This review is for Kaleidoscope Rock Academy, which operates out of Kaleidoscope…read more tl;dr - scheduling nightmare, contract breach, and borderline fraudulent charges. There are better programs out there My son has been a member of a group here for over a year. He came from another group oriented program with firm schedules and weekly rehearsals, so it was an adjustment to have to decrease to one rehearsal a month. Things were okay for that year, despite numerous reschedules. We decided to continue the program this year because something is better than nothing though. This year has unfortunately very disappointing. The new season started in November, and after one month the schedule fell apart. I am a single parent that works full time, and it is extremely important that I can know my son's schedule in advance. Multiple times during this season the director of the band cancelled practice, on one extreme case just an hour before. This translated into my son not being able to attend a practice for over two months. The director stated that it all worked out because he added a practice at time that worked for others in the band, but surprise, didn't work for my son because what I thought was going to be the schedule turned out not to be the schedule. The director seems to think that individual parents are paying for the band, not for their children. I don't think I'm out of line in thinking nobody thinks that way. To add to all this, I told the director two weeks ago that about all my grievances, to which he replied it all balanced out with the additional practice (again, that my child couldn't go to because of all the schedule shuffling). He went so far as to try and tell me only one cancellation had happened despite it having happened multiple times. At this point I was pretty certain scheduling at this organization is a complete and utter mess, and that there was no way my son would have a good experience there. I told the director my son would no longer be participating in the program. What really infuriates me though is that he referred me to a section of the registration agreement that says I am committing to pay tuition for a full year. He very conveniently glosses over this part of the same agreement: Rehearsals, song choices and public performances for the academic year are all highly customized to meet the needs of students who join our rock bands each Fall. The needs of the students 100% covers not rewriting the schedule frequently so that students can't make it to practice. He will claim it's completely out of his hands, but then what the hell are you paying for if not at bare minimum someone to organize and enforce a practice schedule that actually works? And then he charged me tuition for a term I said my son would not take part in two weeks after I pointed out his contract breach. I confronted him again about why he was continuing to charge me, and he pointed out the same agreement that he himself originally violated. It boils my blood to think that someone would try to take advantage of parents like this. To be honest, I hadn't planned to even write this review until he charged me again and continued to act like it was no fault of his for my child's departure. Now I'm having to process a chargeback through my bank, which sucks. There are better group programs out there. Go to one of them and get a better value for your money, and avoid the headaches of not knowing whether or not your child will actually get to use the service.

Joe Polito is a dedicated, versatile and experienced guitar teacher and musician. His guitar…read morelessons are very pleasant and time seems to just fly by when he teaches. He is very approachable, kind, accommodating and patient with his students. Great professional and good-hearted human being. Thank you, Joe!

I've been taking guitar lessons from Half Note Music School for about six months now and I highly…read morerecommend them! First, some background: I considered myself an "adult beginner", though I've played around with a guitar since high school. I knew the basic open chords and a few songs from the various "Teach Yourself Guitar" books I'd gone through. I'd often thought about taking lessons, but never quite got around to it. As it turns out, one of my friends had been taking guitar lessons at Half Note Studio for about two years. When I asked her about it, she said she'd learned a lot and recommended I give Jack a call. I arranged a free initial lesson with Jack. I was nervous going into the studio, but Jack was quite friendly and quickly made me feel at ease. We went over what I knew and talked about what I wanted to get out of lessons. In my case, I was looking to learn more music theory and get some "proper" guitar instruction. Six months later, I still look forward to my regular guitar class! I'm developing a better understanding of music theory, improving my ear training, getting better at sight reading and generally developing a deeper appreciation for what I can do with the guitar. Jack's a great instructor and very flexible in terms of tailoring his lessons to the needs of the particular student. If you've ever thought about taking music lessons as an adult, I say give Jack and Half Note Music Studio a try!

I have been taking both guitar and vocal lessons with Half Note Music School for just over a year…read morenow and I would happily recommend anyone else interested in music lessons do the same. I've played the guitar on and off for over a decade. Jack - my guitar instructor - quickly learned where my past musical experience placed me and tailored our lessons to my skill level. I have no formal singing experience, and Amy has been wonderful helping me learn how to better use my voice. She has given me several different techniques that are easy to practice in my spare time. I have come a long way with both my instruments and I'm very satisfied with these lessons. As is common these days, my lessons were all over Skype and Zoom, but I hear the studio is open now for those that can attend in person.

Our 10 year old has been taking classes at Miller Music School since 2018 and he loves it! We see…read morehow much he is progressing in his piano lessons over the years and it makes us confident that we made a right choice. Great teachers and clear communication between the owners, teachers, students and parents. We would highly recommend Miller Music School.

Christine is an incredibly patient and pleasant teacher. My daughter started in first grade and has…read moreprogressed really well. The studio is easy to get to and nicely set up for me to wait during lessons. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for music lessons.

I started at the music factory after seeing some of their flyers, and was taking lessons there for…read morearound a year. I really enjoyed my time with the music factory, and I was connected with some awesome people/great musicians and mentors. I was able to explore many new concepts and even a new instrument, and every step of the way was guided by first class musicians. I highly recommend TMF to anyone, but especially adult students who want expert, in-person lessons! I worked specifically on guitar with Blake and drums with Tim, and both of them were really great at gauging where I was at coming in and helping me figure out where I could grow.

This place is wonderful if you haven't been there try it. They're beautiful instruments and it is a…read moregreat place to go. The employees are very helpful. Put music in your life. You'll find joy try this place. You're gonna love it. You'll thank me later.

I have studied at Chopin Academy for 5 years. Compared to the other places I studied from in the…read morepast, I can honestly say that this school has given me the best experience. The school itself is very well-kept, and there are many studios with nice pianos. The restrooms are clean and stocked, and the main room is very classy and comfortable for waiting before lessons. All of the instructors that I have met are professional and knowledgeable. The directors are kind and want all of the students in the academy to succeed. My teacher Ms. Tsirkel especially changed the way I felt about piano. She has grown to be a big role model to me, and her skill as a brilliant pianist, along with her gentle way of teaching has caused me to love piano and appreciate classical music.

CAM is a great place to take piano lessons. My teach is Dr Ross Salvosa. He is not only a great…read morepiano teacher but also excellent pianist. He is very detail oriented, and make sure every single note sounds beautifully. Ross has great personality, taking classes with him is really fun. I got professional training when I was young but I never really enjoy practicing piano this much as I am now. Ivona recommended Dr Salvosa to me when I came to CAM the first time. She cares about all her students and she will recommend teachers based on your needs and personality. Very appreciated on that as well. Highly recommend this place!

This place is great . My 7 year old daughter loves and is learning fast with Brandon . Great…read moreattitude. Always smiling , awesome with kids ! 5 stars !!

These guys are great. Can't say enough about them. The instructors are all top notch, all seem to…read morereally enjoy teaching. They have been flexible when one of the kids is sick. It is more like family there, than going for a 30 minute lesson, and they really care about you making progress. They also teach in a way that starts with "what kind of music do you like? What are your favorite songs?" And then you start from there, learning things you care about until it all comes together. If that wasn't enough, you have the ensembles...Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Clapton, Santana. What better way to learn than putting together a band for 10 weeks? But again, that isn't enough. How about pushing your comfort zone, and having you and your little band (and all the other little bands, etc.) perform at a local restaurant? Our whole family (5 of us) now takes lessons there, and definitely better than anywhere else I have been. I just wish they offered a family discount :)

What a great experience I had working with Henry Bischofberger to purchase a very nice violin…read more(fiddle, for me)! The shop was super accommodating of me to try anything I wanted in the price range I had available to me, and let me try out at least a dozen different ones. I got to take my time, was offered the opportunity to take it home for a while to make sure I liked it (but I decided to purchase it on the spot), and didn't feel the slightest bit rushed on any of it. Since purchasing my fiddle, I've continued to find Henry a very friendly and helpful source for any follow-up questions I've had. I would absolutely go here again if the need arose.

Their team is always great! They have so much knowledge and pay lots of attention to detail. Quick…read moreand thorough with repairs, tuneups and string changes. If you want advice or input, they'll give you educated answers and go above and beyond to make sure you get the most out of your visit.

Just wanted to mention the great experience I've been having at the Fleming School of Music for the…read morepast year. I'm taking guitar and ukulele lessons, and I am really impressed with the quality of instruction. It's one thing to know how to play, but it really is an art to be able to convey this knowledge to others - and it's something they are very good at! I have taken some lessons at a couple other places in the Issaquah/Bellevue area, but for me, what sets the Fleming School of Music apart is that they have the whole package, and don't just provide me with lessons but also teach music theory and composition so I have a complete, well-rounded understanding as I move forward in my music education. The school has a computer lab where I have been able to go in and learn how to create my own music and do my own beat mixing, etc. - super fun! But, my absolute favorite thing is the location itself. The atmosphere is great as it's housed in a charming older building that has been remodeled with a really classy performance hall where their own recitals are conducted. (Since I am an adult, I have elected not to be in the recitals (phew!), but I have gone to a couple to watch the younger students perform, and they are so fun (especially the Holiday recital) and a great way for parents to gauge the progress of their kids!) There are lots of choices in our area for music, but this one gets my vote!

I have had my 6 year old daughter in the program for one trimester now. She is learning the piano…read moreand has really enjoyed the program. This place seems very well rounded... Meaning they have private lessons once a week which is replaced once a month by a group theory class. After a private lesson the kids spend some time on the computer to tune their ear to different beats and tones. To top it all off there is a very nice recital once per trimester to give them a chance to work on public performance. My daughter loves it all. However, my biggest issue with the way things are ran is the lack of parental involvement in the progress towards goals. There isn't anything in place that spells out the goals in the first place. I keep having to ask "where are we?" "What are we currently working on?" How is progress being measured? At this point I feel as though no one is directing my daughter's progress and I have to keep advocating for her which puts me in a very uncomfortable situation. I feel that an educational program should report progress to parents at regular intervals. I would like to see more transperancy as to what she is learning in the computer lab and in theory. I would like the instructor to communicate with me as to my daughter's strengths and weakness. I can not blindly trust in a program it must first earn my trust. So I will give this another trimester and if things don't change we will move on to a different program.