Taylor opened my eyes to the joy of singing... without fear!…read more 3 months into our weekly sessions she had me singing jazz songs (something I'd never considered), and 6 months in, i was singing in front of a small and supportive crowd. Was it challenging? For sure. Did I love the process regardless? Absolutely 100%. I'm currently taking a break for personal reasons, but I often look back and think how much fun I had. I look forward to returning and picking up where we left off one day.

What an amazing experience! A wonderful introduction into the world of music! I was preparing to…read moresing a song for a first time audition with a local theatre company. I enjoyed the whole process from voice training to performance. I sounded better after each lesson. Taylor knows how to teach and communicates very well conveying a good ear! She's very welcoming, kind and easy to work with. The time was managed so well, I felt like the price was well worth it. I had so much fun! Thank you, Taylor!

I've been learning piano with Lara for about four years now, and it's been an awesome journey. Lara…read morehas not only taught me all the technical stuff but also helped me really become passionate about learning piano and making the songs we learn my own. Her patience and enthusiasm make every lesson fun and motivating. She is always finding new and improved teaching modalities/platforms that keeps classes fun and evolving. I can't thank Lara enough for all the support and encouragement she has given me.

TL;DR - Passionate instructor + Revolutionary method = Best lifetime value…read more Lara's specialty sets her apart among piano instructors. Her teaching method focuses on getting students to learn rhythm and sight-reading. While it sounds basic, it is really the foundation of music. By focusing on these skills first, it enables the student to do so much more over time. Mastering the ability to sightread alone empowers me to learn any new sheet music, and not quit in the process because I got overwhelmed or frustrated... I am 30 years old and took 3.5 years of various music courses during my schooling, including violin, guitar, percussion, and piano. None of my previous instruction ever set me free in the sense that I could go pick up some random, unfamiliar sheet music, and learn how to play it in minutes on my own. That's where Lara's lessons have been different. Despite only going to Lara's lessons for 3 months, I feel like I could learn any popular music song on the piano in a single day--eat your heart out Maroon 5! It's been a great experience so far and I look forward to continue my progress. Another benefit of her method is I will be able to learn how to sing and play simultaneously--something I never believed would be possible for me!

Lilia Pershina deserves more than five stars as a Piano teacher!! She is an incredible mentor who…read morehas taught me so much about not just the Piano but musical theory as well and every time I go to a lesson I'm super excited to see what she will teach me on that day. I came to Lilia only a few months ago after having studied with another teacher for about 18 months and had problems with my hands hurting after practice and concerns about my ability to actually recall and play music once I had learned it. Immediately Lilia could tell 2 things: first, she could see that my technique needed work (I had a lot of tension in my hands) and I can honestly say that after even just a weeks of working with her my hands had stopped hurting during (or after) playing and as someone who is nearing 40 years of age, this is an absolute relief. The next thing she made me aware of, was that I wasn't actually reading the music. I had a (bad) habit of studying and memorizing the pieces but then not being able to follow the music because through practicing I would not actually follow the music with my eyes because I was too busy checking on my hands. I'm pleased to say that with her help this issue too has quickly been resolved. She also has a knack for knowing just the perfect piece for me at the right time, and I can say that my confidence in playing is improving tremendously. She even has me practicing my sight reading daily, which is slowly getting better as well as she pushes and gives me the foundation I need to believe I can do it. As I noted earlier, she has been teaching me musical theory and believe me, I have had other teachers in my life try to teach my theory and it was always sort of just thrown at me in overwhelming chunks and non sequiturs that never seemed to lead anywhere. The exception lies here. Lilia doesn't just explain bits and bobs. She has me working out of workbooks that are presenting musical ideas that I couldn't understand verbally and slowly guiding me further and further through each level. She often times will stop and ask me if I understand the concept, and honestly there have been times where she has to explain it to me about 5 times over before I can understand what she is trying to teach me, but she is so patient and thorough and every day I can see an improvement. Her studio is right in the heart of Long Beach, and it is quiet and very professional. In her studio, she has both an upright and a Grand piano side by side so you can try either one alternately depending on your needs. I myself, had never actually had the privilege to play a grand piano and so it is really nice to go over there and have the ability to play on one. In addition, by having two pianos it allows her to play duets with you, or also for her to quickly show you how to play something without having to switch back and forth each time on the same piano. Also, as an added plus for anyone who hates driving in this city, her house is on a fairly open, sleepy street and as a result parking is super mellow and has never presented a problem. If you are looking to start your children in lessons, I would highly recommend Lilia. And if you are an older learner like me, or if you have never played but are interested in trying, she has shown me that it's never too late and will help you achieve your goals. Honestly, after having so many mediocre music teachers over the years charging 25-30% more per hour, I find her prices to be super reasonable in comparison and an absolute steal for the one on one guidance and care she provides. I hope to be a student of her's for years to come, because I know under her guidance I will continue to surpass all expectations of my abilities and absolutely further my musical journey. Thank you Lilia! See you next week!

I feel lucky to have found Lilia on my first try after moving during the pandemic from NY to CA. As…read morean adult piano student, she has helped me towards my goals of having nice pieces to perform on demand, expanding my limited knowledge of theory and just appreciating my time practicing. She uses direct instruction, workbooks and has shared some very useful videos of both performances and practice techniques. Her studio is in a lovely, private location and all of her dealings are very professional. She works with you on makeups and vacations. Overall, she is my dream piano teacher!

Amazing guitarist and highly recommended teacher!!! Thanks,…read moreJustin

I highly recommend Pedro. I've been playing guitar for 20 years and I learn something new and…read moreuseful every lesson. If you're looking to start playing or to advance your current skills, he's the guy to do it.

If I could give Maria Elena a rating higher than five stars, I would. I owe all of my major…read moremilestones in the performing arts to her. From my admission to NYU Tisch Drama for musical theatre to all the professional opportunities I've been blessed with thus far in my career, she has helped set me up for success every single time. She has done so much to help me grow and develop my confidence, creative dynamism, and artistry over the seven years I've been working with her. With Maria Elena as my mentor, I've expanded not only my vocal range but also my stylistic range. She helped tear down the psychological roadblocks I'd built up for myself, giving me the tools to refine my technique and push my creativity to its ultimate limits. Even then, she'd encourage me to keep going: celebrate my wins, but never settle because there are always ways to learn and improve. I began my time with Maria Elena viewing performance as an escape from being the plain kid I thought I was, but now I view performance as an extension of myself -- a chance to become so much more than I ever thought possible. Maria Elena helped me build a strong technical foundation for my voice and showed me that, with an open mind and a strong work ethic, I'm capable of anything I put my mind to.

Ms. Maria Elena has been working with me for many years now. I've always loved singing, but I was…read moreable to solidify vocal techniques through precise vocal warmups and other foundational exercises as well as performance techniques through score study. Ms. Maria Elena was always patient with me and understood everything I had to balance on top of music, making lessons very inviting and comforting every week. I would look forward to learning many different genres - from pop to jazz to musical theater - with her, and I really got to learn the nuances and differences within each genre. Her lessons weren't just singing lessons. They were also filled with music history, cultural homages, and personal anecdotes to help me improve as a musician, performer, and person. I appreciate her teaching very much, and I still take all of these techniques with me wherever I sing, whether I am working with little kids or auditioning for new opportunities. Thank you so much Ms. Maria Elena!

Thank you Scotty you made the evening spectacular! The music was perfect…read more You are very professional and talented !

Scott is a kind, thoughtful and innovative player with a strong foundation in jazz tradition. I…read morehave shared various stages with Scotty for nearly ten years. Hire him!

I started taking lessons from Harriet to improve my speaking voice. It was such a great experience…read morethat I thought I would give singing lessons a try. Harriet is an excellent teacher. She's fun and witty and always comes up with different exercises that you can relate to. She's very patient and goes at your pace, but will also push you to grow. Thanks Harriet!

I worked with Harriet privately for about a year. I went into starting lessons with her with the…read moreintent to improve my vocal performance but got so much more. We became friends and I always looked forward to my time spent with her. She is a wonderful teacher to have and I wish I still lived close enough to continue training with her. Thank you Harriet!

I have an enormous amount of gratitude having gotten the chance to work with Mr. Spencer. He really…read moreenjoys the craft of teaching and his energy is infectious. He makes lessons digestible for the student but still challenges them in a way that ensures their growth. I've gone to multiple different coaches for acting but James is the one I trust most with my career development.

James Spencer is a artist developer, musician, recording…read moreartist and excellent web designer. James created an excellent website for me. I thoroughly recommend him for the services that I have listed.