After decades of trying to learn guitar on my own, I started lessons with Lawrence in August 2020…read more Four years later, I've learned to play both pop and classical music, and I have confidence to look at other pieces at my level and work them out on the guitar. This is due not only to Lawrence's ability to share his deep knowledge of music in ways I can understand, but his approach to teaching in general. Like many students, I bring a strong tendency to criticize myself (despite equally strong evidence that this doesn't actually help me learn). Lawrence gives gentle, useful feedback that tells me that he sees a complete picture: He does notice my mistakes, but he also tells me what went well and specific ways in which I'm getting better. I trust his perspective, and I keep improving. In this manner, Lawrence has helped me become a better student - more open and relaxed, and more attentive to the process rather than focusing on the failures. I am able to view "failures" now as steps toward competence. This is not just a guitar lesson, but a life lesson. In fact, I have found that much of Lawrence's teaching, while specific to guitar, also applies well to real life. His philosophies have enriched my day-to-day experience. Whether or not I practice. :) I highly recommend Lawrence. He's an amazing guitar player, and he knows how to teach. His measured approach is calming and steadying, and his compassion and kindness is very supportive. He does his best to accommodate scheduling needs, and he is super reliable. Work with him. You'll get better at guitar, and you won't stress about it.

Our 6th grader has been studying guitar with Mr. Paul since he was in kindergarten and just loves…read moreit. Totally agree with the reviews of Mr. Paul; he is kind and patient with youngsters and also adapts his style as the child grows. We recommend him whole heartedly.

1.5 years and 4 violin teachers later, we found the ideal violin teacher for my daughter:…read moreAgnieszka! Agnieszka is insightful, thoughtful and patient with my daughter. She explains musical concepts in a way that my elementary-aged daughter understands, and gives analogies that simplify complicated musical theories. During lessons, she is engaging, patient, and student-focused. The half-hour lessons fly by each time! Though she clearly has high expectations, Agnieszka is also understanding that developing skills take time and many mistakes need to be made to become better. I absolutely recommend Agnieszka to anyone (young & old) looking for an attentive, kind and encouraging violin teacher.

I am a retired adult and was lucky to find Agnieszka to help me relearn how to play the Violin. I…read morehave been taking violin lessons from her since April 2020. Initially my lessons were on zoom but we have transitioned to in person at her studio. Agnieszka is patient, kind, and gives clear instructions. I highly recommend her to students of all ages. She is a talented violinist who has the gift to also teach!!!

I started taking lessons with Kevin in 2019 and have been forever grateful! He encouraged me to…read moreexpand out of my comfort zone and try new things, like helping me audition into the California Youth Symphony. I ending up being in CYS until I graduated high school, which would not have happened if it weren't for Kevin's enthusiasm and motivation. I also could not have been more thankful for him helping out with my college applications senior year! If I played recordings from back when I was just starting with him until now, there is SUCH a NOTICEABLE difference in my technique, tone, and musicality. As a dancer, he not only helped with my musicality in music, but also in dance! Truly the best teacher and the best person. Honestly, I will still be taking lessons when I'm in my 50's. If it weren't for Kevin, I definitely would not have gotten as far as I have in my musical career.

My son is in his third year of clarinet lessons with Kevin, after picking up clarinet in his fifth…read moregrade SFUSD music class. It has been a terrific experience for him! His skills have improved markedly, but even moreso his enjoyment of clarinet and classical music in general. Great teacher!

I have worked with three of the teachers at this studio. I changed teachers due to scheduling…read moreconflicts with my job, but all three of the teachers have been awesome. My first teacher, Brite, is someone who cares about me and is a positive role model. I have studied under him for roughly a year and a half, and he has not only been very understanding towards me, working to improve my performance anxiety and such, but he has also offered bits of musical knowledge relevant to the questions I ask him which is definitely a bonus. As someone who enjoys playing piano as a side hobby, I have been privileged with being able to pursue whichever piano songs I wanted to play under Brite's instruction. My proudest moment was when I performed a Japanese piece called Ama no Jaku, or Born Coward, in front of a small group of people as a recital piece. My second teacher, Josephine, is also very knowledgeable and passionate in the field of music. Under her tutelage, I've also been able to learn whatever pieces I've desired to learn, such as Double Night Tail Moon, a simple but "easy on the ears" piece, and Flower Dance, a more contemporary piece of music. She is also very positive and supportive towards me, just like how Brite was. Currently, I am learning from Ichko. Ichko is a very experienced piano teacher. She has very good intuition, and she knows how to make any piece sound much better by helping me pay attention to when to make dynamic changes in my playing. She likes to hum along when I play my beginner's Czerny exercises, and she always brings a cheery mood to brighten up the lesson. All three of my piano teachers are incredibly warm and kind people. I would recommend learning from them if you have the spare time to practice piano.

My boys have been taking lessons from Saideh (violin) and Jillian (piano) for a few years and I…read morestrongly recommend the school, and both teachers. They foster a love of playing music by focusing specifically on what the kid needs, with flexibility and creativity to keep the kids interested. My kids have chosen some more "popular" songs, which they've really enjoyed learning, and I appreciate this approach to keep them going. And they freestyle too, which is really enjoyable. And both teachers have been helpful and organized as we balance other activities to ensure they're getting their lessons.

My daughter has been with Nurture Music for two years, learning piano, and she has had wonderful…read moreexperiences with the piano teachers she has had! Teacher Andrew is just the right balance of firm but friendly and I am so pleased with how much progress my daughter has made and in the confidence she has built. Saideh organizes wonderful recitals which are encouraging and warm, and really gives the students an opportunity to showcase their hard work in a safe environment. I am so grateful that we found Nurture Music and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a strong music program.

My 11 year old has been taking lessons with Matthew for about a year and he's had a wonderful…read moreexperience and has improved tremendously. I can't recommend Matthew enough for anyone looking for a private trumpet teacher.

Let's just say that without Matthew (and God) I would not be the musician I am today…read more I first found Matthew on Yelp! when I decided at the last minute to apply as a music major to colleges. Although I played cello since middle school, it was very casual and only through the school's music programs; I even stopped playing the cello my last two years of high school. So imagine my panic and scramble to find my first private cello teacher in San Francisco with the goal of improving my playing to audition for colleges with a four month timeline. Matthew was very enthusiastic and supported my potential to get into a music school; in reflection, I think he was the most positive and encouraging person during my entire audition process. He fully supported my playing by transforming my passion for music into a technical and musical base to work with, fully showing the colleges what I would be capable of accomplishing. But that's not all. Matthew went above and beyond by helping me record the videos professionally for the audition process, even letting me borrow his cello for better sound, and even helped me edit the videos so that they would be the most presentable work to the colleges I applied to. We also went through the most realistic school choices for my current skill level and came up with some state schools in California with strong music programs (Cal Poly Slo, CSU Fullerton, CSU Long Beach) and a private school (Biola University). Throughout this whole process I did not feel discouraged by Matthew even once. In the end, I got accepted to all four colleges for cello performance and I could not have done it without Matthew's generous help. But that's not all. Once I had accepted that I would be a music major, Matthew also went above and beyond to help me pick a new cello to buy for the next few years of school. As he has gained a strong network of musicians in SF, he knew where to help me look and off we went. He even came with me to play the cellos for me so that I could hear the potential sound of each cello. We were able to get a cello in our budget and a reasonably priced cello case thanks to Matthew's personal recommendation and expertise. But that's not all. Throughout Matthew's time as my teacher, I was able to fully entrust myself as his student because of his professionalism as a music educator who leads by example. Initially, I was drawn to Matthew as he was a musician that is greatly connected to the music community in SF, including being a chamber coach for the SF Conservatory and performing at many venues and gigs. But in our lessons, I truly got to know that Matthew is a professional cellist that exudes passion for the cello from his expressive and captivating cello playing to his vast knowledge on cello repertoire and technique, including orchestral excerpts and cello pieces to learn to grow as a cellist. In addition, Matthew was always clear about lesson plans and prices so that it best protected his career as a musician but also gave the most accountability and expectations for budding cello students to follow as well. This was helpful in setting a consistent lesson schedule --- which saves the hassle for both teacher and student! Needless to say, here I am, as a cello performance major, four years later, ready to start my own career as a musician. It has come full circle and I am now coaching and teaching others music! I am forever grateful to Matthew for making my musical career possible. I never felt alone during this musical journey due to Matthew's constant encouragement and support and his love for sharing the cello with others!

When my little sister announced that she was having her wedding on the beach in Tulum, Mexico, I…read moretold her that for her wedding gift I'd learn how to play the cello and perform my favorite piece, Bach's Suite No 1 in G, at her wedding...that was coming up in 6 months...even though I've never picked up a cello in my life. As luck would have it, I met Matt that same week during once of his performances. After being amazed by how beautifully he played the cello, I quickly approached him after the show, told him about my audacious goal, how worried I was about letting my sister down and how there was probably no way that I could be performance ready in such a short amount of time. Matt was kind enough to listen to me as I ranted at a mile a minute before putting my mind at ease by assuring me that anyone can learn the cello. We began lessons immediately and I remember how patient Matt was with me even though I kept holding holding the bow like a chicken drumstick. But a couple of months later, I was learning about shifting finger positions, producing quality sound from the strings and maintaining rhythm & tempo. While Matt was great at teaching me technical skills with the cello, he also got me to dig a bit deep and taught me how to express my emotions through this instrument so that the audience can feel the music instead of just hearing the notes. This helped me to let go of thinking of the piece as a combination of quarter notes and eight notes but as a story that I wanted to tell to the audience. On the day of my sister's wedding...well...how can I say this..I totally nailed it! Sure, some parts were still a little bit sticky (I'm sure it didn't help that I was crazy nervous) but I vividly remember during the standing ovation that I felt so happy for my sister and so proud of myself for actually pulling this off. And of course, I couldn't have down it without my cello teach Matt. Thank you again Matt!!!

We've been with this music school since 2015 and have had a great experience. The teacher is…read moreresponsible, patient, and truly cares about each student's progress. My child has developed strong skills and confidence over the years. Highly recommend this school for a supportive and solid music education.

Very very sweet people and affordable practice rooms - I am grateful to have found this. Thank you.read more