I started taking lessons with Aglaya online in 2020, and I'm still going strong today! What I love most about Aglaya is her infectious personality, creative approach to teaching, and her ability to make even the most complex concepts seem simple. Learning from her never feels like a chore - it's more like a fun adventure! I started learning piano at 30, and I only wish I had discovered Aglaya sooner. read more

Aglaya is amazing in how she can keep my son Maximus entertained and focused in his piano lessons. He is making tremendous progress and he is only 4 years old. Thank you for the care and unequaled instruction. John read more

The best and outstanding teacher in piano lesson. Excellent and great teacher

We feel so lucky to have met Aglaya! Our kids absolutely adore her and our 8-year-old son looks forward to each of her lessons. We started in-person, just before the pandemic, and it wasn't clear how well this would transfer over to zoom. However, Aglaya hadn't missed a beat. (no pun intended) Her lessons remained just as instructive, exciting, and engaging as they had been and our son has progressed a great deal over the past year, whereas before we met Aglaya, he had a lot of false starts. Aglaya has an incredible connection with kids. Our younger daughter can't wait till she too gets to start. :) We highly recommend her to everyone who wants to learn how to play the piano!!! read more

Aglaya is a skillful and patient piano teacher--she taught my 5 year old son for several months and he began to love and understand music under her guidance. She is an excellent communicator, easily spots areas for improvement, and keenly gauges a student's readiness to take on more challenges. She takes her student's progress seriously, but she's also a kid whisperer, and my son loves her and her encouraging approach. Such a great combination to inspire learning. I'd recommend Aglaya to anyone looking for a solid, kind, and passionate piano teacher! read more

I've been taking an online lessons with Aglaya for the past two years and we've been having a blast! I am 34 and have never played the piano before. I've been convinced, that it is impossible to start learning and progressing as an adult. To my surprise, I've learnt how to read sheet music, play my favorite songs and even started composing my first music. Aglaya is such an amazing, creative and supportive teacher. She always has a new activity or trick up in her sleeve. Would definitely recommend lessons with her. I would also never believe, that it would be possible to learn piano online, but Aglaya walks you through the process and makes it easy and fun. I'd give her 100 starts if I could. read more

Aglaya is amazing. My two sons, ages 6 and 9 have been going to her for about 3 months, and I am amazed how much they have learned. She is very passionate and it reflects in her teaching. She engages with my boys and makes piano fun and interesting. I highly recommend her if you are serious about learning to play the piano. Both adult and child would benefit from a skilled teacher like Aglaya. read more

Aglaya is magical with kids, very patient and friendly while also firm and focused. My rambunctious 6yr old son has only been with her for a few months and she somehow keeps him calm and he looks forward to lessons with her. Love that she signed him up for a recital even as a beginner. Highly recommend her. read more

It is not possible to say enough good things about Aglaya and her teaching abilities. But let me try: Note: this is from the perspective of an adult beginner - it's been 50 years since I last tried to play - with little success. Aglaya has changed everything. First, she easily adapts her lessons to each student's individual needs and goals. Want to learn the classics? She will find arrangements suited to your level and support you on every step of the journey. Want to play popular music? She'll have you singing along in no time. Want to play both? Even better! She will balance your lesson plan with music that inspires you to practice and play for yourself, your friends, or perfect strangers! She helped me learn a jazz standard to surprise my husband for our 30th wedding anniversary. It seemed above my skill level at the time, but she broke it down and worked with me measure by measure, line by line, until I could share my feelings in this magical way. Second, she understands balance. She introduces just the right amount of theory and technique at just the right time. She finds engaging exercises and studies to build your skills, but never makes you feel like you are stuck in details before you can get to the "good stuff." Third, she has an amazing ability to connect with students and inspire them. As a returning adult learner, I am filled with unrealistic expectations about my skill level and frustrations with my ability to progress as rapidly as I think I should. Aglaya is not only an extraordinary piano teacher, she is a great life coach, helping me understand the learning process in ways that make sense and encourages me to rise above my doubts and frustrations and enjoy the journey. You will never regret your decision to study with Aglaya. read more

My daughter has been taking piano lessons from Aglaya since April 2013. My daughter gets very excited when there's a lesson. Agyala is great with kids, both strict and fun at the same time. And she truly enjoys teaching, as she often goes over her time limit without asking for extra compensation. (We ended up voluntarily paying her extra after she stayed late on several occasions). On top of that I am actually quite impressed with my daughter's progress! Highly recommend! read more

I am one of Aglaya's adult students and have been getting lessons from her for around 6 months now. I leave every lesson we have with a ton of new knowledge, clear direction on how to improve, and inspired to play! I have made a profound improvement in my ability to read music, technique, timing, music theory, and even performing. You see, on top of drastically improving my skills in playing the piano, Aglaya also encouraged me to perform for the first time at the recital she hosts. I can't say in words how happy I am that I began taking lessons with Aglaya. I went from having never completed a full song by myself to performing a full song infront of a crowd. She's the teacher for you if you want to improve and enjoy the process of getting better. read more

Aglaya has helped my daughter learn and grow so much in piano. Our other teacher was great, but he stopped teaching so we had to look for another teacher. So far, we have been loving Aglaya. She is so caring and compassionate yet just strict enough to help our daughter learn. Our daughter is now doing complex pieces in just one year of being with her. She is so much more than a teacher. She is a mentor, a friend, and a inspiration. Thank you so much Aglaya. I highly recommend trying her lessons out. read more

It's not easy to find the right piano teacher. Some pianist with too much skills don't teach beginners, some that teach beginners, don't have too much of a skill. Some piano teachers are too overbearing and some are lax. Aglaya manages to put it all together in the most right combination! She is extremely qualified and very talented, but also knows how to teach AND teach effectively!! My daughters plan to continue piano lessons with Aglaya as longest we can. Highly recommend booking your first try out lesson with her and hopefully for you, she will still have a spot available in her busy schedule. read more

After an almost 50 year "break" from piano lessons, I found Aglaya. For the last year and a half, she has shown me that it's never too late to learn. She knows how to craft a perfect lesson - the right balance of theory with new and familiar pieces. She uses technology brilliantly - to efficiently offer lessons in my time zone, to send homework and customize examples. I didn't believe lessons over Zoom could work - but she has mastered this method! Great use of our time. Aglaya has taken the time to really get to know how I learn best and has patiently worked with me week after week to accomplish more than I thought possible. Highest recommendation. read more

We just had a trial with Aglaya and we are so happy that we found someone so positive, patient, energetic knowledgeable and caring who works great with kids! She really personalizes the session to meet your child's interest and personality. My recently just turned 6 year old energetic boy was able to sit still and attend willingly throughout the session. He even came home and begged for the song notes so he could practice right away! ( I can't even get him to practice his lower case letters) He is hooked! We are excited to see our sons' progress in music with her and feel confident that he will! read more

Aglaya is a terrific piano teacher. We had two of our daughters taking lessons with Aglaya for the past 2 years. Before the pandemics, her in-person lessons were both fun as well as very informative for our children. Our daughters are slow to warm up to strangers, but with Aglaya it was an easy and quick connection. During the pandemics, we had to switch to lessons via a video, but children were willing to go for such lessons despite a general video fatigue after school-from-home. Aglaya has been very understanding of the difficulties that children may have had during this past time, and was always quick to adjust depending on our children mood and energy level. She is serious about her work but also very genuine, fun and approachable. She manages to put kids at easy while nudging them to practice and make progress. She is forthcoming with praise as well as pointing out when kids can do a better job. She does it very well and in a light hearted way that kids will listen to. She is patient, and reminds us parents to be patient as well, as different children respond to music differently: it may be easier for some, and more of a challenge for others. Aglaya comes from an outstanding Russian classical music educational background. However, there is nothing pedantic or tedious about her approach to music. Her main goal is to instill love for music making into her students. She manages to explain complicated musical concepts in a fun and interactive way. During Aglaya's lesson she combined working with regular practice books, as well as giving children creative assignment which help to bring together music and art. We are grateful to Aglaya for sharing her love and appreciation of music with our children. read more

My son has been taking lessons from Aglaya for 2 years and wow has he progressed. He loves his lessons, can read music, and is playing well. The struggle is getting him to practice! Aglaya has a great blend of warmth, knowledge and discipline that works well for my 6,7, and now 8 year old son. I highly recommend her. read more

Aglaya is an Excellent teacher, experienced and knowledgeable. My 3 kids really enjoying every lesson and always looking forward to new lessons. She is enthusiastic and very patient with kids . Aglaya makes learning a pleasure. Also her rates are very affordable and she can travel to your place, super convenient for working parents .Actually she is the most creative piano teacher ever. read more

I have no doubt my daughter stays interested and passionate because of Aglaya. She is fun, energetic, engaging and motivating and most of all, warm and patient. In a few short months, my daughter is reading notes and playing a few pieces. I love her creative ways of teaching and keeping my daughter engaged. My daughter looks forward to her lessons with Aglaya and is always happy and cheerful during and after her lessons (so much different than when I'm sitting with her.) Aglaya has instilled confidence in my daughter and as a result, my daughter strives to meet Aglaya's expectations. Aglaya strikes a great balance between pushing and letting up. Aglaya travels to our home but also gives lessons at her own place. She is flexible and works with our schedule when needed. So glad we found her!! read more

Honestly, the single greatest lesson experience I have ever had. Aglaya is patient, kind and extremely effective teaching the piano. I could not believe how quickly I was learning how to play songs! I highly recommend her piano lessons for students of all ages. read more

Aglaya is an awesome teacher. My 6 year old son (at the time) had a great connection with her. Her energy is fun and contagious. She makes learning music fun and enjoyable. We miss her. I highly recommend her. read more

My 6 year old daughter and I LOVE Aglaya - she is the piano teacher that I wish I had when I was young! As other reviewers have noted, Aglaya possesses many qualities that make her such an awesome piano teacher -warm, engaging, energetic, FUN and knowledgeable. She is clearly a natural with kids, very patient but firm when needed (kids = short attention span!). She really connects with my daughter during the lesson and understands her abilities, so she is able to know when and how to challenge her to take on more advanced material. One of Aglaya's best qualities as a teacher is that she is the embodiment of positive reinforcement. She sets clear and high goals for my daughter, but always makes her feel like she can achieve those and more. Within the first 3 months of lessons, my daughter was able to read notes, memorize songs, and play confidently with both hands. But more importantly, Aglaya has brought out her love for the piano - so much so that she is self-motivated to practice every day. We are so thankful to have found Aglaya! read more

Like all the other reviews here, I have to echo that Aglaya is simply amazing with kids. She clearly understands how to connect with children through friendship and laughter. The bond she has forged with our 8 year old daughter continues to be a great driver to practice! She simply adores Aglaya. Clearly, this teacher loves her craft, and loves her kids even more. She truly encourages and nurtures the love of music, and through that she successfully teaches you how to play the piano. It's a very refreshing teaching style compared to simply learning through repetition which can bore a child. Practice does make perfect, but it's so difficult to sit a child down to practice at home without this building that desire first. It's been very exciting to watch our baby girl progress with her piano playing and enjoying it. I would recommend Aglaya to anyone who wants to give piano a try. read more

Ms. Aglaya is a wonderful and talented teacher. She is very patient and caring to her students. She specializes in piano and tailors lessons to fit the student needs, which we personally found it amazing !!! She is very thorough when introducing new songs, making practice at home a lot less work and frustrating for my daughter. Our 7 years old daughter (Tiffany) has been taking her piano lesson with Ms. Aglaya for almost 3 months now. She was so delighted with the music she was learning that she would play the new music when family members/friends come by. You will not regret to take piano lessons with Ms. Aglaya. I guarantee you. read more

We started piano lessons with Aglaya when my son was about 6 years old and she was absolutely wonderful! She seems to be equally incredible with children and adults alike. My son always looked forward to lessons with her and has learned to read music, to love music and continues to play piano. He's now 12 and I strongly feel that the foundation that Aglaya helped lay for him is what has continued to impel his love for music. Our family really enjoyed being a part of the community that Aglaya created with her piano lessons, recitals, etc. She has so much integrity, love for music, and love for the people she shares it with. Aglaya is a gem of a piano teacher and if we didn't have to leave California we would still be with her to be sure! read more

My daughter has been taking lessons with Aglaya for two years. We are so happy we met her and we couldn't dream of a better teacher, mentor and friend for our daughter. Aglaya is very knowledgeable, patient, fun and persistent teacher. Our daughter has been making a great progress over years and she is always looking forward to her lessons. I wish I had someone like Aglaya, when I was learning piano back to my school years. Aglaya organizes great recitals twice a year. It's always great to be a part of it and see all the kids progress. If you are looking for piano teacher, you won't be able to find anyone better than her in San Francisco. read more

Aglaya is absolutely terrific with our 5 year old . He has a lot of energy and I wasn't sure how piano lessons would work but he also loves music so we figured we'd try it . It has gone great ! He loves his lessons with aglaya and she is so great and helping him find music that he likes. She also does an amazing job putting on a recital - making it feel special and worth working towards, but not with any type of pressure . Each kid at the recital seemed to be incredibly proud and having fun . I would highly recommend aglaya , esp if you have young kids who are curious about music. read more

As an adult student with little to no musical background, I was hesitant to start learning piano. I have been working with Aglaya for a year and a half now and am so happy that I decided to give it a try. Aglaya is an incredible piano teacher! She has taught me so much about playing piano and piano theory. She focuses not only on being able to read and play music, but really understanding the why behind the how. She is positive, extremely talented, patient and encouraging. I have appreciated our time together and look forward to continuing to improve with her guidance this year! read more

I would rate Aglaya's class with my kids 10 stars!!! She's absolutely amazing, very encouraging , yet firm in her teaching. She always challenges and gets the best out of my children. First my son started with aglaya in may of 2014 and now he's playing very nicely while reading notes! My daughter just also started and she's also loves having class every week. If your looking to learn piano yourself or for your child definitely consider Aglaya I guarantee you will be more than happy! read more

Aglaya has been working with my four year old daughter for the past year. My daughter is always excited to go to piano class and practices on her own at times - which shows me she truly enjoys playing. She's made great strides with playing more and more complicated pieces. Aglaya has the utmost patience and the class time just flies by. read more

I've always dreamt to learn how to play piano and thought that my time was gone, as I never learnt as a child. Very happy I found Aglaya and she turned out to be a great match for me as a teacher. I still can't believe that I am able to learn my favorite songs and pieces, but she makes it so easy! If you are looking for a teacher, definitely give it a try! Aglaya will make your dream come true! read more

Absolutely life changing! I am an adult and never had piano lessons before. I started taking lessons with Aglaya 2 years ago and it has been amazing. I've made so much progress and I love playing! Thank you!!! read more

Creative, challenging, energetic, and intuitive...Fantastic! Aglaya challenges my six year old daughter while constantly encouraging her to keep moving. She is very good at reading my daughter's abilities. She knows when to push her and when to give her a break. Within just three short months of Aglaya's instruction and encouragement, my daughter went from zero to reading notes, playing several pieces with both hands and chords, showing emotions, and loving every step of it. We love piano lessons with Aglaya. So much fun and so much beautiful music in our house! read more

Aglaya is the best piano teacher that I can imagine for my two children! She truly inspires them to learn and enjoy exploring new pieces. And it's not only about the music, she motivates them to learn also about the composers and is constantly challenging with new material. My children are always excited to go to her classes. We also appreciate all the effort Aglaya puts towards creating recitals for the children to plays. I would definitely recommend her! We are extremely glaf we found her. read more

I wish I could give 10 stars on here! I came in with ZERO knowledge of reading music or the piano and wanted to learn it as a new goal for 2014. Aglaya is an exceptional teacher and I can't express enough how much fun she makes the learning process. She takes time to learn about what your goals are, what you like, and makes you feel 110% comfortable in what you are doing. She has a very unique style of teaching that keeps you engaged and excited to learn more about such an amazing instrument. I've been working with her for almost 2 months now and can play parts of famous pieces from composer's like Beethoven and my favorite, Amelie. I never thought I'd learn so much in such a short period of time and its all thanks to her. Again, 10 stars - you'll know what I mean once you start working with her. read more

Aglaya is wonderful with children and a great piano Instructor. My now 6-year old son has been taking lessons for a year now and has progressed leaps and bounds. Our family has no music background and zero music influence so we were worried that he would not like taking piano lessons. Aglaya has a way with him and is able to capture his interest in music by making it fun but at the same time challenging him and conveying the importance of fundamentals and practice. We couldn't ask for a better teacher. read more

I have been taking lessons with Aglaya for over an year. At first, I was curious if it'd be possible for me to make my childhood dream come true. I always thought it was too late to start with this type of hobby. Aglaya made impossible - possible for me! She is such a gifted teacher and the nicest person in a world! I wouldn't ever expect to be playing pieces I can play now. She always tries to make sure that my lessons are not only productive, but also fun. I was a little afraid of being bored when I decided to take lessons, as I am not a big fan of theory. But even theory seems to be entertaining during her lessons. I've always dreamt to play Beatles songs and now I can impress friends and family with my wonderful performances! I would definitely recommend Aglaya as a teacher. I always leave her place happy and with total sense of accomplishment! If you are an adult and looking for a teacher-there is no better teacher you can find in the city! read more

My two daughters have been learning piano with Aglaya for almost a year now. Aglaya is a great piano teacher. While she stays professional, she makes the lessons fun for the kids to learn. Aglaya is very passionated and patient with kids. She always encourages kids to ask questions, and She explains material very well. My kids enjoy learning piano from her. read more

Aglaya is the most exceptional piano teacher we have ever known. She is engaging, professional, and extremely competent in teaching young children. We have three boys ages 6, 8, and 9 years old and she has connected with them in a way that has allowed them to thrive. The kids have learned to play with both hands - and they have learned to read music quickly. Aglaya is an accomplished piano player - and to hear her play - is extraordinary. Aglaya has high expectations - yet is reasonable with her expectations also. We love Aglaya!!!! She is simply the BEST!!! read more

We have tried a few different piano teachers for my 5-year old before we found Aglaya. After my son had his first lesson with her - I knew she was exactly what I was looking for. Aglaya is very kind, very patient, and makes the whole class fun. She also engages my 3-year-old daughter, so the kids leave feeling that they were playing a game the whole time. The results are amazing. After three months my speech-delayed child already knows the notes and reads primitive (well, very primitive) sheet music, plays using both hands and reminds me every once in a while when it's time to do his piano homework. If you don't want to overwhelm your children with the complex and tedious routines and would rather provide them with an unforced playful environment while they are studying music - Aglaya is your perfect teacher. You are welcome to contact me directly if you have any further questions. read more