Lila is extremely skilled as a violinist, of course, and also as a teacher. I think most important…read moreis how she relates to her students: she is patient and cares about my progress and what is interesting to me. This is the most important thing for a teacher. In terms of helping with technique: Lila is very attentive when I play, can pinpoint what I'm doing wrong and offer corrective advice. She also is really good at explaining how to express emotion: she is an artist and encourages expression in her students. I am very proud of the progress I've made in the now almost 2 years of learning violin and I owe it to Lila. For adults who are considering learning violin, I would say, do it now and give Lila a call.

Our experiences with Lila began with lessons for our son, who took lessons with Lila while in the…read more6th grade. He eventually discontinued with the violin, but I then took his spot!-- as I was so impressed with her demeanor and instruction. I've been taking lessons with Lila for 2 years now, as a 50+ year old adult. I studied violin last when I was in high school, so this has been a real interesting journey. If you go to one of Lila's recitals you will find an interesting thing - both young students and adult learners (some first-time learners, some reconnecting with their instrument after many years), and a real sense of community. Some of us even joined a little club getting together once a week to play together. Lila has really helped me develop by improving my technique while engaging with my interest in a variety of music genres. Can't say enough good things.

Time flies by when I have my voice lessons with Crystal. I've always had some natural talent for…read morepitch and rhythm, and participated in other singing activities in the past. Now as an adult learner, my goals are to improve my breathing technique and practice songs to help maintain my vocal range. Crystal's location and scheduling have been convenient, and she has been accommodating and pleasant to work with. She also has a deep understanding of music theory and showmanship which are great supplements to the practicing. I have enjoyed my time with Crystal so far and plan to stay as long as I am with my band.

Crystal offered voice lessons to my 12 year old daughter during the pandemic via Zoom. My daughter…read moreloved her lessons and improved so much!

I had the joy of working with Melanie as a voice instructor after meeting her through a class at…read morethe Freight & Salvage. Her upbeat, encouraging demeanor combined with her extensive vocal knowledge helped me get over my fears of singing in front of other people to finally enjoy a hobby that I loved. Since then, I've worked with her on an individual basis -- running the gamut of in-person lessons and then virtual ones when the pandemic interfered. Melanie is so supportive as she figures out where to help you improve upon. She does a great job encouraging and framing things in a positive way. After working with Melanie, I feel like I actually have a "vocal practice", something I couldn't have said just a year or two ago.

Phoenix's Voice and Drum class was fun and challenging. Over summer and into fall this year, I took…read moretwo -10 week class series, back to back, and really enjoyed them. Although it was the same class repeated, she offered enough variation and creativity to inspire a continuum of engagement and learning. Phoenix is truly talented as a musician and facilitator who knows how to create a safe space in which students are able to let down their guard and get into the flow of drum circle magic.

Amber will truly help you "Free Your Voice"! I've taken their Free Your Voice classes in various…read moreforms, both in-person twice as single-class experiences in the last two years and recently as an online, 8-week class over Zoom. Every time, Amber has brought amazing creativity to the content and a genuine ability to help participants develop both as singers and human beings. The classes are always a safe space to push one's own boundaries and learn new superpowers you didn't know you had! I would highly recommend Amber's class especially to anyone who wants to develop their voice and become more confident, but as well to anyone who wants to just explore new sides of themselves and do something very fun, cathartic and liberating.

My 8yo, who was deeply opposed to summer strings camp, came back with incredible joy and glee after…read moreday 1 of camp and begged to do the camp again next summer. The entire two weeks she was incredibly engaged, even choosing to practice on her own (which she'd never done before!!) because she was so enthusiastic about the music and camp. I'm so impressed by Crowden's faculty and counselors. I was also really amazed at the end of camp recital how much the kids were able to learn. They had a chorus with the whole camp where they sang a Bach cantata in German together - and it actually sounded good! Crowden really ignited a fire in my kiddo who was definitely meh about music up until now. Can't wait to send her back for another summer session.

The intro to music for kids class is ridiculous. Just a waste of money and time, actually…read morecounterproductive if your kid wants to learn music.

I have come to Scarlett at different times in my life. The first to come back to a love of singing…read moreafter stopping upon leaving my high school choir. At that time she helped me through her skill and encouragement to pursue my dream of singing, going as far as to help me audition and attend SF conservatory of music. After realizing while I love to sing, I didn't neccesarily want to become an opera singer, I went back to Scarlett a second time for support in coming up with an original song adaptation to sing for my wife at our marriage ceremony. The reason why I outline these moments is to firstly express my gratitude to Scarlett in all the ways she has supported me in my life in having the joy of singing be a bigger part of it. Secondly is to let others know the incredible range that Scarlett has to meet and mold her students to become whatever they might want to be in their singing aspirations. Scarlett is an incredible voice teacher, a gifted pianist and accompanist, as well as having a huge knowledge and music library to match any vocal students unique singing styles and desires. Scarlett is patient, funny, compassionate, and a general wonderful person to be around. 5 stars all the way, I couldn't recommend her enough.

I paid almost $100 for one voice lesson and the lesson was her lecturing me for an hour I didn't…read moreget to sing. She had laminated lecture notes and the whole works for plans for lectures in the future. I didn't come back because I don't want to spend money on lectures I've already had voice training in my lifetime and none of it ever involved being voiceless and quiet for an hour. I wanted to sing and be coached on my singing. I think people have a lot of respect for tradition and might not be as honest and straightforward as I'm being in this review. I think it's fair to know before you go in there that this is about $100 for a lecture unless she changes her style of teaching which I don't think is going to happen because this person seems really used to doing this the way she does it.

I studied flute as a boy and took it up a couple times again as an adult. Encouraged by a concert…read moreflutist friend this year, I took up the instrument again. Buying a better instrument helped a lot, but I soon hit a wall with my amateur technique, and I discovered that Sujatha was teaching nearby in Berkeley. What an extraordinary stroke of luck that was, as Sujatha is by far the best music teacher I've ever had. My flute playing is now growing in leaps and bounds. I am now learning quickly (and unlearning bad habits), and am inspired to practice a half-hour to hour every day. Sujatha's lessons are joyful, enthusiastic, fast-paced, and targeted to just what I need. Despite my amateur abilities, she treats my musical aspirations with deep respect, and challenges me right to the edge of what I'm capable of each week, so that my playing abilities swiftly grow. I'm now able to sight read music--at least on a basic level--and am learning things I never learned from any music teacher before about the phrasing and expression of music (not just the basics of getting the notes and tempo correct). Sujatha herself is an extraordinarily skilled musician, conservatory-trained, who performs regularly in the Bay Area. She studies with her own master teacher, and passes on those insights to her students. I recommend Sujatha highly for anyone who wants to discover the joy of music, and to grow their musical abilities with a joyful, exuberant soul.

I found Sujatha after trying quite a bit to find someone that would teach adult lessons. She was…read morevery kind and warm from the very first conversation to all the lessons I have had over many months now. Most importantly she is very patient and encouraging through the struggles of learning something entirely new at a point in life when learning a new skill is not the easiest thing. In addition to learning from Sujatha I have also been at her performance and she is very skilled and a beautiful flute player herself. After some of my initial hesitations and self doubt of whether I'd be able to learn, whether I would enjoy it or whether I would have the energy to sustain my learning I discovered at the end of three months that I was really enjoying learning and decided to invest in buying a flute and returning my rental flute. She also very graciously helped take me to to a store and shop for my flute at a local store where she is very well known. For anyone looking to learn I can say for sure you are going to enjoy learning from Sujatha if you have the motivation to learn :)

Juliana is an amazing teacher! I started self teaching January of this year and quickly realized I…read morewould need more professional guidance and help, and Juliana has been a fantastic tutor for all things piano and music theory. I get to practice what I want and she is always accommodating for the pieces I bring in. I get a lot out of our sessions and find good motivation working with her, cannot recommend enough!

We have been taking classes for about 4 months with Juliana via zoom. My daughter is eager to…read morelearn. She is being challenged every week, gets practice assignments and is making consistent progress. My daughter has LD and not once has she felt frustrated with her lesson plan. She is always happy to take her class and looks forward to hopefully take her classes in person in a near future.