I had the opportunity to work with Shantaya and I couldn't be in better hands. She took the…read morenecessary time to take care of me and work with me very patiently during our session. She was so precise with her words and guidance. And her knowledge, wisdom and technique is helping me to heal and move forward. She is an amazing and beautiful person with so much to offer if you need some coaching and healing assistance. Not even mention her gifts like singer and pianist!!! Couldn't be more magical! Thank you Shantaya!!

Shantaya is a rare talent, a gifted musician and devoted lightworker. She has performed many times…read moreat our house, and the audience has always been raving about her. Shantaya is gift to the world also as a healer and holistic living coach. I feel blessed to know her.

As a former wedding singer... yes, I really was... I stopped singing years ago and was convinced I…read morehad totally blown out my voice. Throat problems, neck issues, sinus infections... what a wreck! I did a lot of "The Google" and found Kimberly's unique credentials that though "all is not lost!" I left my first lesson frustrated and still fearful. This had nothing to do with Kimberley who was kind and patient, I just had my own brain compartments working to sabotage me. I noodled (thought) a lot and realized I needed to get over myself and those fears and went for my 2nd lesson At that lesson, I told Kimberely how I felt about the first lesson. She carefully listened, was thoughtful and we worked out a game plan. I left that lesson with confidence that I could get back to where I had been, and significantly improve as I never had "real" voice lessons beyond a college class. Kimberly teaches that it's not just about the voice but the mind/body connection (OMG I just went all metaphysical)I am excited to continue this trek, and if (IF) I ever get married again, I might just darn well sing at it.

Kimberly is an incredible coach with a wide range of advanced skills - from style to neuro-drills…read more Her advice has rescued me on several occasions! My performances are feeling more grounded, connected and confident, and my range has expanded at both ends.

IF YOU WANT to have success in booking theatre jobs in San Diego (or elsewhere), GO SEE KARYN…read moreOVERSTREET! I can not say this loud enough and here is why. I have worked with over 25 different vocal teachers/coaches in my 30+ career and love affair with musical theatre. Teachers in my past have been skilled at technique and teaching but many were missing the other critical element of "the business." Here is what Karyn can give you in her lessons: vocal warm ups, technique, access to a massive music library, advice, her past and personal experience, acting while singing coaching...but WAIT... there is more. Karyn sets you up for success with her knowledge around technology. Every song that I have learned with her she provides the sheet music, a tracked accompaniment with and without vocal line, mp3 or youtube of someone else singing the song and FULL ACCESS in my own google folder so that I can actually practice without hiring an accompanist. For those of us who are old enough to remember the practice pre-phone/computer days, these resources are invaluable. Karyn is a cheerleader, a skilled musician, a friend and someone who WANTS you to book the show/college/job. Worth EVERY single penny.

Choosing Karyn Overstreet as a vocal coach was probably one of the best decisions in my performing…read morecareer. She has transformed my voice by making it stronger and I continue to learn so much from every lesson. She is an ecstatic teacher, who supports and uplifts in her studio, always with the biggest smile. She is truly your #1 fan. If you're looking to rise above in terms of technique, vocal power and agility, and incredible song selection, Karyn Overstreet is the one to get you there.

I've been a client of Ms Nguyen for several years studying violin and piano. An extraordinary…read moreteachers like Quyen are hard to find these days, which is why I feel privileged to have the opportunity to work with her. Quyen possesses exemplary knowledge on both the physiological and cognitive approaches to studying music. She is quick to assess technical problems with music and offer unique solutions. I -strongly- recommend Quyen Nguyen for anyone who is ready to achieve their unlimited potentials - whether they are young beginners, advanced performers or adult hobbyists!

My daughter has been taking cello lessons from Quyen for several years…read more Quyen has been incredibly helpful to her about all aspects of music from her excellent pedagogy and taste in choosing repertoire for students to career advice about being a musician, the real-life business aspects of a musical career and knowledge about instruments, bows, and locations where you can find trusted sellers. It is no surprise that my daughter is principal cello in her high school orchestra, and an outstanding student in her music theory classes. Cultivating musicality in young students new to the technical part of performing music is a huge challenge, but Quyen does this very, very well. The quality of her student recitals throughout the past several years is a testament to her talent as a superb music teacher. Not only extremely professional, she is also very well-connected in the network of Southern California string performers, staying current with new trends in classical music and using this knowledge to teach her students not only the technical aspects of performance, but helping them also develop taste and find their musical style so they can perform with the musicality which distinguishes true performers from merely technical players. I would not hesitate to suggest her to friends looking for a teacher for their children (I have done so many times) at any level from beginners to advanced performers. I cannot recommend her highly enough to parents looking for the best string instrument education for their children within San Diego County.

I have been seeing Donna Dawson weekly for classical piano lessons since Sept 2012 and I must say…read moreDonna is an absolutely fantastic piano teacher! She was a special find for me because I was looking for a superior teacher. I originally began taking piano lessons when I was 8 years old (in 1989) up in Sacramento and I was classically trained for over 11 years before I stopped playing (because my long time piano teacher Judy Hughes died of cancer). I was incredibly lucky that my first piano teacher Judy was classically trained at The Julliard School of Music. The education I received from Judy was superior to any run of the mill rinky-dink piano teacher you can typically find on Craigslist now. After I stopped playing in 2000 I took a 12 year break from playing piano and I missed it a lot and I knew I wanted to start playing again. Unfortunately, essentially every piano teacher on Craigslist that I spoke to was far less advanced in theory and technique than I was and they were more accustomed to teaching children how to play chopsticks - basically the teachers on Craigslist who charge a cheap hourly rate do that because they don't have a great working knowledge of piano theory and technique. I knew I wanted to find a teacher of superior quality like Judy was - I knew I needed a teacher who was trained at Julliard or equivalent. After searching for weeks on Craigslist for a piano teacher and finding nothing but average college graduate students who had very little experience teaching piano, I decided I needed to look elsewhere. So I took my quest to Google, and I typed "San Diego's best piano teacher", and the first result was Donna Dawson Piano Instruction website. It seems the San Diego Reader was quoted saying Donna was "San Diego's Best Piano Teacher" and that's why my Google search found her. I immediately clicked on her website http://www.dawsonpianoinstruction.com. I was so thrilled because Donna's home page states in bold writing "Julliard Trained" and her biography included that she had been teaching since 1968! So she had YEARS of experience with a superior knowledge from Julliard! I knew I had found the teacher I wanted to work with! I called her and spoke with her and I was excited to hear that she preferred to work with students who had a previous working knowledge of the piano, and she seemed excited to hear I had taken 11 years of lessons from a Julliard trained instructor. The last few months have been great! Every Tuesday night I meet with Donna for an hour at her home and everything I learned before is coming back with amazing speed thanks to her great instruction. I learn on her 7' Steinway grand which is awesome - it is far more beautiful an instrument than my upright I practice on at home. Donna covers many facets of theory (even advanced theory for those who need it), timing, and the Vengerova technique. I feel like she is imparting her Julliard training on me and the plus of it all is I don't have to get into Julliard to get the training nor do I have to pay the school's super expensive tuition! :) Now be aware - if you're looking for cheaply priced "affordable" piano lessons because you want to learn how to play piano as a hobby, you might as well teach yourself off YouTube, because that's the kind of education you'll get if you look for a teacher based off price. Superior teachers cost more than your average teacher on Craigslist (Example: my first teacher Judy charged $40/hour back in 2000 - this is how much advanced Julliard trained instructors charged 13 years ago). If you're expecting to pay $30-40 an hour nowadays for piano lessons, you're not going to find an advanced teacher. If you're looking for an instructor that will teach you amazing technique, or if you're an advanced student who needs a much more advanced teacher than you currently have, expect to pay closer to $60-75 per hour. You get what you pay for - simple as that. So if you're searching for a piano teacher who has a superior knowledge in theory, technique, timing, etc. and want only the best, I couldn't recommend Donna Dawson more. Any other teacher in San Diego can't compare - I'm 100% certain of this because I did my homework looking for an advanced teacher who could teach me more than I already knew after 11 years of private piano lessons from a Julliard trained teacher, and Donna is the only piano teacher I found that met the caliber of instruction that I needed to further my education. Happy playing! :)

Donna Dawson, a Juilliard graduate, has been my teacher for the past year. I am seeing real…read moreprogress and am enjoying the experience. I am basically a beginner. I feel that Donna really cares about my experience and learning. She creates her lessons based on analyzing my strengths and the areas in which I need to improve. She listens to my concerns and get lots of feedback during the lesson. Donna's lessons are NOT one size fits all. This is a very important and wonderful part of making progress. In addition to learning different pieces, she is teaching me technique and theory, which facilitates my understanding of the music's composition. She is very accommodating in scheduling. I am so pleased to be one of her students!

I've taken three lessons with Michelle so far, and I can confidently say she is an outstanding…read morepiano teacher and an excellent vocal coach. She quickly identified my weak points on the piano and helped me improve them in a very clear, focused, and effective way. Her teaching style is motivating, professional, and easy to follow. On the vocal side, she made a big difference in my breathing, tone, and control in a very short time. Every lesson is productive, enjoyable, and inspiring. I would highly recommend her to anyone who is serious about improving both piano and vocals.

Michelle Wake is a phenomenal music teacher and performer! She truly takes the time to understand…read morewhat her students need and makes sure to adjust her teaching style in doing so. I cannot recommend her enough!!

Educated at UC Long Beach under the great Eric Marienthal, Isaac is a serious force to be reckoned…read morewith in all things musical. Isaac has the breath and depth in ideas and experience for creating music in multiple genres, on stage and in the studio: from pop, to R&B, gospel, smooth jazz, and straight-ahead as well. Isaac and I have collaborated on many projects through the years large and small, live and studio. Highly recommended.

Outstanding professional with an amazing variety of music. Issac is a super cool guy and will work…read morewith you to meet and surpass all your expectations.

My 8 year daughter loves the in person instruction from Elyse! Previously she was doing zoom…read morelessons, but transition to in person. Elyse has a great way of motivating her to practice, $1 for practicing each day, $1 if you memorizing the song ... all goes to getting a prize from the treasure box. Incentives! Great person, great teacher. My wife raves about her, recommended her to her friend!

Ms Elyse has been teaching piano lessons for my son about 3 years. In my humble opinion, She is a…read moretruly great teacher. She knows exactly how to make kids excited to learn and play song after song. My son has learned so much from her and enjoy playing many songs. You will be very much pleased with her quality of teaching! She deserves more than 5 stars for her passion, talents and creativity in teaching music.