"Music Off the Page" Mentoring Sessions

Cindy is an incredibly dynamic music/piano teacher with an amazing ability to breakdown complex music theory into easily understandable, fun and memorable experiences for both kids and adults…I now find myself hearing a song that I like, and within a matter of a few minutes at a piano, I can figure out how to play it. I watched her teach my son for three years from age 7. She started with simply making music fun for him, and before we knew it, he was excelling at reading music, playing by ear, and even learning to sing and play his favorite songs on piano. She gave him space to be creative and do what he wanted with music while also continuously keeping his skillset, understanding and technique growing. I enjoyed her teaching style so much that I've been taking lessons with her for the past 2 years, the best musical decision of my life. I've played guitar and sang since I was 10 years old, learned how to read music and play trumpet in high school band, but I never really understood what I was doing. I'm 46 now, and for the first time in my life, I can confidently say that I understand music and music theory, and it was way easier than I had imagined, thanks to Cindy. I'm even no longer afraid of a little improv! I now find myself hearing a song that I like, and within a matter of a few minutes at a piano, I can figure out how to play it. She seems to have endless ideas for how I can improve my playing and understanding of music. I cannot thank her enough for the world that she has opened for me and my son and the rest of our family!

Cindy is wonderfully versatile. She teaches (a) classical pieces, (b) improvisatory skills, (c) learning popular pieces by ear, and (d) song-writing. Whatever kind of musician you're aiming to become, Cindy will meet you there. Cindy was the piano teacher for our whole family for four years. She started out as the teacher for my children, but after seeing the joy in their lessons, I decided to take lessons from her, too. Cindy is simply the best piano teacher we've had, and we tried a few before finding her. What sets her apart is her joy. She genuinely enjoys music, and that comes through in every lesson. She also enjoys teaching, and that comes through just as clearly. Sitting down to study a piece or work on a skill with her is a joyful experience. Cindy is also wonderfully versatile. She teaches (a) classical pieces, (b) improvisatory skills, (c) learning popular pieces by ear, and (d) song-writing. Whatever kind of musician you're aiming to become, Cindy will meet you there. We recommend Cindy 10 out of 10 to any student of music.

Cindy brought an appreciation and comfort with improvisation, and the trust that comes with it, if we allow. I watched her help my kids to trust their ears, but also to trust the feeling that sound and pattern can give to an experience. Cindy has been a gift in the life of our family in multiple ways. The most obvious of these gifts is music - but it’s not just that she’s taught us piano. She’s brought an appreciation and comfort with improvisation, and the trust that comes with it, if we allow. I watched her help my kids to trust their ears, but also to trust the feeling that sound and pattern can give to an experience. She taught them that “messing up” is normal, but it also doesn’t have to be a big deal. We can move on with grace and confidence. While these lessons were based on musical learning, we’d walk away from Cindy’s lessons and talk about how much we could learn about analogous experiences (sports, academics, innovation) by learning to improvise with Cindy. Our relationship with Cindy is much deeper than student/piano teacher. It’s as if she’s a part of our family!

Cindy worked with our 9 year old son for several years. When he started, he did not know the first thing about piano - a few years later, he was composing his own pieces and playing complex songs! Cindy was incredibly patient and supportive with him, which he really needed in the beginning as he learned the basics. And once he got a strong foundation, she encouraged him to push himself and learn new pieces and new styles. Through these fun challenges, he gained the confidence to try new things and his attention span improved a lot. My son has benefited greatly, in music and in life, from working Cindy.