Piano Lessons At Melody Academy of Music

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Our Approach

Piano Lessons for All Ages & Musical Styles

We believe every student is unique and different in their own way. Therefore, why should lessons be any different? Each piano lesson is tailored to the individual student’s specific interests and needs.

While focusing on foundational elements such as proper technique, reading music, finger position and more. Our teachers also help students learn songs they are familiar with. This includes movie theme music, popular songs on the radio, their favorite classical artist etc. This helps keep students motivated and pushing further to learn each week.
The best part is, all of this takes place in your home, saving you tons of time!

piano teacher showing musical notes to the student

Our Approach to Piano at Melody Academy of Music

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Piano Lessons Should Be Fun!

We know that an interest in piano may be what first brings you into our school – but having fun is what keeps you coming back! Here at Melody Academy of Music, our goal is for every student to LOVE their music lessons as they embark on a rewarding journey of progress and discovery. We put the “fun” in fundamentals!

Our knowledgeable staff blends a high standard of music education with a creative, student-focused approach that gives students space to discover and nurture their passion for music and the piano. Whether it’s your first time at the keys or you’re a seasoned pianist, our teachers are ready to help you progress quickly toward your goals – while having fun along the way.

We Emphasize Healthy Technique

Healthy technique is critical to lifelong enjoyment of the piano. Our first priority is teaching strong fundamentals, including hand, wrist and arm technique, bench position, and pedaling. We believe that full-body instruction is essential to musicianship and safeguards students from injury.

Once the fundamentals are in place, you and your teacher can craft the story you want your music to tell. Our qualified teachers will assist you in developing musicianship and exploring nuance through dynamics, pausing, phrasing, and varying tempos. Learn with us as we infuse elements of music theory and music history into our well-rounded approach to fostering musical excellence.

We Care About Your Musical Interests

There is no one-size-fits-all method of piano instruction. Regardless of ability or prior experience, our teachers take an individualized approach to each of our students – underpinned by detailed individual assessments, a personalized learning plan, and one-on-one guidance throughout your musical journey.

While fundamentals and technique are essential, our ultimate goal is to equip students to begin exploring their own personal musical style and interests. Your teacher will work with you to understand where you want to go, and craft a unique plan to get you there. Whether your style is classical or pop (or anything in between), Melody Academy of Music helps students excel in their craft while encouraging the occasional step outside the comfort zone to try something new.

Our Piano Teachers:

Paola Rapaj

Paola Rapaj

Piano

Paola Rapaj Kraja, who holds both a M.M. and M.Ed., is a seasoned pianist with over 20 years of experience in the realm of piano study. She earned dual master’s degrees from Charles University and the Prague Conservatory, majoring in piano performance and education. Her considerable talents have led her to perform as a soloist and with various orchestras across numerous countries, including but not limited to Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, Albania, and the USA[…]

Brandon Ung

Brandon Ung

Piano, Guitar, Ukulele, Theory

Brandon Ung received his Bachelor’s (B.A.) degree in Commercial Music at Biola University with an emphasis in guitar. He also studied voice and piano in college, performing in several ensembles including Jazz Ensemble, Vocal Jazz, Pop ensemble and Chapel band. He has been leading Sunday morning worship teams for over 10 years at both Newark[…]

Xiaolin Chen

Xiaolin Chen

Piano

Xiaolin Chen, born in Guangzhou, China, has been playing piano for over 20 years. A pianist with a love for performing, Xiaolin constantly strives to bring her best so that she may pass that knowledge and experience down to her students. She has played for Hans Boepple (renowned pedagogue and soloist), performed at the Paramount[…]

Chesley Mok

Chesley Mok

Piano, Violin

Chesley Mok graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and received a Master of Music at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, studying Collaborative Piano with Timothy Bach. A diverse pianist, Chesley works with both vocalists and instrumentalists across a wide range of genres, including championing new music[…]

Erin Chen

Erin Chen

Violin, Piano

Erin started to learn music at the age of six. She learned the piano first and then learned the violin. When she was twelve, she studied in Middle School of Xinghai Conservatory of Music. During this time, she won many competitions and gave performance in many cities. She finished her bachelor’s degree in Shanghai Conservatory […]

Heejung Biemer

Heejung Biemer

Piano

Heejung Biemer was born in Busan, South Korea. She began playing piano when she was nine years old. She graduated with a degree in Piano Education. Ms. Heejung has been teaching piano for twenty-five years. In Korea, she owned her own music institute where she orchestrated recitals for many years! Heejung’s goals are to assist […]

Henry Sun

Henry Sun

Piano, Guitar

At a naive, young age, I inherited an ancient relic known as a portable CD player, and, in bewitchment by it, set out to become a rockstar and a classical composer. I soon picked up the guitar (classical, acoustic, electric) and piano, and continued falling into the rabbit hole of exploring music daily. Unsurprisingly, the […]

I-Chen Su

I-Chen Su

Piano, Violin & Viola

I-Chen Su is a native of Taiwan, and has been teaching at Melody Academy of Music since 2014. She received her BA in Music from Tainan National University of the Arts, MM in Viola Performance from Mannes School of Music, and MFA in Music Production and Sound Design for Visual Media from Academy of Art […]

Lori Lee

Lori Lee

Piano, Flute

Lori Lee is a native of Taiwan. In elementary school, she decided to start learning music because other kids were playing music, and her older sister played music, too! She started out on piano, and then in middle school decided to start learning flute. Her older sister had previously been learning the flute but quit, […]

Max Cheung

Max Cheung

Piano & Theory

Max Cheung is a pianist from Hong Kong who discovered his passion for music at the age of 6. He has won various music competitions including the piano, Er-hu, Er-hu Ensemble, and Chinese orchestra categories at the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival. Currently, Max teaches music full time specializing in preschool to kindergarten students. With […]

Melody Li

Melody Li

Piano, Theory

Melody started learning piano at age of 4. Beginning at elementary school, she started participating in competitions and soon became very competitive in the northeast region of China. Later, she went on to study with professor Kene Cao from Shandong University of Arts. She has won 1st Places in many competitions, including TOYAMA Asian Youth […]

Shirley Zhu

Shirley Zhu

Piano

Shirley Zhu began her piano journey at age six. She attended California State University at East Bay, where she earned her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance, and later a Master of Music in Music Education. Her primary teachers for her undergraduate and graduate studies were Omri Shimron and Ellen Wasserman. Shirley has been teaching […]

Susan Wu

Susan Wu

Piano, Violin

Susan completed her Bachelor of Music degree in Taiwan with a Violin performance major and a Piano performance minor and earned her Master of Music degree from San Francisco State University. She has experience teaching both violin and piano lesson and developed organizational teaching methods to guide students with their practical goals. In her undergraduate […]

Yo Han Kim

Yo Han Kim

Piano

Yo Han Kim is a lifelong pianist, instructor, and accompanist. He has been actively teaching piano to children, teens, adults, and seniors for over 3 years. Students, audiences, and musicians are drawn to his patient, individual need-based approach with fun and active engagement, along with his vibrant piano performances. Yo Han has a rich experience […]

Yina Ma

Yina Ma

Violin, Piano, Theory

Yina Ma started violin lessons at 4 years old. Because her father is a violinist, she naturally started learning violin with him. Through the years, she came to discover that she wanted to devote her life to it. She has played with many different ensembles, including the Shanghai City Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Opera Orchestra, Shanghai […]

Brandon Lou

Brandon Lou

Piano

Brandon Lou received his Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance (B.M.) from San Jose State University. He started playing piano around age 7 and discovered his deep passion for music in high school.

Eilene Cho

Eilene Cho

Piano & Violin

Eilene started her music journey in 2006 playing the piano. Her teacher saw that she was a fast learner and encouraged her to take the opportunities that came her way.

Una Ko

Una Ko

Piano

Una is a graduate from University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she studied piano performance and psychology. Una began playing the piano when she was four years old, and has been classically trained. 

Yaqing Wang

Yaqing Wang

Piano

Yaqing has dedicated the last 20 years to classical piano training, recently under the guidance of Dr. Omri Shimron at Cal State East Bay. Beginning her musical journey at five, she initially focused on piano before exploring other instruments. 

Parker Ohara

Parker Ohara

Piano, Guitar & Ukulele

Parker, a native of the Bay Area, hails from San Jose with a deep-rooted passion for music. Boasting over a decade of expertise, Parker is a seasoned guitar and piano instructor committed to empowering students with the essential skills for musical excellence.

We Offer Simple Pricing to Fit Your Schedule & Budget

Weekly Lessons

30 min

$215

per month

Great for learning the basics and building foundations.

Please note that trial lessons are $50 and only available for private lessons.

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Weekly Lessons

45 min

$310

per month

Great for the budding master.

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Weekly Lessons

60 min

$400

per month

Longer sessions, great for motivated musicians.

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“My older child has been with Melody Academy of Music over 6 years, and younger one started learning piano here two years ago. We have been very happy with our experiences here. Teachers are very professional and have passion in music. ”

— Jie Chen, Parent

What you can expect

Tell us about your musical goals.

Match with one of our expert instructors.

Play music! Parents get progress reports.

Frequently Asked Questions

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What Age Should My Child Start Piano Lessons?

The minimum age we recommend a student start piano lessons at Melody Academy of Music is 5 years old. For younger students, we recommend an intro to the music program. Starting age will largely depend on the student when it comes to piano or keyboard. So, some students may need to wait longer than others to start. Contact us and we can help determine if your child is ready to start!

Why Take Piano Lessons at Melody Academy of Music?

Piano lessons in Melody Academy of Music provide teachers who instruct on a variety of styles from classical to popular music. Whether you want to learn Bach or Alicia Keys, our teachers are happy to help you become the pianist you want to be. Our piano faculty will show you the fundamentals of sight reading, technique and theory, but they will also incorporate your favorite songs into your lessons. You do not have to have a piano at home to take lessons. A simple electronic keyboard with a minimum of 61 keys will suffice for the first 6 months. Our piano teachers have warm personalities and enjoy sharing their love for the piano with you when you take piano lessons in Melody Academy of Music.

Our Piano Teachers

All of the teachers at Melody Academy of Music hold university degrees in music and are experts in their field. Our piano faculty have received their musical education from such prestigious institutions all over the country.

Do I Have to Know How to Read Music?

No. Beginners are welcome! Our lesson plans aim to educate, engage and inspire students.

Do I Need a Piano to Start Taking Lessons?

No. You do not need a piano to start piano lessons, however, we do recommend having a digital piano keyboard in your home to practice between lessons. Also, keyboards are much more economical and require less commitment upfront when it comes to ongoing maintenance and moving costs.

So, What Are You Waiting For?

If you’re ready to jump into the world of keyboarding, we are excited to match you with a teacher that can get you started on your musical journey.
Nothing will enable you to progress more effectively than a one-on-one partnership with an inspiring piano professional.

Let us help you explore and build your abilities in a setting that is comfortable for you. You never know how far you can go until you take that first step, so get started today!


Start your musical journey today

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