I thought it might be time to do a little 5 year check in! That's right, I've been taking lessons…read morewith Ciara for 5 years now and have enjoyed every lesson and over the last year have enjoyed watching her business grow and flourish! She now has multiple piano and voice teachers at the school, all of whom are fabulous people and teachers. In the time I've spent with Ciara, I went from having no idea what a C scale was to writing and recording my own songs! Ciara has been there with me every step of the way and has provided me with just as much emotional support as she has musical support. I've also participated in a couple of her other projects: Join a Band SF and Collab (with the fabulous Heather Pierce, voice teacher extraordinaire!), and I really enjoyed both projects and learned a lot, while having a ton of fun. On the business side of things, I appreciate that Ciara is up front with her policies from the beginning and feel like she has always treated me and from what I hear, other clients, very fairly. We're kind of a family, and Ciara has done a great job of keeping that communal spirit with the annual Master Class and the Recital, where our friends and family and our MMS (McAllister Music Studio) family can enjoy and witness the progress we have made during the year. Lizzie and Carlos are true gems, with voices like angels and the patience of Saints. If you are looking for a fun, supportive environment to learn a new instrument or brush up on your skills, I highly recommend Ciara and all of the teachers at MMS!

An obvious 5 stars! I've been taking piano lessons with Ciara every week for almost a year and a…read morehalf, and it's been one of the best experiences (and life choices) I've made since moving to San Francisco. I took piano lessons when I was a kid, but quit when I was 11, and Ciara made me feel like I picked up right where I left off, 11 years later. I'm learning music theory, writing songs, learning covers - she designs your lesson plan around your needs and goals, and makes the entire learning process approachable rather than intimidating. Whether you're a singer, songwriter, piano player looking to explore a new genre, or a piano newbie who can't read sheet music (like me)...McAllister Music Studio is the place to go :)

Maura is a fantastic teacher! gifted as a pianist but also with connecting with her students. My…read more10yr old daughter has been her student for 3 years, I can't be anymore grateful to Maura for her patience and dedication to transfer to her not only piano lessons but her passion for music in general. Maura does a superb differentiating to meet their strengths and to support them in the areas they need to pay attention to. My daughter looks forward to her piano lessons and it is a joy to see her growth every time Maura hold a recital for her students to showcase their progress. We will miss you Maura!

I have been taking lessons from Maura for over 3 years now and she is a fantastic teacher! Even…read morethough I have played since a child, I have never had someone teach me better technique than Maura. She is talented, has expansive knowledge of music, composers and music history. She's incredibly patient and always provides alternative solutions for tackling passages that might be difficult to play. On top of that, she's a nice person, compassionate and understanding. I am happy to have found her!!

I've heard from a few Yelpers that it is hard to get in touch with Marianna lately. She changed her…read morephone number a few months ago (and has been trying to get Yelp to change her phone number). Here is her contact info: Email: sing@mariannaland Note: Marianna receives much span and many messages end up in her junk folder; however, she goes through the trash periodically and will answer your email. Phone: 415-684-8694 (maybe better option for initial contact)

Marianna is a gem among gems, a boo among boos! I'm a professional musician always looking to…read moreexpand my vocal repertoire and have been apprehensive, if not uncomfortable, taking vocal lessons in the past. However, Marianna made me feel totally at ease, had me laughing, singing and learning instantly. Her teaching style is confident, compassionate, technical but fun and inspiring! Whether you're a seasoned veteran or just looking to get in to singing I would strongly recommend Marianna. I've taken lessons from other instructors in the bay and she has easily been the best!

Miss Jessica is a wonderful teacher of piano. It's amazing how a room of young children pick up how…read moreto play and read music so quickly with her. My daughter has been loving her lessons with Miss Jessica and asks for additional music to play or tries to figure out notes to some of her favorite songs. Ms. Jessica also arranges a recital at the end of each series of classes which was a great experience for my daughter.

We are so pleased with Miss Jessica and her piano classes! My son absolutely loves her classes…read more It's impressive the way she manages multiple kids in one class. My son has learned so much from her. And best of all, he really has learned an appreciation of music. Miss Jessica communicates clearly and effectively with parents. She somehow manages to have high expectations for her students yet teach them in a friendly way that the kids really respond to. Her recitals are also a wonderful way for the kids to display what they have learned. Low key yet tremendously special at the same time. I highly recommend!

Chelsea was prompt in her communication and was readily available. She was able to solve my issue…read moreand would definitely recommend her services as she is knowledgeable in her field.

It was really important for us to select a piano teacher who could help inject the love of learning…read moreto play, appreciating and enjoying both the music and the instrument. Piano should be a passion and a hobby and not a chore. Chelsea delivers on that and more. She's become a family friend who has seen our son develop his talents over the many years. We really appreciate her easy-to-work-with style and her ability to allow our son to choose his musical selections while still providing challenge and growth. He's improved his playing tremendously since having her as a teacher. The convenience of having her visit our home to deliver her lessons is also a wonderful plus. Thank you so much for all that you do Chelsea!

I really love music and was shy about learning drums so late in life (I'll be 40 this year) because…read morethe image of a potential drum teacher in my head was some cocky dude that was more into flexing his own musician ego in front of students than really teaching me. What a relief to find Dawn! Although she has TONS of reason to walk around with a chip on her shoulder (she was a 4 Non-Blonde, she tours with the likes of Tracy Chapman, she has mega awards), she is one of the kindest, down-to-Earth, cool-ass people I know in life and she even carries one of my favorite personality traits - a dash of nerdiness. Kids & Adults alike: If you want to learn to play drums (the right way) or better your playing, you couldn't be in better hands. I'm much older, but from attending student recitals, I've seen how amazingly patient and caring Dawn is with kids. I kinda want to have kids just so I can take them to Dawn and make them young rock stars! I've seen her rock hard alongside an adolescent boy yearning to bang out some Nirvana then gracefully switch over to helping a sensitive 7-year-old girl perfect the rhythms of a Taylor Swift song. Personally, I gravitate toward a mashup of classic rock and funk/hip hop. Dawn knows 'em all and can accommodate your tastes and interests. She's a master of percussion - having studied percussion formally since childhood. To get access to a master like her as a beginner almost seems wrong, but I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. How long till you're drumming: I thought learning the drum kit would be really daunting and take a long long time. Dawn had me up and drumming in just a few weeks. Ever since then, I've just been getting better and better and having a ton of fun. I'm a drummer all of a sudden! It's so much fun. What a lesson is like: My lesson with Dawn is my favorite part of my week. She's awesome to talk to. She'll coach you through all the proper sticking techniques. She has you play along to your favorite songs in her studio. She gives you homework to work on the things she sees you need help with. It's so much fun to play real drums at real volume in her studio. Oh and she's actually published her own drum books and they're great. I've ordered a bunch of other drum books and always find myself coming back to hers. She's really thought them through. Anyway, at lessons, she sets you up on the "guest" drum set and watches your technique. At some point she gets on her drum set in the same room and you both drum. She coaches you from her set and you both play along. Did I mention this is so much fun? My only criticism is that I often just want her to break out in an awesome drum solo while I just watch a master perform. But alas she's too dang modest and brings us back to a focus on me. . . so I just have to go watch her perform when she's gigging.

Highly recommended! My almost 9 year old has been under Dawn's instruction for about two years now…read moreand I can't be more satisfied with how his drumming has progressed. I was wary of finding a new instructor since he was with his original instructor for almost 4 years before we decided to make the switch due to her moving to a new location which was too out of the way for us. The transition between instructors was almost seamless. Dawn keeps it exciting for my son by allowing him to incorporate his own new musical findings into their lessons. I am very happy with how she's been able to insert formal music lessons while still allowing him to be creative and rock out after the more serious stuff.

We've been with this music school since 2015 and have had a great experience. The teacher is…read moreresponsible, patient, and truly cares about each student's progress. My child has developed strong skills and confidence over the years. Highly recommend this school for a supportive and solid music education.

Very very sweet people and affordable practice rooms - I am grateful to have found this. Thank you.read more

We are so grateful we found Nikki to teach our 9-year-old daughter piano! From day one, she's been…read morekind, patient, and really knows how to connect with kids. Our daughter has learned so much in such a short time -- not just reading notes and playing songs, but things like hand position, rhythm, and even how to make the music sound expressive. Nikki keeps lessons fun while still challenging her, and I love that she mixes in theory and technique with pieces my daughter is actually excited to play. The best part? She comes out of lessons motivated and proud of herself, which is all we could ask for. If you're a parent looking for a teacher who is both skilled and amazing with kids, I can't recommend Nikki enough. She's truly nurturing a love of music in our daughter that I think will stick with her for life

I have always wanted to learn the piano and now in retirement, I finally have the time. Nikki is a…read morevery patient teacher. My memory isn't what it used to be and sometimes my fingers don't cooperate but Nikki never makes me feel bad. She accepts your limits and works with it. I find that unconditional acceptance very comforting and inspiring. Nikki has a warm and positive personality and guides me through each piece with a gentle confidence. I would highly recommend Nikki as she has helped me improve and enjoy playing the piano in a relatively short amount of time. Thank you Nikki!