My daughter started with Musicians in the Making since she was 3 years old. Back then, she enrolled in their music program with the elderly that was held in a senior center. My daughter had so much fun learning about music and that motivated her to try learning piano. She started with Ms. Nathasya and when she left, we were lucky to have Ms. Candice as her teacher. My daughter loves Ms. Candice. She loves going to her class. Her teaching approach is student-centered learning. She lets my daughter choose between songs or choose songs that are going to be learned based on her interest or something that would spark her interest. She also prepares teacher-made materials for activities and games to help my daughter understand concepts in music / piano better. Also, Ms. Candice is proficient in terms of managing my daughter's mood or behavior during class. She knows what to say and how to encourage my daughter in playing the piano or in focusing on the task at hand. Our children's extra curricular activities can be an additional cost to our monthly expenses, but what makes our money worth more here is the additional activities prepared monthly by MITM. Whether it's a zoom class with an expert or musician, performance class, picnic, field trip, or recital, all of these activities further my daughter's learning, appreciation, and love for music. So yes, we totally recommend MITM. Inquire for a trial class. :) read more

Our daughter started piano lessons with Ms. Choi when she was just beginning, and she's been with her for more than half her life. That kind of consistency matters -- week after week, year after year, she showed up with patience, encouragement, and genuine care. Our daughter grew not just as a pianist, but in confidence, discipline, and a real love for music. We're so grateful for the steady, kind presence she's been in our child's life, and for all she's meant to our family. If you're looking for a piano teacher who truly invests in her students, we can't recommend her enough. read more

My daughter's piano lessons with Ms. Candice have truly been a gift. When she first started, she was incredibly shy and unsure of herself. But thanks to Ms. Candice's gentle encouragement, patience, and ability to make learning fun, we've seen her completely come out of her shell. Not only is she so much more confident, but she has also grown tremendously as a pianist. She can now read music, play beautifully with both hands, and truly understands the structure and emotion behind the pieces she learns. It's amazing to hear her play at home and see how far she's come--not just as a student, but as someone who genuinely enjoys making music. Ms. Candice has a special gift for teaching and inspiring, and we are so thankful for the role she's played in our daughter's growth--both musically and personally. read more

I have been taking adult piano lessons with this organization for a year now, and it has been an incredible experience. Starting from scratch as an adult can be intimidating, but my primary teacher, Ms. Candice, made the process feel incredibly easy and approachable from day one. Her patience is unmatched, and I truly appreciate how she respects the specific musical genres I am interested in while building a solid technical foundation. I also had the pleasure of working with Ms. Bhakti within the group for a short period, and I was impressed to find they shared the exact same vision and values. It's clear that as an organization, they truly understand my personal goals for my musical journey and respect them. Every lesson is a perfect mix of technique, music history, and an 'eye-opening' exploration of different genres and musicians I never would have discovered on my own. If you are an adult looking to start your musical journey in a supportive, professional, and well-aligned environment, I cannot recommend them highly enough! read more

Musicians in the Making has been such a wonderful program for our young daughter. Candice has been a passionate and inspiring teacher that has met our daughter where she is. She approaches each lesson with such positive energy and remains incredibly patient and nurturing even on days when our daughter is struggling. We've had a very positive experience overall, and we can't wait to see how our daughter's musical journey unfolds. read more

Candice Choi fostered our daughter's love of music and instilled her with incredible fundamentals. Over four years, Ms. Choi taught Ellie to read music as easily as she reads books and engaged her not only to play classical pieces, but also indulged (and encouraged!) her to play rock and pop pieces. We loved our time with Ms. Choi so much that our daughter stayed on as a virtual student over Zoom three years after we moved across the country. If you are lucky enough to work with Ms. Choi, you will receive an incomparable musical education, in-person or over Zoom. read more

Musicians in the Making is an amazing music program that's made learning to play the piano a fun and confidence building experience for our two kids. My kids started taking piano lessons online during the pandemic when they were 5 and 8 years old without any exposure to music lessons. Now, two years later they have gained so many skills! They know how to read and compose music and have really developed their playing abilities. They love playing the piano and look forward to their Zoom lessons every week. Ms. Choi's enthusiasm and joy for teaching music to kids infuses the program. She hires incredibly talented and experienced teachers (We love Ms. Michelle!). It's a comprehensive program that's run very well. I highly recommend it. read more

I started learning piano with Ms. Christina through remote Zoom lessons around January, 2021 and withdrew my lessons in early January, 2023 due to moving out of the states. I started as a working adult student with a tiny bit of previous piano and musical experience, and was using a keyboard instead of a piano. Over the 2 years of lessons, Ms. Christina has always been very patient and supportive. She shows up every Thursday with fully prepared lesson materials and it's always been pleasant to chat about music and learn to play the piano with her. When I need to skip a lesson due to whatever reasons, Ms. Christina has always been understanding and sent over followup emails with recorded lessons afterwards. Not only have I learned how to play a piece 'accurately' on the keyboard, I have also began to appreciate the music and learn to convey the emotion and feelings of a piece. It has been such an amazing journey learning with Ms. Christina. Ms. Candice, the director of Musicians in the Making, has also been very pleasant to chat with (through both video calls and email). I would definitely recommend them to any adult student, experienced or not, if they want to start a new hobby in the new year. If I ever return in the future, I will reconnect with Musicians in the Making without a second thought. read more

Ms. Candice is a kind, knowledgeable, and sweet person with very experienced teaching skills. My son has taken the piano class from her for one and half years so far and he learned a lot! He Is not only learning how to play piano but also how to compose and be creative! Ms. Candice is always giving him big encouragement so my son becomes more and more confident. Strongly recommend!!! read more

Our son started with Ms. Choi in September last year, at the age of 5. Less than a year into his lessons with her, he has developed a love for music, an understanding of rhythm and a preliminary understanding of notes. He is quite shy but for some reason is very open and playful with her. What we really liked about Ms. Choi's classes is that she is very patient with him (and us) and takes the time to build up technique (sight-reading, using the right finger position) rather than just having him learn the piece and play it by rote. Her monthly group performance sessions along with the summer/spring recitals have helped him overcome his stage fright and he often wants to be the 1st to play now! Ms. Choi is also very accommodating, even conducting classes remotely when we were on an extended vacation. Having tried a few other piano classes, we would definitely recommend Ms. Choi and Musicians in the Making. read more

Ms. Candice has the most phenomenal, comprehensive music program we could have ever hoped for! She not only has the BEST music teachers but goes through such an effort to truly cultivate the musician in each child. The teacher we have, Ms. Christina is so kind, thorough, encouraging and beyond talented. Our daughter adores her time with Ms. Christina and we noticed such incredible growth in her piano playing within the first few months. When you sign up for weekly lessons the Musicians in the Making program includes a monthly group lesson (currently on zoom) with other children of the same musical levels. Our daughter loves these monthly lessons. It makes her feel more as if she's part of a team rather than going through just individual lessons. Additionally, Ms. Candice always picks a composer for the year and many pieces taught throughout the year are centered around this composer. This past year Ms. Candice chose a living composer which was such a priceless experience. She had several zoom meetings where her students got to MEET the composer they were studying and learned various techniques to composing their own pieces. Then at the end of year, during our in person recital, Ms. Candice flew out our living composer and students got to play their pieces for her and actually meet the composer in person. It was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. The list goes on and on, but one thing is for sure- Musicians in the Making is a gem of a school! We are SO happy to have found Ms. Candice and this special school of hers!!! read more

When you become a parent and time is scarce, you just don't write reviews regardless of how great or terrible something is. But for teacher Candice from Musicians in the Making, I'm compelled to write one. I have a shy, introverted, and very opinionated little boy. He refused to take piano after meeting two other different piano teachers, despite both having great reviews. So we were pleasantly surprised after meeting Candice that he wanted to try it. So try we did! In a short time, Candice managed to break through his shyness. She got him to learn and love the piano. She has an incredibly creative way to make piano fun and easy! I love how her approach is holistic. It's not just about learning to read music and play the piano. She teaches them to listen and figure out the notes for themselves. She encourages improvisation and creativity, even at the beginners level. She holds monthly gatherings based on age and levels, so music and piano can also be social. There is so much more that Candice does as part of your child's music education: community outreach, performance opportunities, BBQs, and field trips. It's hard to believe in such a short time, my little shy guy can read music, play, and perform in front of an audience! And the best part? He LOVES it! There's nothing but joy to see the impact music has on him and our entire family. We owe it all to Candice. She's simply amazing! read more

Musicians in the Making is just an AMAZING school. My 6 year old daughter had never played an instrument before and started with Musicians in the making more than 6 months back. And she has progressed so much. Ms. Christina has been absolutely amazing. Even though the classes are remote, she makes the class enjoyable with her upbeat and engaging personality, which is really tough for a 6 year old :) Ms. Candice has created a program which is extremely well planned and balanced for kids. In addition to the weekly classes, she has periodic group classes, occasional guest musicians that talk to students about creating and playing with music, managing performance jitters n so much more. And I cannot forget the periodic recitals, which gives all students such a supportive environment to showcase their hardwork and also learn from their peers. Its truely a 'Musicians in the making' program and would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for such a program for their budding musicians read more

We found Ms. Choi through Yelp based on the overwhelmingly positive reviews. Ever since we started with my then 5 year old's piano lessons, we never looked elsewhere. Ms. Choi is patient and has a way with kids. She makes music fun and easier for younger kids who need a little gentle nudge of focus. As a parent, dare I say I learned more about music and piano in the last 1 3/4 years together with my now 6 year old. It's a great way to bond and spend quality time with your kids that I didn't know before. I highly recommend Ms. Choi's piano lessons if you're looking to start your kids' music journey. read more

Candice is a fantastic piano teacher! I'm an adult student who played for 10 years as a kid, and she's really helped me get back into it. She is good about tailoring a program to what my interests are (which definiltely keeps me engaged), at the right level (challenging but not impossible), while keeping me on task and focused on improving my skills as a pianist. Always very patient, encouraging, and positive. After a session with her I'm always itching to practice more! Technically strong and can give pointers on how to improve on various problems too. Organized, timely, professional, and a pleasure to be around. Couldn't ask anything more from a piano teacher! Highly recommended read more

Our children, ages 4 and 7, have been taking piano lessons from Mrs. Choi for almost 8 months now. She takes piano to another level and is very thoughtful in incorporating all aspects of music such as notes, rhythm, pitch, and emotions in such a fun way! She teaches piano and music as a whole. It has become an outlet for our son who rarely likes to express his emotions and has been a creative outlet to our shy daughter. She is great with kids...always enthusiastic and creative. She is a musical genius and it's obvious music is her passion. We are so grateful to have her in this journey to mold our children's passion for music and piano. We are so thankful to have her as a piano teacher. We have had others but she is by far the best! No reason to look else where. Thank you Ms. Choi for following your passion and making a significant impact not only in my children's lives but to our family as well!!! We think the world of you. read more

I could not have found a better piano teacher for my daughter -- and for myself as a parent! My daughter started lessons with Candice Choi in the spring of her kindergarten year, and I can't believe how far she's come just two years later. She's sight reading and playing pieces. She's transposing music from key to key, just by feeling and knowing the keyboard. She has learned the etiquette of performing and watching performances. She's learning music history. AND, on top of all that, she's appreciating music, learning about practice and commitment, and experiencing how music can create community and promote social consciousness. This is all due to Candice's teaching method. Her program includes weekly piano lessons, as well as a performance class on one Sunday afternoon a month, where a small group of students, all around the same age and skill level, meet at Candice's studio to perform for each other. Also at each performance class, Candice plays fun games with the kids that reenforce piano theory that they've learned in class, and she plays entertaining videos exposing the kids to piano classics. In addition, there are two recitals a year. In the two years we've been with the program, the winter recital has been at old folks homes. The elderly residents, along with the parents, get to see the kids play. It has been really special to see my daughter sharing her music and interacting with seniors in the holiday season. The spring recital has been at the Steinway showroom in downtown San Francisco. Classy! And also fun for the kids to play on grand pianos. Finally, Candice is patient, kind, and has a natural rapport with children. I am AMAZED at how Candice gets my daughter to sit down each week and learn piano and how she's able to effectively engage a group of young kids at the performance classes. As a San Francisco parent who wants my child to love and appreciate music, to know the value of practice and dedication, and to learn the importance of serving the community, I believe that Candice and Musicians in the Making is the perfect piano program. Plus, Candice's piano lessons are just off the 280, which works great for me! read more

It is an absolute joy to have Candice teaching our son for the past 4 years! Her creative approaches make lessons fun, engaging, and instrumental to his development. She takes great care to build a custom plan with every student. We also appreciate her hosting group lessons and community events to showcase our kids' capabilities and contributions. read more

Our family feels very fortunate to have found Candice for my 9 year old son!  Candice is an accomplished pianist with a very impressive list of credentials.  But for us, what sets her apart from other piano teachers is her unique ability to really connect with my child and keep him interested and engaged in piano - not an easy feat, based on our experiences with past teachers. My son had been taking lessons for over a year with another teacher who was not the right fit for him, when we landed a spot on Candice's schedule. She had to start with the basics again, which I appreciated as I was not quite sure he had fully understood all of the piano theory and techniques that were previously taught.  After solidifying his foundation using her unique and VERY effective teaching methods, I've seen a huge improvement and advancement in the pieces he is playing.  He is playing with more musicality and confidence than ever, and has never been more self motivated to practice at home.  Now he really looks forward to his lessons with Candice (she is truly like the child whisperer!), and I personally have found Candice to be such a lovely person. We are so excited to watch the growth in my son's ability and interest in making music, all thanks to Candice! read more

I have been nothing but impressed with Ms. Choi. She is organized, professional and extremely good with her students. She has created an innovative way to teach piano that motivates children and young adults to learn quickly and easily. In addition to our individual/private weekly lessons, Ms. Choi offers group lessons once a month at her studio as part of the piano training experience for her students to become comfortable performing in a group setting. I highly recommend Ms. Choi. read more

Our son started piano lesson with Ms. Choi when he was 6 years old and it has been a little bit more than a year. She strikes a good balance of making piano fun for kids and still pushes them to practice. He always enjoys her lessons and they were not boring him even with his short attention span. She was able to keep him interested in piano and even practiced for 100 days straight without breaks. Besides weekly lessons, she also organizes group lessons so he can see other kids who also like piano. She has a true passion for piano which is contagious for the little kids. Our son has come a long way in a little more than a year, and we are very happy with Ms. Choi as his piano teacher. read more

I've been taking music lessons of all varieties throughout my life and Candice is the best teacher I've come across! Within the year and a half I was able to take lessons with her, I came the farthest in all my musical education. Not only is she patient and understanding, she presents piano playing in an easy relate-able way. Reading music was always a challenge until Candice came along. Now, I feel confident I can sight read for my playing level. As an adult student, Candice was a dream. She understood how hectic it could be to juggle a hobby and a job and never made me feel guilty if I didn't practice enough. Instead she found ways to work through it all. She encouraged me to perform at the recitals where I was vastly outnumbered by the younger students in a way that didn't cause any embarrassment. I enjoyed it very much actually! I highly recommend Candice whether for your child or just beginning as an adult or jumping back in after years away from the piano, you won't regret it! read more

Candice is such a patient, knowledgeable, passionate, and kind instructor. I recently started taking adult piano lessons with her, and she is simply amazing. I took a break from piano for about 10 years, and now I've started to play again. I've never been more motivated to learn a musical instrument. Candice uses different methods to cater to your level. She makes music fun! read more

From his very first lesson, my son has absolutely adored being a "Musician in the Making" with Ms. Choi as his piano teacher. Since practically an infant, my child has always loved and was fascinated by classical piano. It was hard waiting until he was old enough to start lessons. However, with each consultation for the "right" teacher, he'd leave the encounter more scared and less interested in learning... Just about giving up on piano altogether... Until, by faith, Ms. Candice Choi came to his school and introduced her services. We decided to give it one more try. I found Ms. Choi to do an amazing job with my child and other kids of all ages and all levels of interest. With socio-emotional issues, my son can be overly sensitive and overwhelmed very easily. With Musicians in the Making, it was never an issue. He felt right at ease and comfortable. Ms. Choi is patient, kind, amiable, and has a true gift for teaching little learners different ways to enjoy their lessons, incorporating music and games into her teaching methods. Only a couple lessons in, my child has developed and grown so much. It has been three months and he still leaves his lessons more excited and passionate about music and loving every "beat" of it. He is six and has even expressed to me how she is the best!" We'll definitely be students (and fans) of Ms. Choi for a long time! Thank you Musicians in the Making! read more

Candice is by far the best piano teacher! My daughter has been taking piano lessons for years and we've had several piano teachers in the past. She has always struggled with practicing piano and it's gotten to the point we were going to give up piano completely. Then I found Candice on Yelp, and thought we would give it one last chance. After our first lesson, my daughter felt extremely comfortable with Candice, and said "I really like her", and wants to keep doing piano. We've been taking piano lesson from Candice for about a year. I have seen my daughther mature as a piano player. Not once did she complain about practicing. Not sure what it is but Candice has a way of connecting with her students through music. Her creative teaching philosophy, her positive feedback and encourage to her students, and her love of music, is what makes Candice such an amazing teacher and person. read more

We are so happy to have Candice as our piano teacher! We found Musicians in the Making 2 years ago through an online search when our daughters were 5 and couldn't have found a better teacher. She is kind, patient, always positive and encouraging. Best of all, her passion for music inspires the kids to experience the joy of playing piano. Her approach with young beginners incorporates movement, rhythm, and art which is very accessible for younger children. Within the first few months our daughters were playing pieces that were both fun to play and listen to. Once a month Candice also teaches a small group performance class so that the students get to know one another, learn music theory by playing games and perform for each other (and parents who wish to stay). The performance classes give them the opportunity to play for an audience while helping to build their confidence when it comes time for the real recital. Beyond the weekly lessons and twice a year recitals, we've also enjoyed the annual Musicians in the Making BBQ and this year's field trip to the SF Symphony. I highly recommend Candice! read more

Miss Candice Choi is truly the best piano teacher. My daughter has been taking Ms. Candice's lesson for 4 years since she was 7. We are extremely fortunate to have Miss Candice as part of our daughter's music journey! What makes Miss Candice unique and outstanding, just to name a few: * Ms. Candice is always well prepared on her lesson * Ms. Candice's passion to music - her special touch on each single musical note on the piano says it all * Ms. Candice always wears the warmest smile which makes her students open their heart to learn * Miss Candice has high level of patience, always listen, provides positive feedbacks and continuous encouragement to her students * Miss Candice's perfection: My daughter received distinction in her first ABRSM piano exam, this was the direct reflection of her professionalism and strike for excellency and perfection of her students * Miss Candice's special method of teaching: she always able to teach challenging pieces in such a way that to make her students feel there is no such a mountain is too high to climb. Her ability to enhance and motivate her students to master the techniques and concept is proven. As my daughter says: "Miss Candice is my first piano teacher and she will be my last and ultimate teacher for the years to come!" Miss Candice Choi comes with my highest recommendation! read more

If you are looking for a teacher who will instill a love of music in your child or teen (or yourself), do not hesitate to contact Teacher Candice. Almost any professional piano teacher is capable of imparting his or her knowledge of theory and technique. However, few have the charisma and attitude to truly engage, gently encourage, and inspire a student. Candice possess these gifts, and my 8 year old son adored his time with her. He got a solid foundation and confidence. I was so impressed with Candice that I took lessons from her, too. I have a classical piano background, but wanted to branch out and learn improvisational techniques. She was inspirational and gave me the tools I needed to explore playing with lead sheets and chords. Thank you, Teacher Candice! read more

As someone who has a background in music and education, I have a very specific idea of what makes a good piano teacher. Candice Choi has exceeded all of my expectations. What impresses me the most is Ms. Choi's thoughtful approach and philosophy towards teaching music. Firstly, she not only teaches her students music through theory and practice, but she also has them learning basic skills through creating their own compositions. This creates a space for creativity and expression, which I love. Secondly, she incorporates the idea of using ones music and talent to give back to the community. Once a year, she has her students perform at a nursing home so they can see that their music can positively impact others. Thirdly, every month, she organizes a performance class where she brings together peer musicians to create a community of learners. This not only provides a space for performance experience, but it also shows the students that you can create a community through your music. These three aspects of her teaching approach and philosophy not only impress me, but resonate deeply with my own beliefs around teaching children. Most importantly, it is obvious that Ms. Choi enjoys and appreciates children, thus allowing her to create a safe and fun learning environment. read more