It's about time I write a review for Forrests!…read more After years of buying sub-par student oboe reeds from the neighborhood music store I started buying professionally made reeds. For a few years I was ordering online from a conservatory musician who had great reeds but was unreliable with delivery dates -- the last straw was a missed delivery before an important gig. So I drove out to Forrests to see if they could help. I've been going to Forrests since for the last 3 years and EVERYone at Forrests is so knowledgeable and so helpful! Justin usually helps me and he definitely goes above-and-beyond to adjust my reeds and make sure I'm taking care of. But, really, EVERYONE here has been so great to me and it's such a joy to go in! My husband is a classical guitarist and he loves going with me because, even though they are mostly a double-reed shop, it's a great little music shop with a community of musicians and it's always a fantastic experience! Thanks, Forrests!

Very poor customer service experience as a first time customer!…read more I was told to buy a specific reed that I guess only this store sells. I am not local to this store so I reached out to them via email because I had questions regarding the item. Unfortunately, even after patiently waiting for a week I never got any response! If they are so busy and/or don't care about the emails then why they even have that option available to the customers? I called them during their business hours and finally had a luck on the second time. Phone was picked up by what sounded like an old, Caucasian, male. It also sounded like he was the owner and/or manager. From the beginning this person was not welcoming! He was rude, unfriendly and unprofessional for no reasons! Clearly I felt like he doesn't care about the customers or getting any new businesses. Even if I was asking dumb questions because I am new, does it mean he can be sarcastic, frustrated, and shows attitude? I really didn't want to give them any business after my phone interaction, but since I had to get a specific reed and had no other options available, I just reluctantly continued with the transactions. I also noticed that they charge heavy shipping fees and don't have any free shipping option regardless of the purchase amount like other competitors provides. I really wish I don't have to deal with them again. If I do, I hope this male have learned what a customer service is and how it should be provided.

Kathryn is a wonderful piano teacher! She taught my 15 year old daughter piano for 9 years. My…read moredaughter showed up at age 6 to her first lesson not knowing a single note of music, and over the past 9 years Kathryn helped shape her into a mature pianist who has developed a true love of music. Kathryn has a very gentle, organic approach to teaching piano, and before your child knows it, they are reading music and counting rhythm. It is a tears free approach to teaching and learning! Kathryn does hold her students to high standards, and will expect that your child will practice daily, and it is worth it! http://kathrynwinterpiano.com/

A little over a year ago I read the only review on Yelp of this instructor. I was looking for a…read morepiano teacher close to our house for my 9-year-old son. I figured it would take a while to find the right teacher for him. But we were lucky. Kathryn is the real deal. She lives to teach, and she's really good at it. She and my son seem to have a soul connection; she understands him, finding music that she knows he'll enjoy playing. This keeps his lessons and his practice alive for him--piano is exciting and interesting. There's love and care and time put into everything she does to prepare for lessons with my son. Kathryn has healthy, realistic expectations for him, and I appreciate this. A teacher myself, I see the wisdom in how she works with him. Kathryn taught both piano and music theory in Cal's Gifted Young Musicians program for 30 years--her many years of experience are a BIG asset, and she is whip-smart and fun. I love the twinkle she has in her eye, and the special way she is able to connect with children of all ages (we have strayed a while as she teaches other children who come after us). I also love that she is slow and methodical in her thinking and speech--she works with great intention. If there were a "slow-food" version of piano teaching, my guess is that Kathryn could really market her approach. My son started with her without having any knowledge of musical notation or instruction; a little over a year later he is playing advanced musical pieces, and understanding complicated music theory. My son, as it turns out, has a "gifted" capacity for music. Kathryn knows how to work with all capacities and arranges the lessons so they are appropriate for each child. She doesn't take children under 5 years old normally ... she prefers to start at a more developmentally appropriate age. That said, Kathryn never turns down anyone without meeting them and the parents for a tryout lesson. You can learn more about her on her website: http://kathrynwinterpiano.com/ Or contact her via phone: 510.527.3839

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 :)

It was disappointing that their college and cabaret performance space closed, but they still have…read moreperformances across the street in a pleasant hall.

I've been taking classes (playing in bands) here for four years. Gotten me back on track in terms…read moreof my playing. It's also becoming a good place to hear concerts, hard to find any creative music venues these days.

DO NOT WASTE TIME AND YOUR MONEY AT THIS PLACE. YOU WILL BE REGRET!…read moreI attempted to speak to their management with my concerns, but they never take any actions and follow up. Yelp is a good place here. - terrible management (extremely worse) - when the class was cancelled, no one notified me - never followed up for any concerns - their lessons didn't follow based on the lesson plan on their website, my child didn't learned much especially they only taught so little from the book material and spent most of the other time on something else - teacher showed up late many times - they never answered phone call or responded to your emails (I tried 3 times in a week for over 2 weeks, then I finally gave up) - some students were out of control and disturbed the class, but the school didn't take any actions or make any improvement - extremely disappointed because I was expected this place would have high standard with clear lesson plans and their costs were high. However, I was wrong! Disappointed! - I can guarantee you that you can find a better place elsewhere than Musically Minded Academy.

We really enjoyed this summer camp. What a cool idea! We liked that there was a nice range of…read moreages (kids from about 3-11 years old). My child was one of the youngest, so her participation was mainly around thinking about what character she wanted to be in the play while the older kids helped write out the plot and script. Everyone then worked on costumes and the set decorations. My child enjoys arts and crafts was very proud of her contributions to the props. They then rehearse which is a bit challenging for younger children - the concept of practicing and performing didn't take hold until day 4 and they had to do some re-writing to accommodate my child's ability to remember/say lines. Anna was very patient and able to meet her at her level. Everything worked out in the end and the Friday performance was adorable. It's definitely more of a casual, family-run place which is refreshing though it may not work well for children that require a lot of supervision. All in all, my child has fond memories of her experience and I know that it'll be much easier for her to participate in future performance-based events.

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.

Jonathan is an EXTRAORDINARY voice lesson teacher. He is incredibly well-trained and a very…read morepersonable instructor. In addition, his lessons are very helpful for students of all levels. I am a beginner in singing and truly enjoy his instruction. I highly recommend Jonathan for voice lessons!

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!…read more If you want to learn how to sing well, Jonathan is the way to go. Not only does he have impeccable credentials (SF opera, gigs around the world), but he is also a very good teacher. I've been taking lessons from him for almost three years now. I started as a student in Davis, and continued even after graduation. He's very nice, funny, and personable - not hoity toity like you would expect an opera teacher to be. I really appreciate his patience and encouragement. I also appreciate the biannual recitals he organizes for his students. After three years of weekly lessons, I had the chance to perform four times at UC Davis and four times at the Berkeley City Club. I can't recommend him highly enough. He is like the Burj-al-Arab Dubai hotel of voice instructors - 7/5 stars!

Cassie has been such a gift for our kids. We found her during COVID. She created a safe way to…read moreintroduce our children to new musical instruments, and for once, they stuck with it! It has a lot to do with Cassie's kind approach, meeting kids where their interests are, and incredible patience. With Cassie, the kids were consistent with their lessons, and it now shows in their comfort with their instruments and even experimenting with new instruments at home. My kids FINALLY love playing music! Sadly we have to move away. We'll miss Cassie's lovely disposition. It will be difficult to find another teacher like her. If you have or are someone, who might be a little shy or reluctant about trying a new instrument, give Cassie a try. She teaches students of all ages and makes music accessible to everyone.

With all of this time on our hands, I HIGHLY recommend Cassie and Musica Bella. I've known Cassie…read morefor many, many years, and just started taking guitar lessons from her. She is WUNderful! It's so fun to pick up my guitar again after so many years. All done remotely at this time. It's very simple - she helps you select a video option. And it is just SO much fun to play my guitar with her each week. Cassie has been a music teacher for many, many years. She teaches piano, voice, guitar, and pretty much any other music you want to pursue. She is right here in El Sobrante! So give her a call at (510) 409-8487.