Testimonials

I have throughly enjoyed studying piano with Dr. Mayu Iida-Nomura for the past four years.  Her 45-minute lesson is truly the highlight of my week!  Her skillful teaching is perfectly matched to my level of playing ability and I always feel I have learned something of importance from her lesson that will help me play even better the following week.  She is a delightful teacher, who is very encouraging and highly creative in devising ways to instill good playing habits, correct bad habits in a gentle manner and in explaining the nuances of technique and the composer’s intentions, based on her deep knowledge of the piano repertoire and of music, in general.  I consider myself most fortunate to have the privilege of studying with her and highly recommend her to anyone who is serious about learning to play piano. 

Over the course of several years, Mayu has nourished my piano-learning experience in a compassionate and exciting manner. She teaches very diligently to her students: her instruction style is engaging and focuses on the development of the student. I have made so much progress through Mayu’s lessons; she has accompanied my piano journey and cultivated my existing skills. Whenever I am struggling with a certain piece or topic, Mayu will always support my understanding through lectures, activities, and demonstrations. When I started pursuing my piano journey with Mayu, I have never felt so empowered and motivated to learn piano. Her studio is an amazing community that makes students feel supported and equipped in their efforts to pursue their musical goals. 

The most valuable aspect of Mayu’s teaching is how she creates a love for music in the student that lasts long past their lessons. She supports the student in creating an intimate relationship with each piece that they learn. Her extensive background in music allows for a nuanced exploration of each song, but beyond this she encourages the student to connect the piece to other pieces they know, other composers they’ve become familiar with, and other experiences outside of music with which the music resonates. The focus of her teaching isn’t just to transfer knowledge from teacher to student, but rather to create an inspired student who explores the exciting world of music from a place of genuine passion with an experienced mentor to guide them. This is of incredible value, because the resulting student is not only a skilled pianist, but a lover of music excited to explore and create with the tools to do so successfully.

I’ve been learning from Dr Mayu for about 7-8 years. Mayu is an extraordinary and very honorable piano teacher. I had been learning from other teachers previously and never reached my full learning capacity, I was left feeling underwhelmed and understood musically, piano never came easy to me but with the help of Mayu I learned so much and it really made me enjoy piano and the art of learning. She’s a consistent and caring individual. Our conversations always go deeper than piano, she’s not just a teacher but a motivator and a true inspiration!