I have so much appreciation for Nico's exceptional work as our daughter's singing coach over the past year. When our daughter first asked for a singing coach, we were unsure where to begin our search. Finding Nico on Yelp was truly a fortunate discovery. From our initial phone conversation, Nico's approachable demeanor and genuine commitment to supporting and empowering artists immediately resonated with us. We deeply appreciate Nico's extensive knowledge, the practical tools he provides, and the consistent encouragement he offers our daughter. Nico's flexibility and clear role as a coach have also been invaluable to her progress. Thank you Nico for everything you do. read more

We are so grateful to find Nico!! He is skilled at teaching guitar, piano, songwriting, voice and more in a super fun and engaging way. He brings structure and creativity...but also lets the students feel free to bring their ideas to the lessons. Recitals are really special and allow the students to perform without pressure. My daughter has been taking guitar with Nico since she was 11 and still loves it at 15. Highly recommend!! read more

It's hard to find the words to truly express what an incredible music teacher we've found in Nico. We started with him a couple years ago with one of my sons who was learning piano. He had previously been with another teacher who didn't fully understand his special needs (he has autism) and was often frustrated by the challenges of teaching him. Enter Nico - he has completed transformed the experience of learning piano for my son. Nico is incredibly adept at meeting kids where they are on any particular day - whether they're tired, joyful, hyperactive, moody, etc. If it's a rough day he sees it and immediately changes his approach to keep kids engaged. Some days that may mean shifting gears from learning piano to singing a song instead - or helping the kids write their own song! Nico himself has so many skills he's able to draw upon - singing, piano, guitar, ukulele, songwriting, etc and he's able to integrate all of that when needed to keep kids interested. I've never known a teacher before who accompanies kids learning the piano by playing the guitar or ukulele alongside them - it's magic! Now BOTH my sons are learning piano (they also occasionally sing or write songs with Nico when they feel like it) and I feel like they're getting a wonderful well-rounded education in music. I was so inspired that I finally decided to act upon my lifelong dream of learning guitar and started lessons with Nico myself! One of the things he once said which I will never forget was something to the effect of - "Learning music shouldn't be a source of frustration or anger. Music should be the thing that helps you escape when you're feeling frustrated. Music should be the place where you find peace and that's what I want it to be for my students." Those words really mean a lot to me when I think of how many teachers out there put pressure on their students. Music with Nico is just a different experience entirely and I couldn't be more grateful that we found him! read more

Our 5 year old daughter has been going to Nick for about 3 months now. Prior to that she had zero exposure to a piano and minimal exposure to music with the exception of belting out Elsa ballads. After seeing Chloe Flower rocking out Christmas tunes on a piano, she wanted to give it a try. I was initially worried that she was too young. However, Nick has made learning the piano fun and at the same time keeping her focused and disciplined through each class. She is progressing well and practices willingly at home which is great indicator of Nick's guidance! read more

Nico helped me write a song about Joy. We produced the song in his studio and I was able to share it with my family after not seeing them for years. It was a true gift. Not just a cool thing he did for me, but a memory that we will have for a lifetime. Nico is deeeeeply passionate about music. And that passion is contagious. He's also incomparably knowledgable. Not only does he play music every single day, he attends shows and listens to music all the time. He's sharp, informed, and well-read (if you will). But my favorite thing about Nico is how he meets you where you are. When I was a kid, I took lessons from a lovely pianist. But it was strict to the point where it robbed all the fun from the process. Nico is the opposite. His approach is custom, made for the learner. I've seen him work with others, and based on that and my personal experiences with Nico, I have to say he might just be the best music teacher that ever lived. Thank you, Nico. For making my life more musical. My hope is that everyone gets to experience your magic. read more

Nico is extremely patient, and will tailor your child's lessons to their needs. He has been a great asset to our daughter's extracurricular needs. Highly recommend! read more

My daughter started piano lessons at the tail end of 4yrs old. I was looking for someone who'd offer more than just teaching her how to read and play the music. I wanted someone to help her learn how to enjoy playing music. Nick is that, and way more! What's unique is that he will totally learn all of the student's nuances and personality traits when learning an instrument. He'll watch and follow their learning process and just adapt. My daughter is always super excited to practice. The other bonus, (and I've never seen other teachers do this), is that he weaves in lessons on song writing and structure and improvisation so that the student gets a sense of how the music-making process works. For the parents out there, that's priceless, and honestly a huge benefit for the future if you want your kid to know how to easily fall into playing with other people in all kinds of settings. If you're on the fence, go for it and sign up! read more

I came to Nick as a beginner adult with no music experience. He has a very easy going personality and is willing to adapt lessons to what you're specifically after. As a working professional, I found Nick very flexible and responsive in coordinating lessons and we always met for the exact session length as promised. After 1 year of lessons, I've been able to choose my own simple piano pieces that I'm interested in playing and then work with Nick to deconstruct the music and learn some of the applicable theory behind it. I wanted to learn how to read sheet music, and I have been able to play some of the simpler pieces by sight, which is exciting to me after just a year! Nick is friendly, courteous, and provides a casual atmosphere to learn an instrument. I always found nearby street parking easily for lessons on Fridays read more

Nick is a true professional. He's super patient and thoughtful in the way he has been teaching our son over the past year and a 1/2. We started him at 4 years old and are very happy with his progress. our primary goal has been to provide our son with an experience that not only teaches him but also helps him enjoy music and peaks his curiosity. Nick has done exactly that. He even takes the time to learn about our sons interests and often writes songs together (about dinosaurs, space, Halloween, favorite colors , etc). We have had a wonderful experience with Nick and gladly recommend him to anyone considering lessons. read more

Nick has been my daughter's music teacher for over four years. She started with ukulele, then acoustic and now electric guitar lessons. I can't believe the progress that she has made while working with Nick. He is patient and keeps things light while also incorporating voice work. She really enjoys that she gets to choose her own songs and plays with both her dad and brother during lessons sometimes, too. Highly recommend! read more

My kiddo has been taking piano lessons from Nick for a few months now and we are all very happy with the whole experience! He is patient and encouraging and my child is really enjoying learning to play. It's so great for me to see them developing a new skill and feeling so proud of themself. read more

Nick is wonderful! He has been teaching my 7 and 9 year old boys piano and guitar for one year now and are doing amazing. Nick is patient, kind, and incorporates lots of fun things while he teaches my boys. My boys and the rest of Nick's students had their winter recital just yesterday and it was so great to see all the kids perform and just by watching all their dynamics with Nick, you can tell he puts so much care in each of his students. Highly recommend him! read more

Nick is extraordinary. My 9-year-old son had three piano teachers before Nick, and Nick is the best by miles. The value he provides is incomparable. Nick is meticulous and masterful at breaking down what is beautiful and complicated into accessible practice that can be followed no matter your age or skill level. He will not only teach you to play or sing; he will empower you to become an artist. Just follow his guidance--it's gold! Nick is able to to do all this while gracefully walking the line between friendly rapport and disciplined structure. I have rarely seen anyone balance those two things so seamlessly. He is able to engage my chatty son yet keep him focused on the lesson. He is unfailingly punctual and dependable. He is unfailingly kind and professional. He is a great communicator. Whoever has Nick as a teacher is lucky to have him! He is a rare find. read more

We've been working with Nick for about a year now. He is fantastic! He teaches both of our two kids (elementary school). What we love about Nick is that he brings so much joy in music into our household. For instance, he encourages my son to invent silly songs, something which helps keep my kid interested in music (and overcomes his shyness). At a recent recital, my husband sang one of these original songs on stage with my son. In general, Nick is a gentle and creative soul, and he brings that to his teaching. For us, music lessons were about fostering a long-term love of music, and Nick's approach has been perfect for that. read more

I have been working with Nick now for about 4 years for piano, music production, guitar, and a bit of drumming. Furthermore my little kids are also students of his and he has made it very fun for them while progressing their skills. Overall he is an excellent musician with a broad understanding of music in general. He is very patient and can explain concepts in an easy to understand way. His skills in music composition, music theory, music production using computer software, rhythm, and singing is top notch! I highly recommend him for any adult or child looking to learn piano, guitar, singing, and music production. He's the best music teacher I have ever had (I have had many) and I plan on having him as my teacher for the foreseeable future! read more

Nick is an awesome music teacher! We started singing lessons when my daughter was 5. At first we thought she would be too young, but she really enjoyed it and put her heart into it. Nick is super patient and very good with her, he's encouraging and supportive. Nick gives guidance and direction in a gentle tone to both my daughter (his student) and her sister (non student), who hangs out during the lesson. My daughter has built up such great confidence due in part to the time she has spent with Nick. She really enjoys her lessons. I remember the very first song my daughter learned was Castle on a Cloud from Les Mis. I may be biased, but she was the cutest little Cosette ever! Since then she has sung some of my favorite show tunes and Disney tunes. I love practicing with her and hearing her sing the classics like Tomorrow, I'd Do Anything and Put On a Happy Face. She now takes piano and Nick is wonderful in this respect as well! Nick also holds lovely recitals for his students. My daughter has performed in 2, and has 1 coming up. He even incorporated a number she can do with her little sister. The recitals are great opportunities for his students to show off their skills and work on their stage presence. I would definitely recommend Nick to anyone who is looking for music instruction for their child. When lil sis is ready, we'll be starting her with lessons as well! read more

Nick is a kind, patient, and amazing teacher. If you are an adult who wants to learn the piano, it's never too late. I had my anxiety going in, being older and viewing music differently than say a younger child, but he made music fun and digestible. I really recommend Nick!! read more

Nick has been teaching piano to my oldest since he was 5yo (now 9yo). He has made learning the piano such a fun experience. My oldest loves playing the piano and is learning to really appreciate the art of music because of Nick's teaching and guidance. My youngest is about to start lessons with Nick as well because he sees how much his older brother enjoys it. Nick is such a wonderful teacher-patient, kind and able to engage the students! I highly recommend Nick as a music teacher!!!! read more

Nick is an outstanding music teacher. He has taught our three sons, ages 11, 10, and 5 for several months. He has a great rapport with children, easily tuning into their personalities, developmental levels, and learning styles, humoring their silliness yet keeping them on task. All the while, he maintains a lovely, calm demeanor, setting the tone for focus. I am not a professional musician, but it is very clear that Nick knows his stuff. He plays the piano and guitar beautifully, and if you're lucky enough to hear him sing, enjoy! It's a lot of fun to hear him improvise with the boys, and he encourages making music as a family. He is knowledgable about different teaching philosophies, learning styles, musical genres, and clearly holds an appreciation and openness to different musical personalities and preferences. Our boys have learned more theory with him in a few months than they did in a year with their previous teacher. Nick is a pleasure to work with. He is always on time, and if plans need to change, he communicates clearly and is very flexible and understanding. We feel so lucky to have found him, even for a short time before he relocates. Don't look for another teacher, Nick is the best out there! read more

Our son (11 years old) has been taking piano lessons with Nick for over two years. He has made significant progress and is able to play complex songs with both hands. Nick is great with children. He is patient, knowledgeable and knows how to keep the child interested. He is flexible in his teaching approach and I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone. in fact I am thinking of taking up piano myself read more

Nick was my 6 year old daughter's voice teacher at MusicLand Children's Choir at Fremont a year ago. Too bad that he had to leave that teaching position due to his album recording project. Since then, my daughter is not attending any singing class, because I couldn't find a voice teacher that is as good as Nick in my area. We might just travel to Oakland to let her take Nick's class now. Nick has very strong vocal performance and composition background, but most important he knows how to teach kids so well, and himself is the big pal for all kids. He builds strong bond with the kids he is teaching and help build their confidence in singing and performance. His teaching is so interactive, full of fun. My daughter would just sing and laugh at Nick's classes all the time, I even felt so happy just by sitting there and watching the classes. Nick is the original composer and singer for many of the songs that he uses in the choir classes, those songs are so beautiful and fun for kids to sing. Many of the parents whose kids have been in Nick's class have the same great impression with Nick. read more

Really amazing! I've been going to his classes for about two months for guitar and I can really see the difference between when I first started and up until now. I would highly recommend Nick. He's flexible in hours too!! read more

Nick and I were colleagues at Musicland when he taught there and decided to trade lessons, I gave him any help he asked with songs and compositions he was working on and he gave me voice lessons. I had no experience with singing up until I started lessons with Nick. Although it has only been 6 weeks I have experienced an immense improvement in my comfort level with my voice over that period of time. He is incredibly articulate and has a way of explaining the mechanics of the voice so that they can be understood. He knows what to listen for and is very quick to hear when there is something in the sound of the voice that may point to improper mechanics, or tension, or really anything that could be a barrier between you and the music. Furthermore, on top of diagnosing any issues, he knows the correct exercises to help you become aware of how to overcome any issues. Although I have a lot of work to do and progress, as with all instruments, is ongoing, I am very happy with the amount of immediate progress in my comfort level. Nick knows what he is doing and has a great amount of patience with his teaching craft. He has a great voice as well, and has no problem showing you how to do certain things. I would recommend him highly and without reservation to anyone looking to take voice lessons. -Stefan Cwik www.stefancwik.com read more

Nick is very patient and supportive of the kids. He let's them choose songs they want to sing/play, but also helps them select songs that will challenge them. He teaches in Oakland, just off of the freeway...very accessible for us. read more

Nick started teaching my 7 year old son last year and my son is not only enjoying his piano lessons, but he is learning to play the piano! Nick is so patient and encouraging with him. We are so glad we have him teaching our son. He definitely comes highly recommended. read more

I feel so lucky to find Mr. Nick as my two sons' singing teacher. My kids enjoy Mr. Nick's class very much! Although Mr. Nick's music studio is a little far from where we live, it has been a great pleasure for us to go to Mr. Nick's class every week. I can tell that Mr. Nick teaches music because he really loves music and loves teaching. In my opinion, Mr. Nick is a perfect music teacher! He is very talented, intelligent, and creative in teaching! Mr. Nick's class is very effective and inspiring. He teaches kids according to their own levels and even according to their different personalities. He respects the parents and students' thoughts, in the meanwhile he has great strategies to guide the students. Mr. Nick really knows how to work with kids. He has the magic to bring the kids to the right mood. Mr. Nick has great intelligence in understanding others and explaining things to his students in a fun and easy to understand way. Mr. Nick has great stage manners and he sets a good example for his students. He teaches the kids how to perform well on stage, how to express themselves in a confident and decent way. I also appreciate that Mr. Nick is a comprehensive musician and teacher. When he teaches, he combines music knowledge from different aspects. He holds recitals for his students. It's amazing to see his students showing various music skills including singing, piano, guitar, and songwriting. I highly recommend Mr. Nick!!! read more

Nick has been teaching my 10 year old daughter piano for almost 2 years, and she has come such a long way in those two years. My 8 year old son just started guitar with Nick last summer too, and he is doing great. Nick is patient, very calm and relaxed with the kids, and good at joking around with them, getting them to relax too. He is also very easy going and accommodating around scheduling changes that sometime come up. Overall, Nick is a great musician, a highly effective teacher, and a super sweet, nice guy - and my kids love him! read more

Nick has been teaching my daughter (age 10) piano for the past 7 months and I could not be more pleased! I'll start by saying that my daughter had never before taken lessons and, to be certain, was a reluctant student at the onset. That said, she is progressing at an incredible pace under Nick's weekly instruction, and is genuinely loving the experience. In fact, I no longer have to remind her to practice each day, as she sits to play piano whenever she has free time! Nick comes to our home every week, is punctual, flexible in scheduling, and always brings a warm smile, lots of encouragement, and a captivating variety of songs for my daughter to learn. He is truly wonderful with children (that magical balance of supportive and challenging), and is able to adeptly incorporate my daughter's individual learning style into his lessons. I highly recommend Nick as an instructor and feel so grateful to have him supporting my daughter's musical education. read more

Nick has been teaching my twelve year old son guitar and nine year old daughter piano for the last year. He is great at adjusting his teaching style to both kids. My son is easily distracted and talkative and Nick is patient and also manages to keep him focused. My daughter is shy. Nick is encouraging to her and draws her out. Both have become much more accomplished with their instruments and more confident in playing in front of an audience. read more

Having Nick as my piano teacher these past seven months has been a wise investment and a weekly pleasure. He is structured and empathic in his teaching approach. What struck me as impressive initially was his easy going nature combined with his inspiring demeanor when I felt like there was no way to learn a particular piece. He broke down the challenges into reasonable steps and even when i failed I felt like I was making progress. As an amateur musician and the son of a classical piano instructor it was not hard to tell that Nick was an excellent find because his approach to teaching was to listen to his students needs and teach to their abilities and skill set. As a physician who works with kids and adults learning new skills I have been impressed by Nick's "piano-side" manner that both supports and challenges my efforts to learn the many daunting aspects of beginning piano. I look forward to continuing my learning under his tutalage. If you have any questions feel free to email me at drruecker@hotmail.com read more

Singing with Nick is great fun and I couldn't be happier with the progress I've made. When I started with Nick I'd had no training and very limited singing ability, not to mention an extreme aversion to singing in anyone's presence. Nick is a very patient and knowledgable teacher. He's also very encouraging and supportive of what my singing goals are, while at the same time challenging me to keep adding more to my singing. He has an amazing ear for music, and his ability to learn any song I bring his way in under two minutes is ridiculous. I'm really excited to keep progressing with Nick! read more

Mr. Nick is an awesome teacher! He's been teaching choir class for a small group of kids for a couple of years. About a year ago I heard about him from a friend who highly recommended him, but the class was full at that time. My 7 year old daughter finally got into his class fall of last year. My daughter is extremely shy, and I wanted to take this opportunity to see if this class could help her being a little outgoing. She was not interested in singing until she joined this class. Mr. Nick is extremely good at teaching kids and he made singing such a fun activity for my daughter. From the reaction of her and other kids in his class, I could tell they absolutely enjoyed the class and enjoyed singing. Mr. Nick gave the kids a CD track with the songs he would teach in each session, and whenever I put on the CD at home, my daughter would start singing loud and dancing around. Meanwhile, she seems to become more outgoing and not afraid of expressing herself that much in front of crowd. My 6 year old son also joined Mr. Nick's class early this year, he's outgoing in nature, but had no interest in singing, however, after just two weeks, he told me he loved singing and enjoyed the class a lot. Mr. Nick's class is on Friday, and both my kids told me they wished everyday was Friday! Next week is the last class for spring session, and because of different family's travel schedule, the class will resume late summer, and I'm sure the kids will miss Mr. Nick a lot. read more