Dr Ivona Kaminska was my son's piano teacher from kindergarten through eighth grade. Ivona is an exceptional teacher and a very talented pianist. She is knowledgeable, kind, and patient. John made an incredible progress with his piano study under Ivona's guidance. He also enjoyed many opportunities to participate in local and international festivals/competitions. John loved his teacher and worked very hard to please her. I am thankful that he had the opportunity to learn under Ms Ivona. He will carry skills that were taught him and the love of music. I would highly recommend Dr Kaminska as a piano teacher for any student! Alina Rose read more

I would not be the musician I am today without studying 12 years under Dr. Ivona Kaminska. From the start, she helped shape my technique in a very digestible way, and developed my artistry and sensitivity to music throughout my tutelage. Dr. Kaminska is a very interactive teacher and shows that she genuinely cares, helping me mature as a pianist and as a person. As I got older, Ivona helped connect me with established professors like: Julian Martin (Juilliard School of Music), Dr Logan Skelton: (University of Michigan), Francesco Nicolosii (Thalberg Institute, Italy), and Albert Atanelle (Liceu Conservatory), giving me the privilege to perform for them in private masterclasses, exposing me to new perspectives and broadening my scope of possible interpretation and artistic expression on the piano. read more

Ivona and Chris are the best. I studied with both of them and I can confidently say they have shaped my entire musical future. Their guidance led me to win numerous top prizes in international piano competitions and be accepted to prestigious conservatories such as New England Conservatory. They love teaching, so they're always fun to work with and be around; two of the funniest people I've ever met! read more

I first met Ivona and Chris when I was 5 years old -- well over 15 years ago -- and I studied under Ivona for nearly 7 years. Words cannot even describe the positive impact they've made on my life! On the piano side, Ivona was the perfect balance between instilling in me a passion for classical music while also building up a strong technical foundation. Each week, I could tangibly feel the progress I made in everything from scales to pieces to competitions. Ivona made each lesson both entertaining and meaningful -- traits that are often rare to find in music teachers -- and I'm forever grateful for the time spent under her tutelage. Outside of private lessons, Ivona was incredibly supportive of all her students, never missing a recital, concert, or competition to see her pupils blossom into stars. Despite her busy schedule running a piano academy and the Seattle International Piano Festival (SIPF) full-time, she always made sure her students were a priority. To this day, I still keep in touch with Ivona and Chris. I've since moved on from my piano career (I performed and competed internationally until 2019), and they've remained supportive in all endeavors I've undertaken in my life -- school, career, and just general life advice! By studying under Ivona and Chris, you're not just learning under world-class musicians, but world-class individuals. The passion they exude is truly infectious, and is a reason why I still keep in touch with them today. Even if I lived another life, I would still hope that Ivona and Chris were my teachers from start to finish. I could not recommend them enough! read more

I was so blessed and privileged to have been a student of Dr. Ivona, and a part of Dr. Ivona and Dr. Chris's music studio for 12 years, from when I was 7 years old, till I was 18. I not only received excellent instruction in piano technique and music theory, but I also received world-class instruction in piano performance through the countless recital opportunities and the performance classes their studio hosted to prepare their students to succeed in competitions and concerts. I would highly recommend Dr. Ivona to any students looking to advance in their piano skills, and especially to ambitious students seeking opportunities to compete internationally and perform on the world's most prestigious stages. I was able to participate in many music competitions, and even got to perform in Carnegie Hall twice--which is amazing considering the fact that I had always been extremely nervous to perform in front of others--but Dr. Chris and Dr. Ivona's piano performance classes helped me overcome many of my anxieties and taught me so many exercises and little tricks to best prepare for performances. Dr. Ivona is a firm yet patient and encouraging teacher, very meticulous, has an amazing ear, and is incredibly knowledgeable, often sharing the history behind the pieces I learned, and about the life and musical intentions of the composers. She was also very very experienced in helping many of her students present polished portfolios for college applications. I loved and miss my time with Dr. Ivona so much, and can't express enough how grateful I was to receive such a high quality music education through her studio that I will carry with me for life! I can't imagine a greater investment, and cannot recommend both Dr. Ivona and Dr. Chris enough! read more

I took piano lessons with Ivona for 12 years from the ages of 6 to 18. I have nothing but amazing things to say about my experience learning music with her. She is a very talented and accomplished musician, and she is also a patient and effective teacher. Her students are amongst the best, and win all kinds of competitions. The sky is the limit for any pupil with Ivona as their teacher. Ivona does a great job instilling good piano habits and technique. She also has a super deep knowledge of music and even the history behind the music that helps contextualize what you're playing. Piano lessons were fun, engaging, and very valuable. I'd come out of lessons knowing not only what to practice, but also how to practice. She also did a great job preparing me and her students for performances at the biggest venues including Carnegie Hall. I now love performing in front of others, even with all the nerves. Beyond being an effective teacher, what I appreciate about Ivona and Chris was that they instilled a love of classical music in me that will last forever. Very often, kids will grind piano for their college applications and never play again once they graduate (this sounds ridiculous, but believe me it does happen). That is something that I find rare amongst Ivona's students, because they all authentically love playing music. Even with the hustle and bustle of adult life, I still find a longing to play more and learn new things. It's that type of curiosity and love for music that is most important when looking for a new teacher. Ivona is the best, and I'm so grateful for her time, patience, and encouragement over the years. 5 stars is not enough for my experience with Ivona :) read more

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

Dr. Ivona and Dr.Chris at Chopin Piano Arts were instrumental teachers to not only my growth as a pianist but influential in all areas of learning in college and the professional workplace. Since studying with Ivona and Chris, I am currently work in the sound department for a video game company and previously as a music producer, songwriter and audio engineer in the Chinese music industry. The piano education I received while studying with these two masters is something I apply everyday for both work and pleasure. I was able to participate in many piano festivals and developed competent technique while studying with Dr. Ivona. Their instruction enabled me to make a living out of my hobby and attend both NYU and Berklee College of Music on scholarship and for that I am very grateful. Through these top tier piano lessons, I also fostered a strong love for music, critical listening, work ethic and efficient learning (or my best attempt at it!). Today, I work mostly in the Sound Effects and Music Composition departments, but being able to play piano on lunch breaks or after hours is something that is invaluable to me. Thank you so much Ivona, Chris at Chopin Piano Arts for teaching me the craft of piano playing as well as being able to find beauty and peace in sound! You will not find better piano and music instruction than at Chopin Piano Arts! read more