I was extremely fortunate to study piano with Chris from late elementary school through high school, and I can confidently say learning with him was one of the better experiences of those years of my life! I entered Chris and Ivona's studio a very young and undeveloped pianist, and left with a lifelong love of classical music, and a far better understanding of musicality.
Chris is an excellent teacher. He not only possesses a broad knowledge of piano repertoire and a deep understanding of what makes great music, but also the patient, understanding, and good-humored demeanor of the best educators. When you have piano lessons every week throughout some of the angstiest years of your life, you don't always feel like you want to be productive. Chris, however, will bring out the best in you - I always left lessons feeling better than when I went in. More than this, I always left lessons excited to work hard and learn, often wanting to head straight to the piano to practice when I got home.
One thing I only gained respect for later on is how well Chris manages to adapt his style of teaching to his students as they mature. He is one of the few teachers I know who can be equally effective with a child and a young adult. In my case, he was able to give me the early structure I needed with well taught standard repertoire, but was equally able to advise my playing once I developed my own taste and became interested in more esoteric, obscure music. He also made me play Bach, which is sometimes like getting little kids to eat vegetables - we only appreciate how essential it is once we get older! Chris also became a mentor to me in a broader sense as I aged, often giving me helpful guidance and support regarding life in general.
All of this is not to mention how well connected Chris and Ivona are. Studying under them, I had constant opportunities to learn with visiting world class pianists and enter large competitions, including the biennial Seattle International Piano Festival which they organized. Beyond this, I got the chance to play at venues like Benaroya and Carnegie Hall. Chris also knows his way around recording equipment and video editing, and helped me record pieces for college applications that no doubt helped get me into Stanford and other top universities.
I'll also put in a quick word for Ivona, whom I did have one lesson with in my first days at the studio. We only met for an hour, and it must have been around 9 or 10 years ago, but I still remember the advice she gave me on Beethoven's Tempest Sonata which I was learning at the time. There were a few bars in the middle of the piece where the right hand played a solo melody line, which I frankly found uninspiring and had no idea what to do with. Ivona immediately singled in on this part, using those measures to make a broader point about musicality in the whole piece - she starting singing various phrasings of the line herself, and with that the music came alive for me. Perhaps it doesn't sound especially noteworthy when written like this, but it's hard to underestimate the impact a small tip like that delivered in just the right way can have on a growing musical mind. I also had several friends who studied with her, and heard universally positive feedback from them.
So I really can't recommend these two enough! Studying with Chris in particular is responsible for adding an entire dimension to my life, one I can't imagine living without. It's well to enjoy the finer things in life, classical music being one of them. You learn to play piano with Chris and Ivona, but you also walk away with a much more valuable skill, that is, how to look at the world and see beauty in it. In my view, that's one of the better things a teacher can pass on - it certainly was for me. read more
