I had the pleasure of learning from Steve for about 6 months until I moved out of California. I…read morefound Steve shortly quitting lessons with another private instructor. Right away I could tell Steve was a great pianist. Come to find, he's also a great teacher and person. We discussed goals and he quickly set up a practice regimen to get me on track to learning piano. Even though he specializes in jazz, he is classically trained and will take you through different techniques for whatever style you want. I learned different technical and rhythm exercises, along with all of the foundational skills (theory, scales, chords, etc) and some more advanced stuff (dynamics, rubato, and giving a song "life"). Practice was always fun and Steve always had different approaches for tackling whatever struggles I was having with a specific piece or idea. On top of all of this, Steve is just an all around great guy. Easy to talk to - I benefited just as much from his wisdom and life experience as I did from his piano teaching. If I ever live in the area again I'm definitely contacting him for more lessons. Thanks Steve!!

I have experienced several piano teachers for my children and Steve is the best by far! He is…read morepatient and kind, yet keeps his students on task and maintains high expectations. He is a true musician who performs in a jazz quartet at local venues. Our family has enjoyed the added opportunity of seeing him perform live and watching the musicians in his group interact with each other. Steve's mantra is "music is to be enjoyed." My son has benefited from Steve's skills as a teacher. I would highly recommend him.

Michael has been teaching my son for 5 years and we love him! My son started when he was 6 years…read moreold. Michael has taught us Piano, drums, and Uke. Eventually, my son decided to focus on the ukulele. Michael has been great at following my son's musical taste and has gone out of his way to learn the songs he is interested in. Michael is a warm and patient teacher. I HIGHLY recommend him.

My 10 year old who only knew a few chords played without much rhythm and I have been jamming with…read moreMichael for about a year now. He now plays drum kit, rhythm and lead guitar, and piano. We record every session, so fun!

I have also been one of Martan's piano students for several years. I can tell you that Martan has…read moremany talents. First, he's a busy and in-demand performing musician; various venues, solo, backing, and ensemble settings. So whether you just want to entertain yourself or you want to (or already do) perform for others, he can share a wealth of knowledge regarding performance skills. Second, he's a skilled teacher of music theory and piano technique at every level from beginner to professional. If you're at a beginning level, he'll start you off right with a solid foundation. If you already play, he'll help you progress faster and farther. And you'll always have a clear vision of where you are and where you're going on your musical journey. Third, he's an amazingly-creative musician. He's a master at improvisation, and even better, he can teach you how to improvise also. Not just playing a few licks, but real, meaningful improvisation. It's not just for those "who were born with it". Fourth (and to me most impressive), he's wonderfully gifted at teaching how think of music as a language, in order to express meaning and emotion through your playing. Whether you're improvising or playing written pieces, this is the critical difference between "sounding like everyone else" and finding your own sound.

My son and I both take private lessons at Sharp. I am studying voice with Sydney and my 11 year old…read moreboy studies drumming with Elliott. I just love what we are both learning! Low-pressure, high-attention to detail. Just my style. Sydney is really helping me, a 50 year old woman who NEVER SANG and would never dream of doing it in front of anyone, find my natural voice and it's starting to sound pretty good! I also like that Elliott plays accopaniment to Sebastian's drumming so they are making music together that gets him excited beyond the basics. They also have a beautiful location.

I study singing with Sydney and my 11 year old studies drumming with Elliott. We love our lessons!…read moreThey are both so knowledgeable and encouraging. I have studied with many teachers of performing arts over the years and these are very special teachers! Beautiful location,too!

Sam is a super energetic teacher! She is great with the kids and really knows how to get them…read moreinvolved and learn! She always creates a fun environment for the kids to learn in.

My daughter has had 2 incredible years at little Mozart. She can read music and notes. Sam is an…read moreamazing instructor! Your child will immensely benefit from little Mozart.

Zack Olsen is a true treasure to Santa Cruz, offering education as a well-rounded musician,…read moreeducator, technician and historian on a professional scale. Whether rock, funk, or jazz Zack has played on the professional level in these categories and more, and can offer one an extremely worthwhile education on the drum set. Starting from playing in ska band Slow Gherkin, to now playing locally in rock and jazz bands and educating, Zack's versatile career is a reflection of the education and wisdom he can offer you.

Short Review: Don't miss a beat, go to Zack for drum lessons! You won't be disappointed!…read more Long Review: Zack is simply amazing and the best drum teacher I could possibly imagine. First of all, the stuff you really want before the drumming even starts: Zack is punctual and has never been late to a lesson. He's never cancelled on me. He never shows up groggy or like he had a late night gig the night before (and I have early morning lessons) His sound-proofed clean studio is equipped with 2 side-by-side quality drum-sets so he can play along with you or demonstrate new concepts. He also has a computer and access to any music you want to play during your lesson. I should also point out that he is a normal and super nice guy; he's not intimidating and is someone you're happy to sit with for an hour! He is a gifted teacher. He is patient, organized, and a talented drummer in any style of music you want to learn. He allows you to learn what you want, but also mixes in a good amount of rudiments and drumming exercises to practice on your own. He can bring anything down to a basic level so you're feeling progress immediately and constantly. He makes sure your body is aligned and you're holding your sticks correctly. (I'm a brand new drummer, so I started at the very beginning) He writes stuff down and teaches you to read drum sheet music. You would think someone of his ability would be bored out of his skull teaching someone new like me, but honestly, he never seems bored or distracted. He knows everything about drumming and can help recommend drum-sets and accessories. He even came out to my house to help me set up and tune my new drums! Whatever your level of drumming or reasons why you want to learn, Zack can help! I am an empty-nester woman with kids in their 20s-- some good friends in a local all-women band offered me to learn drums and join them knowing I was suffering some PTSD related symptoms after losing my youngest daughter to cancer (playing music is the best therapy!). It's been only 6 months since I picked up my first drumstick and our band just played our 2nd gig this weekend with me as the new drummer. Let me just say that people were blown away at the fact I've only been playing 6 months! I have a long, long way to go, but I would not have had the success I've had without Zack as my teacher. I haven't seen him with kids, but can only imagine how much young kids would enjoy learning from him. You will learn a lot at each lesson if you do your homework and come prepared. Feel lucky if he has a spot for you! I can't recommend Zack highly enough! Drum roll please...

Here's the thing about Gianni Staiano: he claims to be a piano teacher; however he is infinitely…read moremore than that. I first happened upon Gianni and his love affair with keyboards at a local venue called The Crepe Place. His Funk Trio, 7 Come 11, was almost literally sucking people into the front door and gyrating the floor beneath their feet. I bounded towards the front to see the instrumentation. Well, my eyes ended up glued to Gianni's fervent-foot and handwork on the hammond organ for about 2 hours. As a kid, I had learned some classical piano and listened to rich and multifarious musical styles. In the back of my mind I had been searching for someone to resuscitate my relationship with the piano. I thought, "I found the doctor." Fast forward to one year later and I am grappling with scales, chord voicings, baseline rhythms, ear training, sight-reading, chord progressions, and new songs in Gianni's studio. At this point, honestly, I felt frustrated. This guy is giving me every tool in emporium and I am just NOT a musician, I should give up. ...I'm giving up. Well, I voiced this concern to him and he earnestly reasoned that I was growing as an artist and musician. I just wasn't ready to hear it at that point. I quit for about 6 months, all the while recalling Gianni's simpatico encouragement. My life circumstances changed and I decided to give the piano, music, and Gianni another try. Returning was like sipping an outstanding scotch with a clean palate after having tried it before with a mouthful of soap. Music has a way of defying definition. Gianni continues to patiently help me wrap my head around constellations of musical concepts. His teaching helps me feel that music and life govern each other. The tools he provides allow me to face the truth of who I am as an artist and musician. One of the greatest gifts of Gianni's teaching is self-acceptance, the reminder to love ourselves where we are at this moment and keep working towards our greater goals. Three years later I am preparing for a performance, singing and playing, writing my own music, and showing up at Gianni's studio every week for more. It really makes a difference taking lessons from a performing musician. While I can't say that lessons with Gianni has instantly turned my hands into the likes of Art Tatum, Vladimir Horowitz, or Chopin, I can say that I call myself a piano player, musician, and artist with growing confidence. You can certainly take lessons from him and take his teaching as a literal guide to playing the piano and you will glean numerous playing tips and learn new songs; however, I recommend learning between the lines and trust that the really juicy stuff will digest and give you a rich takeaway in time. So, a 5 isn't enough. I have an infinitude of stars and gratitude to post for Gianni's nurturance of a really, REALLY important part of my life.

My daughter wanted a piano teacher who would nurture her love of music beyond learning scales &…read moremusic theory. Gianni has introduced her to jazz, blues & latin rhythms. She has developed the confidence to take on new music by recognizing the chords & patterns within each piece of music. Gianni has an engaging personality along with his creative teaching style. Each lesson provides guidance & a deepening connection with music which inspires her to keep playing.

Ben is an amazing teacher! I started practicing as an adult. He's extremely patient and is able to…read morebreak down any obstacle into manageable parts. Can't recommend enough!

Our 13-year old was transferred to Ben when her previous teacher, who had been highly esteemed for…read moreclassical piano training, decided to retire. So far her progress with Ben has been great. He's got her playing some very advanced pieces with good rhythm and clean fingering. He's enrolled her in a demanding program that requires a lot of music theory training - stuff I never heard of when I was learning music theory as a kid - and I think it will pay off down the line, especially if she goes into an area of music that uses non-standard modal keys or jazz. Ben's got a formal approach to teaching, and this is probably good for kids like my daughter, who need a short leash to be reminded to polish what they're leaning before moving on to new material.