Piano & Keyboard
Our Piano staff all have at least a masters degree in piano performance or pedagogy. Our associate piano staff have bachelor degrees or minor in piano. The Certificate of Merit program which is held by the Music Teachers Association of California shapes much of our standard curriculum, providing a steady diet of standard repertoire, music theory, scales and chord progressions, sight reading, playing by ear (aural training) as part of their weekly lesson. While this program is not for everyone, it is an option that is presented to most grade school students who choose to study with us.
At the heart we focus on a student’s enjoyment and appreciation of music and private study allows each student to go at their pace and once the basics are mastered, may choose the type of repertoire they play.
Our teaching staff have backgrounds in classical, jazz, pop music fields, and even video game composition. We accept students from the age of 3 years old who show an ability to follow instructions and sit with concentration for a period of at least 15 minutes.
Solo performance opportunities include at least 2 recitals per year, in house master classes, numerous citywide, statewide, national and international festivals. Standardized examination opportunities include participation in Certificate of Merit exams, ABRSM programs, Royal Conservatory programs.
Ensemble studies and performance opportunities include participation in jazz ensembles, worship bands, and learning to accompany soloists.
Recommended Lesson Books:
age 3 FJH My First Piano Adventure
age 4 FJH Piano Adventures
age 5 and up: Alfred, KJOS Bastien Piano Basics
age 10 and up FJH Accelerated Piano Adventures
age 16 and up: FJH Piano Adventures for Adults, Alfred
Our Piano Instructors
David Orr (piano)
A New England native, David received a Bachelor of Arts in both Piano Performance and Theory from the University of New Hampshire, and holds a Masters of Music in Composition from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He has studied and performed internationally with concert pianists from the top music schools in the country, including New England Conservatory and Juilliard. He has also received awards from several prestigious piano competitions, including the American Fine Arts Festival (held in Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall). In addition to performance, David is an active composer for film, television, and video games, with dozens of clients including HBO and Activison. His video game music has been performed internationally, with a 2015 performance at the Dutch Game Music concert in the Netherlands. With extensive academic training in the art of composition, he also regularly composes concert music. He completed his first symphony The Alchemist in 2014, which was recorded by the The University of Massachusetts, Amherst Symphony Orchestra. David brings his diverse musical experience to his lessons, providing students with a well-rounded education in performance, theory, and analysis. Having taught in a variety of private and group settings -- from preschool lessons to university lectures -- He draws from all of these environments to provide a comfortable, relevant, and engaging environment for his students. You can find out more about David and his work at www.davidorr.net. Member MTAC
Monday & Thursday 1:30pm-8:30pm, Tuesdays 4:00pm-8:30, Saturday 9am-5pm
A New England native, David received a Bachelor of Arts in both Piano Performance and Theory from the University of New Hampshire, and holds a Masters of Music in Composition from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He has studied and performed internationally with concert pianists from the top music schools in the country, including New England Conservatory and Juilliard. He has also received awards from several prestigious piano competitions, including the American Fine Arts Festival (held in Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall). In addition to performance, David is an active composer for film, television, and video games, with dozens of clients including HBO and Activison. His video game music has been performed internationally, with a 2015 performance at the Dutch Game Music concert in the Netherlands. With extensive academic training in the art of composition, he also regularly composes concert music. He completed his first symphony The Alchemist in 2014, which was recorded by the The University of Massachusetts, Amherst Symphony Orchestra. David brings his diverse musical experience to his lessons, providing students with a well-rounded education in performance, theory, and analysis. Having taught in a variety of private and group settings -- from preschool lessons to university lectures -- He draws from all of these environments to provide a comfortable, relevant, and engaging environment for his students. You can find out more about David and his work at www.davidorr.net. Member MTAC
Monday & Thursday 1:30pm-8:30pm, Tuesdays 4:00pm-8:30, Saturday 9am-5pm
Gary Blumer (piano, composition)
Holds a masters degree in Composition from Wayne State University, he's been performing at the piano for over 35 years in jazz, classical and pop genres. Band leader, freelance pianist, composer/arranger and educator - having taught at WSU for 13 years - are all areas in which Gary has many years of experience. www.myspace.com/garyblumerjazzpiano
Member MTAC
Tuesday10:30am-8:00pm, Thursday 1:30pm-8:30pm, Saturday 9am-6pm (Arcadia);
Monday, Wednesday 11am-8:30pm (Burbank)
Holds a masters degree in Composition from Wayne State University, he's been performing at the piano for over 35 years in jazz, classical and pop genres. Band leader, freelance pianist, composer/arranger and educator - having taught at WSU for 13 years - are all areas in which Gary has many years of experience. www.myspace.com/garyblumerjazzpiano
Member MTAC
Tuesday10:30am-8:00pm, Thursday 1:30pm-8:30pm, Saturday 9am-6pm (Arcadia);
Monday, Wednesday 11am-8:30pm (Burbank)
Bilinda Lou (piano)
Started playing the piano at the age of five, Bilinda has studied piano, attending the Macao Conservatory in China as a piano performance pre-college student. She then went to Wright State University in Ohio where she received her Bachelors in Music in piano performance and then to the University of Colorado, Boulder where she finished her masters degree also in piano performance. Besides piano, Bilinda also studied orchestral percussion throughout college and has performed in Vienna, Salzburg, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, and China. Bilinda enjoys teaching students from beginning to advanced level with musical training of technique, musicianship, theory, and sight-reading. Fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English.
Enjoy this amazing piano piece by one of our esteemed teachers Bilinda Lou performing Schumann Vienna Carnival, op 26
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lkD8uhpzKw&feature=youtu.be
Monday 1:30-3,7-8:30pm, Wednesday 6:30pm-7pm, Thursday 12:00pm-8:30pm Saturday 9:00am-2:00pm
Started playing the piano at the age of five, Bilinda has studied piano, attending the Macao Conservatory in China as a piano performance pre-college student. She then went to Wright State University in Ohio where she received her Bachelors in Music in piano performance and then to the University of Colorado, Boulder where she finished her masters degree also in piano performance. Besides piano, Bilinda also studied orchestral percussion throughout college and has performed in Vienna, Salzburg, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, and China. Bilinda enjoys teaching students from beginning to advanced level with musical training of technique, musicianship, theory, and sight-reading. Fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English.
Enjoy this amazing piano piece by one of our esteemed teachers Bilinda Lou performing Schumann Vienna Carnival, op 26
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lkD8uhpzKw&feature=youtu.be
Monday 1:30-3,7-8:30pm, Wednesday 6:30pm-7pm, Thursday 12:00pm-8:30pm Saturday 9:00am-2:00pm
Cagdas Soylar (piano)
Cagdas, born in Izmir, Turkey, moved to the capital city of Ankara, at the age of 11 by herself to enroll in the H.U Ankara State Conservatory where she studied the piano for 10 years. After completing her bachelor’s degree in piano performance, she worked as an accompanist at the same conservatory and taught piano at the universities and many private institutions for several years in Turkey. After being awarded “The Geraldine Pickerell Gordon Music Fund Scholarship” toward her graduate studies in piano performance, Soylar traveled to the United States and began studying with Dr. Reena Natenberg at Pittsburg State University in 2009.
In 2009, Soylar was awarded 2nd place in the Collegiate State Artist Competition–Graduate Division. In 2010, she was selected as a soloist by the State Symphony Orchestra and performed in the 2010-2011 season. In the same year, she was nominated for the Pittsburg Area Student Employee of the year by the First Christian Church, where she worked as a pianist for 3 years. In 2011, she was awarded “Excellence in Professional Service” by the Pittsburg State University Department of Music.
Soylar completed her graduate studies with the “Outstanding Student Award” and was granted membership in one of the most prominent national music honor societies in the U.S. created by the Alumni of the Northwestern University School of Music in Chicago, IL in 1918, because of her superior attainment in music and the ‘’personal qualifications pertaining to an outstanding exponent of the arts.” Since then, she has performed as a solo pianist and a collaborative pianist in many countries in Europe, Canada, and China, including China’s National Center for the Performing Arts Hall in Bejing, one of the most prestigious concert halls in the world.
In 2013, she began her doctoral studies in piano performance, studying with Dr. Paolo Susanni at the conservatory in Izmir, Turkey and completed it in 2017. In 2016, she also completed her second master’s at Azusa Pacific University in Keyboard Collaborative Arts, studying with Dr. Joel Clifft. Currently, she is working on her Artist Certificate program in piano performance at APU studying with Dr. Eugene Alcalay, one of the famous Steinway artists. She has been working as an accompanist at APU since 2014 and at First Thai Presbyterian Church in Covina as a pianist since 2015.
Thursday 1:30pm-8:30pm, Saturday 9am-5pm
Cagdas, born in Izmir, Turkey, moved to the capital city of Ankara, at the age of 11 by herself to enroll in the H.U Ankara State Conservatory where she studied the piano for 10 years. After completing her bachelor’s degree in piano performance, she worked as an accompanist at the same conservatory and taught piano at the universities and many private institutions for several years in Turkey. After being awarded “The Geraldine Pickerell Gordon Music Fund Scholarship” toward her graduate studies in piano performance, Soylar traveled to the United States and began studying with Dr. Reena Natenberg at Pittsburg State University in 2009.
In 2009, Soylar was awarded 2nd place in the Collegiate State Artist Competition–Graduate Division. In 2010, she was selected as a soloist by the State Symphony Orchestra and performed in the 2010-2011 season. In the same year, she was nominated for the Pittsburg Area Student Employee of the year by the First Christian Church, where she worked as a pianist for 3 years. In 2011, she was awarded “Excellence in Professional Service” by the Pittsburg State University Department of Music.
Soylar completed her graduate studies with the “Outstanding Student Award” and was granted membership in one of the most prominent national music honor societies in the U.S. created by the Alumni of the Northwestern University School of Music in Chicago, IL in 1918, because of her superior attainment in music and the ‘’personal qualifications pertaining to an outstanding exponent of the arts.” Since then, she has performed as a solo pianist and a collaborative pianist in many countries in Europe, Canada, and China, including China’s National Center for the Performing Arts Hall in Bejing, one of the most prestigious concert halls in the world.
In 2013, she began her doctoral studies in piano performance, studying with Dr. Paolo Susanni at the conservatory in Izmir, Turkey and completed it in 2017. In 2016, she also completed her second master’s at Azusa Pacific University in Keyboard Collaborative Arts, studying with Dr. Joel Clifft. Currently, she is working on her Artist Certificate program in piano performance at APU studying with Dr. Eugene Alcalay, one of the famous Steinway artists. She has been working as an accompanist at APU since 2014 and at First Thai Presbyterian Church in Covina as a pianist since 2015.
Thursday 1:30pm-8:30pm, Saturday 9am-5pm
Esther Yi (piano, Kindermusik)
Has a Bachelor degree from California State University Northridge in Piano Pedagogy. She had been teaching piano for last 22 years, impacting 4 year olds to adults for over 2 decades. She was in Masters Program in Early Childhood Education at California State University Los Angeles. Hence, she has a great understanding of children mind and musical needs. Fluent in Korean. Member MTAC, Kindermusik Educator
Saturdays 9am-4:30pm
Has a Bachelor degree from California State University Northridge in Piano Pedagogy. She had been teaching piano for last 22 years, impacting 4 year olds to adults for over 2 decades. She was in Masters Program in Early Childhood Education at California State University Los Angeles. Hence, she has a great understanding of children mind and musical needs. Fluent in Korean. Member MTAC, Kindermusik Educator
Saturdays 9am-4:30pm
Yafei Lin (piano)
is an experienced soloist and collaborative artist with performances in the United States, Taiwan, and on television. Most recently, Yafei worked as a collaborative pianist with numerous Los Angeles-based choirs, including SUUS Choir, Taiwanese Hai-Yun Choir, and Woodland Academy Choir. She serves as a staff accompanist at CSU Northridge, and regularly accompanies for student competitions and evaluations throughout the greater Los Angeles area. As an active member of the Music Teacher‘s Association of California (MTAC), Ms. Lin has developed a reputation as a music educator dedicated to excellence and student success, and her students have been recognized for their outstanding performances in the Certificate of Merit and ABRSM. A native of Taiwan, Yafei began studying piano at the age of seven and continued her education at Shih Chien University, where she studied piano and violin. She holds a Master’s Degree in piano performance from CSU Northridge, with piano studies under Dmitry Rachmanov, and was the recipient of the Etude Music Club Endowment and the Art Council Music Scholarship.
Member MTAC, Royal Conservatory
Saturday 12:00pm-5:00pm, Sunday 2:00-5:00
is an experienced soloist and collaborative artist with performances in the United States, Taiwan, and on television. Most recently, Yafei worked as a collaborative pianist with numerous Los Angeles-based choirs, including SUUS Choir, Taiwanese Hai-Yun Choir, and Woodland Academy Choir. She serves as a staff accompanist at CSU Northridge, and regularly accompanies for student competitions and evaluations throughout the greater Los Angeles area. As an active member of the Music Teacher‘s Association of California (MTAC), Ms. Lin has developed a reputation as a music educator dedicated to excellence and student success, and her students have been recognized for their outstanding performances in the Certificate of Merit and ABRSM. A native of Taiwan, Yafei began studying piano at the age of seven and continued her education at Shih Chien University, where she studied piano and violin. She holds a Master’s Degree in piano performance from CSU Northridge, with piano studies under Dmitry Rachmanov, and was the recipient of the Etude Music Club Endowment and the Art Council Music Scholarship.
Member MTAC, Royal Conservatory
Saturday 12:00pm-5:00pm, Sunday 2:00-5:00
Lori Richardson (flute, piano)
Earned a Bachelor of Music degree with and emphasis in Performance from California State University Fresno. Lori also studied with Leone Buyse, Jim Walker, and attended Summer Master Class Seminars with the renowned master flutist and teacher, Frances Blaisdell. With over 20 years of performing and teaching experience Lori is passionate about passing on her love of music to her students through a nurturing environment that emphasizes tone production, technique building, ear training and artistry/musicianship. She believes the study of music enhances every aspect of a young persons development, creativity, sense of accomplishment and future success.
Board Member MTAC, Member National Flute Association
Tuesday 1:30pm-8:00pm, Wednesday 1:30-8:30
Earned a Bachelor of Music degree with and emphasis in Performance from California State University Fresno. Lori also studied with Leone Buyse, Jim Walker, and attended Summer Master Class Seminars with the renowned master flutist and teacher, Frances Blaisdell. With over 20 years of performing and teaching experience Lori is passionate about passing on her love of music to her students through a nurturing environment that emphasizes tone production, technique building, ear training and artistry/musicianship. She believes the study of music enhances every aspect of a young persons development, creativity, sense of accomplishment and future success.
Board Member MTAC, Member National Flute Association
Tuesday 1:30pm-8:00pm, Wednesday 1:30-8:30
Jiaxin He (piano)
Received her Bachelors of Music in Music Education at the Xinghai Conservatory of Music in Guangzhou, China. She was invited to perform in the highly selective Outstanding Student Graduation Concert of 2013. In 2015, Jiaxin received her Masters of Music in Piano Performance at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst on full Scholarship. She has extensive experience working with students of a variety of ages and backgrounds, both in China and the US. While in China, Jiaxin operated her own private studio, with students ranging from preschool ages to adult. During her time at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, she worked with advanced undergraduates to further their technique and mastery of performance. Jiaxin enjoys working with students of all ages, and uses their personal interests and passions to draw connections in music. Fluent Cantonese and Mandarin. Member MTAC
upon request
Received her Bachelors of Music in Music Education at the Xinghai Conservatory of Music in Guangzhou, China. She was invited to perform in the highly selective Outstanding Student Graduation Concert of 2013. In 2015, Jiaxin received her Masters of Music in Piano Performance at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst on full Scholarship. She has extensive experience working with students of a variety of ages and backgrounds, both in China and the US. While in China, Jiaxin operated her own private studio, with students ranging from preschool ages to adult. During her time at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, she worked with advanced undergraduates to further their technique and mastery of performance. Jiaxin enjoys working with students of all ages, and uses their personal interests and passions to draw connections in music. Fluent Cantonese and Mandarin. Member MTAC
upon request
Registration Private Music Classes
one on one or two on one private lesson with teacher