classes from various Bay Area teachers and by far Pollyanna's is the best. Her energy and love of music are infectious.

I was actually Rachel's very first piano student as a kid and after a 30 year hiatus I found my way…read moreback to her as an adult student of both piano and guitar. Taking lessons with her again has been such a gift. Rachel is an absolutely incredible teacher. I have taken lessons with her both in person and remotely and they are equally excellent. She has an amazing ear and can instantly hear exactly where you are getting tripped up even over video. Her ability to pinpoint issues and explain them clearly makes learning feel approachable and motivating rather than intimidating. Beyond her technical skill, Rachel is just the best human. She truly cares about her students as people and always takes time to check in and connect. She encourages you to explore whatever styles of music you are passionate about. With her I played everything from classical to show tunes to jazz and I even took a brief detour into folk guitar. Her openness and enthusiasm make lessons fun personal and creatively fulfilling. She is also wonderful with kids and I genuinely cannot wait until my son is old enough to start lessons with her too. If you are thinking about taking lessons with Rachel do not hesitate. You will not regret it.

Rachel has been our sons' piano teacher for years and is FANTASTIC! It's always been key to us…read morethat our son not only know how to play piano...but that he appreciates and understands the JOY of music. We all know people that had started learning and then quit...and later regretted it (and we didn't want that to happen). Rachel can not only teach and inspire ...but she also retains students (yes even boys :) Rachel is amazing because she makes piano interesting and FUN. The beautiful thing is that she comes from a legend piano family, so music and creativity is in her veins. She is fluent in many, many musical styles, and teaches guitar as well! We are crushed that she left our area...but our loss is your gain! We highly recommend her to inspire and teach your little ones or YOU! (What a fantastic New Years' gift for your whole family)

I have been a participant in Chris's adult performance group events, where her students perform a…read morewide variety of pieces that they have been working on. Her adult students are a loyal and enthusiastic crew, and I have observed her kind feedback after performances. I myself appreciate her warm encouragement of me as a singer-songwriter. Although I am not myself a student, the specificity of her feedback would make it easy to take instruction from her.

Having taken voice lessons off and on for many years, I am amazed at how Christa's techniques for…read moreteaching correct breathing and emphasis on vowels has improved my voice and allowed me to sing songs with more clarity. She is supportive, honest, helps me to find the best songs for my voice, and has found ways to get rid of my bad habits. I hadn't taken lessons for 15 years. Decided it was my last chance at age 81. That was a year ago and I'm so glad I did. And it's on Zoom!

Christa has been my voice teacher for a year and a half. Though she is a professional, she is also…read morepatient and human. I wanted to learn to sing because I felt connected to my voice. She has helped me deal with the emotional baggage and enjoy knowing my range while learning songs I love, and I have attempted without her guidance. Also, Christa helps me speak more clearly and develop vocal awareness. I love working with Christa!