Natalie is a very professional teacher and is really great with teaching. She is knowledgeable and…read moreis also an excellent pianist. I have known her as a colleague for over 20 years and have also had the pleasure of teaching a few of her students who were very well prepared and very well taught. She is great at what she does and I would highly recommend her for any level in your piano studies.

Natalie is the best piano teacher I have ever had! She encouraging and patient, and unbelievably…read moretalented. It is a pleasure to hear her play my upcoming pieces for me. She has a wonderful sense of humor and made me feel welcome in her home and her practice from day one.

For some time, my wife had been looking around at different music schools for a program that…read morebalances technique and theory, similar to her musical training. We were also hesitant to put our daughter into any type of private lesson for her first musical experience not knowing if she would like singing. I first met Nani in a hula class and discovered she is a professional opera singer. Our daughter naturally gravitated towards Nani so we decided to give the private session a try. After the first lesson we were amazed on how much our daughter learned and Nani was able to immediately correct some of our daughter's bad habits. Nani taught her the proper way to use and care for her voice as an instrument, not to over stress and prevent long-term damage. Nani is extremely patient and has a passion for sharing her joy of music with her students. This is evident during the bi-annual recitals and watching the interactions amongst her students. We are most impressed about Nani for the way she tailors her teaching style to the student. Our younger son begged us to take voice lessons after watching how much our daughter was learning. Now our children love to sing and perform together. If you are looking for a music or voice teacher, we highly recommend Nani.

My sons and I have been voice and piano students of Nani for nearly 4 years and she has made our…read moremusical journeys so incredible. She approaches her student's needs with individualized lesson plans weaving theory with practice throughout her approach. She makes learning music fun and helps address fears of performing to an audience with empathy and patience. Her home is filled with beloved pets that have become family and she opens her heart to all her students. There are music teachers and there are teachers who teach students how to understand and love music so they can achieve their goals; whether that's to apply to a musical conservatory, audition for a recital or play, or just to be able learn how to sing harmonies with others, Nani is ready to support you every step of the way. You don't want to put your children or your own musical journey in the wrong hands as it could lead to a loss of love for piano or singing. I know because I had a terrible teacher when I was in my teens and I didn't want to play piano anymore as a result; what a shame! Nani achieves progress and growth in her students in a way that is both challenging and rewarding. She truly is the musical coach that everyone needs.

Within 3 months Aretha has transformed my singing! Not only she helped me understand and master…read morevocal techniques better, she made me feel empowered and confidence by challenging me to sing in different genres and styles. I look forward to lesson with Aretha every week. Singing in a studio where I can hear my voice through a microphone clearly is definitely very helpful ! She gives me the exercises that caters to my voice, and have different ways to help me get 'that' note. I learned to appreciate the vocal art much more through her guidance, listening to healthy and soulful singing. Highly recommend Aretha for anyone who looks for a coach that inspires you to continuosly train and master the arts of singing!

Aretha Scruggs vocal coaching has been the BEST thing I've EVER done for my voice! She is a…read morespectacular vocalist and incredible teacher. I am a professional vocalist myself, and I've been experiencing various vocal issues. Within one 45 minute lesson, Aretha had my voice connecting and relaxed, and I was able to sing and find notes that had been gone for weeks. She is incredibly intuitive, experienced, educated and compassionate. I have studied with many? many people and I can comfortably say that she is the best. Also, you do not have to be a professional singer to benefit from her expertise. Anyone who is a public speaker, a school, teacher, pastor, or anyone who uses their voice can benefit from her techniques and practices. thank you so much Aretha and I can't wait to work with you again!

She is honestly the best vocal coach I've worked with. She teaches real art, not just exercises,…read moreand you can feel how much she genuinely cares about your progress. Every lesson leaves you with knowledge you can actually use.

Micayla De Ette is as good as it gets as a singer. She can give Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera,…read moreWhitney Houston, and Aretha Franklin a run for their money! Not only that, but she can teach! I should know. She's my voice teacher. I've always loved music and singing. From the time I was a little girl, I would sing along to all the Disney movie music from The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. In high school, I was in musical theatre, and I was a singing narrator in "City of Angels." That said, I never had a singing lesson. I just tried to repeat what I was taught. I was a copycat with no training, and it worked okay. Then, I met Micayla. She was leading the worship service at Faith Tabernacle Church in West LA, and my husband and I were completely blown away! She has so much passion, soul, and conviction. I thought, "She HAS to be somebody famous!" So, one day after church, I approached her about teaching me to sing so I could sing to my husband on our wedding day (which, by the way, was 2 months from that day). She had me sing something for her on the spot to determine how much help I was going to need. Thankfully, I am an okay singer on my own, and she agreed to work with me. Within the first 2 weeks, I already noticed a change in my voice ... and in my confidence. It was amazing! We went through the basics at the beginning. We exercised my diaphragm. She taught me how to breathe. She showed me the proper posture. She also evaluated my range, and it turns out I have a 3&1/2 octave range (Micayla has 4&1/2. Mariah Carey has 5.) We discussed resonance. She taught me how to properly warm up my voice. She gave me advice on how to care for my voice. She taught me to stop straining my throat. These are just the basics ... and then, she taught me how to really sing. Teaching is difficult, but Micayla is so creative and so good that it seems completely natural to her. She really pushes me outside of my comfort zone and gets me to go to the outermost boundaries of my voice. She is helping me build confidence, and I'm so incredibly grateful for that. What I appreciate the most about the lessons, though, is that they are specially crafted for me. It's not a cookie cutter, textbook lesson. She works with my range, my voice, my confidence, and the music I like and want to sing. Needless to say, my song at the wedding was a huge HIT! My husband was very emotional, and everyone there, including my closest family and friends, was totally blown away. Most people who really know me know I love music and that I did musical theatre, but hardly anyone who knows me knows that I can sing. I was incredibly nervous to sing in front of a crowd on my wedding day, but when I saw my husband's face and his reaction, it was all worth it. Micayla helped me make my wedding day truly special and personal. In fact, I was so impressed with her lessons that I signed up to continue learning from her! Trust me when I say she is worth every penny. If you have any other questions, check her out (her voice speaks for itself): www.facebook.com/micayladeette www.youtube.com/user/kayladeette www.soundcloud.com/micayladeette *P.S. She's available to perform at any function, and she can literally sing ANY type of music. It's pretty incredible.

[from an early intermediate adult]…read more  I couldn't have dreamed up a better piano teacher than Darya. I'm not sure one better even exists. As accomplished, knowledgeable, and pleasant as she is, lessons with her are as instructive as they are entertaining. Often coming to her with a wealth of questions at the top of our weekly, far-too-short hour together ("time flies when you're ..."), she's never failed to answer each with depth and clarity. After this, as expected, we go through-or vacillate between lesson-to-lesson: technique; theory; ear-training; and our current piece of music. For said music, I've brought in to learn:   - video game tunes - the heaviest metal - 90s pop - hip-hop from high school - and far, far, far too difficult classical compositions (which she politely--but importantly--asked me to put aside for ... awhile)   All save for the last--and the last in time (we'll get to that Tchaikovsky one day, Darya!), she welcomed each with a smile. Welcomed each with enthusiasm. Welcomed each with all the soul and warmth they deserve.

We are so exceptionally grateful for Darya. She has been my son and daughter's music teacher and…read morefriend for many years now. My kids have grown tremendously as a result of her patient instruction. Me, my wife, and our kids are so grateful for her in their lives. A wonderful person and the best music teacher.

Sarah is the best! I came to her for help with my background vocal ability. I'm a touring…read moreside-musician and have worked for many decades on top-level tours. I've always sang background vocals, but was lacking in technique. I've taken lessons with other vocal teachers, but found them to give one-size-fits-all warm ups, without much explanation of why I was doing them. Sarah tailored exercises to my needs and has a deep understanding of the physiology of the voice which really helped me understand the mechanics of how the voice works. After just a few weeks, I'm singing more solidly, with more range and no strain. I just finished an intense round of rehearsals and had zero voice fatigue, what a difference!

I had an outstanding experience with Sarah from start to finish! The lesson itself was a masterful…read moreblend of technique and expression. Sarah was able to help me uncover my authentic voice while understanding the meaning behind what I was singing. Sarah's holistic approach helped me feel more confident in my voice and organic sound. I also felt very cared for by Sarah; she asked me about my piece and the goals I had with it prior to my lesson. She checked in often and cultivated a safe space of experimentation and play. I would recommend Sarah in a heartbeat, and look forward to the opportunity I get to work with her again!

Suji is a great cello teacher! She has patience and knows how and what I can do to improve my cello…read moreskills every week. I have been taking lesson with her for a year. My one-on-one lesson is once a week for 45 minutes. I must say, I'm a much better cello player ever since. I've never played a musical instrument before. I bought this wonderful cello off craigslist and I've been playing it since at the early age of 32. I had another cello teacher for half a year before her. Of course, Suji is much better then my previous teacher, that is why I've been with her for a year now and I'm planning on staying with her for many years to come. For me, it isn't a cheap hobby, but it's an important one to have, just like going to work out regularly. Work out strengthen my body, reading nourishes my mind, and music feeds my soul.

How do I even begin?…read more This past year, having lessons with Suji has required me to face a brand new challenge, reflect on my habits, relearn music in a technical style, and push myself to embrace a completely uncharted territory. I am an adult beginner learning cello for the first time ever, and Suji has undoubtedly helped me grow as a music student and a musician. I'd never had music lessons before. I picked the cello because of its rich voice, range of emotion, and the versatility as a solo or orchestral instrument. I had a different teacher at the beginning, and I felt incompatible with her teaching style. (It's like going on a date - you can't quite place your finger on what it is, but it just doesn't feel right.) After some research online and on Yelp, I stumbled upon Suji's page. After exchanging emails, I booked a first lesson and was immediately hooked. The lesson was like a breath of fresh air. Within minutes of sitting and playing a simple scale, Suji was able to diagnose all my ailments in posture, sitting, bow hold, first position, finger placement, EVERYTHING. She was very keen on correcting things that needed improvement, and at the end of the lesson (mind you, this was just the FIRST lesson), I was creating sound with the cello that actually sounded musical, with clearer tones and not the plaguing ugly squeaky sounds that nearly discouraged me from continuing with my lessons (thinking maybe I should try ukulele lessons instead..) I am at weekly lessons at her studio since July 2014. Since beginning, I have moved beyond simple Suzuki practice etudes to pieces that I recognize and like to play. Practicing between lessons is, of course, mandatory, though I've noticed that even on days I go into a lesson without having practiced at all (bad student..), I am still able to make tremendous progress with Suji's tips and corrections during the one hour of lesson. Suji is incredibly patient and scrupulous, stern when she needs to be. Most importantly, her teaching style is very interactive, with encouragement to share feelings and comments on the pieces I'm working on, my goals, and the learning process as a whole, so it is a mutual partnership rather than a traditional "do as I say" approach. I am exceptionally happy with Suji as my teacher, and reflecting on how much I grew in the last 8 months, I am all the more excited for what lies ahead. If you're looking for a cello teacher for your child, or just want to learn for yourself as an adult, look no further. You've found her.

I love Pop Rt Vocal studio and vocal coach Araksya Amirkhanyan. She is very passionate about…read moreteaching kids and patient at the same time. My daughter adores her and is very excited to go to her vocal class every week. It is her happy place.

Araksya is an amazing vocal coach. She has been coaching our 10 year old for almost 2 years and we…read moresee a big development in her vocal abilities. She is great with kids, taking the time to get to know each kid and utilizing different approaches to teaching.