My son, Chris (11 yrs old), has been working with Ms. Yumemi (aka Ms. Mimi) for nearly 6 years. Ms. Mimi is a very talented musician and teacher. She has a unique ability to adapt to differing personalities and finding the most effective way to teach her students to play the piano. She is the perfect balance of being humorous and strict. My son absolutely loves working with Ms. Mimi and has grown as a musician in ways that have gone beyond my expectations! She is patient and nurturing and holds her students to a high standard, challenging them to play difficult pieces with proper technique and musicality. Moreover, she has worked with my daughter who plays cello. She has even composed music for her and my son to play a cello-piano duet. She is an incredibly versatile and gifted musician and teacher!
Her husband, Ben, has also been an asset to my son's growth as a musician. Ben is a very talented musician and teacher as well. He teaches both piano and guitar. Together, they are a powerful team! Every other month, they bring their students together in small groups to learn theory. They make it so much fun for their students, they don't even realize they are learning! During these group lessons, the students bond and learn from other students. They learn about performance etiquette and how to effectively prepare for competitions and Certificate of Merit testing.
In addition to introducing their students to music competitions, CM testing and local recitals, their studio hosts at least two recitals a year. During these recitals, their students are exposed to varying genres of music and hear from different instrumentalists, like cellists, vocalists, and guitarists. More importantly, their recitals feel like a cozy family holiday. They break the recitals down into small groups of performers so that families don't have to sit through hours of performances. After each recital, they host a small reception during which families can mingle while enjoying appetizers and beverages.
Ms. Mimi and Mr. Ben's students have formed lasting friendships and their students' families have bonded. We feel so blessed to have Ms. Mimi and Mr. Ben in our son's life! I could not imagine a better piano teacher for my son. If I could give them 100 STARS, I would!!! LOVE!!! LOVE!!! LOVE THEM!!! read more