I started working with Adrienne nearly 4.5 years ago because I wanted to liberate my voice. I knew…read morethat the resonance I carried inside of me didn't match my external expression. What I felt within, I wanted to be able to share with others. And now, having worked across both the technical aspects of vocalization through Western music, and the emotion and connection to the Divine through Persian music, my capacity to express what I feel now matches. My expression is more fluid, expansive and clear. I'm grateful not just for Adrienne's technical mastery and ability to translate complex skills into tangible changes in my body, but more importantly for the invitation she creates through loving presence and laughter to bring forth heart -- in myself and others. I wholeheartedly recommend working with Adrienne (whether in person at her studio or remotely via Zoom). She has helped me transform my relationship to my voice, and what I'm capable of expressing -- and for these lifelong gifts I'm grateful!

Listened to an amazing concert by Adrienne tonight. Wow!…read more Her instrumental accompanying of her wonderful voice is sublime. I can't wait to be able to see her perform in person. Shout out to the F&S Freight At Home Series!

Ellen is talented, patient and fun! I never would have thought that I'd enjoy piano lessons so…read moremuch. You will look forward to your next lesson. Thanks Ellen.

I'd been playing piano off and on for a long time, but I hadn't taken private lessons in many…read moreyears. After I retired and had more time to practice, I wanted to take lessons again. I specifically wanted to work on my jazz playing. I'd heard Ellen play a number of times over the years and was impressed by how well she plays jazz as well as many other musical styles. When I started lessons with her, I was very pleased by how quickly Ellen assessed my skills and knowledge. She is a gifted teacher and has been able to seamlessly tailor her instructional approach to me and what I want to learn. I am very happy that Ellen does not use a 'one size fits all' teaching approach! (I've unfortunately encountered that in the past.) Soon after I began lessons with Ellen, an opportunity came up to take the vocal duo I'm in to the next level. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Ellen also does vocal coaching and helps vocal and instrumental groups enhance the arrangements they've developed. I'm thrilled that one teacher can help me with all my disparate musical interests and endeavors, and that it's no problem for Ellen to roll with it when I want to do a 180 and switch to something totally different from what we were last working on. I am grateful to have found such a flexible and student-centered teacher!

My son and I each started taking music lessons with Mitch several months ago and it has been a…read morewonderful experience for both of us. Mitch has been great with my 5 year old son James- blending just the right amount of music reading with free play while always keeping things fun. James and I always look forward to "music school" each week! I highly recommend Mitch Schrift for piano lessons for young and old! Michael Witwer (510)776-8409

We would like to add our highest recommendation for Mitch. Our son has been taking classes with…read morehim for nearly a year and we could not be happier. When we moved to Albany from Seattle, we tried out a lot of piano teachers before we found Mitch and, once we did, we knew we had found the right teacher for our son. Mitch is an extremely talented and well educated musician and an equally excellent teacher of young people. He not only teaches our son music and piano, he also teaches him how to learn and practice, which are life lessons. Mitch is patient but he also knows how and when to gently nudge and challenge a student to do his or her best. He builds on a student's existing musical interests and abilities while challenging them to reach a little higher. My wife and I can't say enough good things about Mitch who teaches out of his professional home studio.

When I first started singing I took private lessons from Stephanie, she really helped me lauch into…read moresinging and was instrumental in launching me into my career as a singer. I saw she was teaching a song writing class as the Jazz School, I signed up and was once again really impressed with her knowledge and ability to really pull out the creative side of me to write a song. Then we worked together a few weeks later to finish up what we had started in class. For anyone wanted to start learning the art of singing or to take their already excisting vocal chops to a whole other level, I would definitly tell you to go work with Stephanie.

Stephanie is a very knowledgeable musician, however, I would not recommend her for someone who has…read morelearning disabilities or trauma. Very direct and lacking sensitivity/compassion.

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.

Phyllis has been my teacher for ten years. She's endlessly patient, skilled in communicating…read moreinformation and technique, fun to learn from, and a wonderful person. She uses a studio in her home to give lessons which works well and she charges reasonable rates. She works with both children and adults, soloists and string quartets, and all her students love her. She arranges regular recitals for her students which are helpful in player development. Besides having an extraordinary ability to play every stringed instrument under the sun, she also plays and teaches piano. Her email is almaduo@comcast.net

Phyllis Kamrin is the best music teacher our children have had. Our 2 daughters had reached a…read moreplateau in their musical development. Once Phyllis started weekly lessons with the girls, we heard a noticeable improvement. She knows how to make learning fun, which is extremely important for teenagers who are easily distracted. For the first time in 7 years, we didn't have to coax our daughters to practice.

I have an autistic son. My mom called and asked if they would take him as a student, they said yes,…read moreto do a trial lesson and if he passed they would take him. I took him and he "passed" his trial lesson. The next time we went over, my four year old wanted to sit on the instructor's lap. She refused several times, which confused him because at home I let him practice while sitting on my lap. Finally she allowed him to sit on her lap for maybe 3-4 minutes and then told him he had to sit on the bench. Later, my son wanted to copy something we did at home, wrote the names of the keys on the keyboard with an expo marker (those wipe off easily with alcohol). The teacher said absolutely not, took the expo marker from him. So my son started crying. While he was crying, the teacher was lecturing me on keeping the piano clean and neat, and to focus on just two keys. She wanted to show him fat cat, but he was so upset he just kept crying. At one point he said he wanted to play the birthday song, the teacher's response, "It's not your birthday." There were zero accommodations or open mindedness when it came to my son. Then she was lecturing me about how I overwhelmed him by introducing all the keys. He's autistic. Lectures don t go well. Finally, it was time to leave. She wrote the fat cat song down and was talking to him while he was crying so he cried louder. When we left the individual room, the owner was outside the door and told us that my four year old son's crying was bothering the other students. She said this in front of my son, he understands. And she said that if he cried again next time, he would no longer be allowed to take classes there. I told her we don't want to bother anyone, we will never stay somewhere we are not welcome. And that based on what she said we didn't need to come back a third time and deal with the rigid instructor we were assigned. 1 thing: I was under the impression the individual rooms were soundproof, I guess they're not. 2nd: four year olds cry. He's not a robot. 3rd: getting irritated and threatening to kick us of the school while giving me negative feedback on my son should not have been done in his presence. If you come to this school expect to be treated with coldness and harshness. Unless you're perfect. Definitely not a place for neurodivergent kids. Expensive as heck. The very same day a found a wonderful piano instructor who will work with neurodivergent kids. We met him today and he made us feel welcomed and valued as human beings. The complete opposite of how we were treated at golden key piano school. I asked for a receipt, I got an unofficial email that I was forced to accept. Heartless. Lacks humanity, basic decency and kindness toward a child with special needs that they accepted only to humiliate him on our way out. I hope this school goes bankrupt for hurting me and my child the way they did. Not one ounce of tactfulness or kindness. I wish I had never set foot in their "perfect" school that only accepts "perfect" people. You can shove your school up your nose. One day my son will be a great pianist, in spite of his disability. And I hope you see him in concert you judgemental, rigid jerks. Please don't support this school. And to the teachers grow the hell up. You're dealing with humans not robots.

One teacher scolded my kids to leave the piano classroom for touching the piano while waiting for…read morethe instructor. I was so shocked and told the main instructor what happened and she told me that she only gives this lady teenagers because of this problem. This place is not a kid-friendly place at all!! and my daughter is now scared and doesn't get excited every time I bring up piano class. now I'm looking into another piano class in the area and I hope she won't be unmotivated as she is now.

Madeline is magical! She made me feel super comfortable from the moment I met her and it has been a…read moretrue pleasure to work with her. I really appreciate her holistic approach to singing. She covers everything from voice anatomy (not just the diaphragm!) to exercises to breathing and performing--and her incredible voice is an inspiration! To say that I am learning a lot from her--and that she is reshaping the way that I sing--would be a huge understatement. I highly recommend Madeline!

Maddy is an amazing vocalist, a superb songwriter and a fantastic instrumentalist…read more I personally find her music captivating, extremely well written and arranged. I have hired Maddy for recording projects and been extremely satisfied with her ability to tackle both conventional and non conventional styles with proficiency and grace. She is a delight to work with and I would hire her any time for any of my projects. Though I hired her as a performing artist, I would also highly recommend her as a composer as her style is one of my personal favorites.