Testimonials

♫ IREM BOZKURT
13 YEARS OLD
PIANO | 5 YEARS EXPERIENCE
STUDENT OF ELISE KALLAH
♦ 1st Place, 2023 Elite Music Competition
♦ 2nd Place, 2024 Elite Music Competition

Our daughter started taking piano classes when she was eight years old. It's been five years, and she says piano lessons at Melody Institute truly changed her life. Irem was able to experience unreal opportunities, meet amazing people, and accomplish the unimaginable. Our daughter has played at Carnegie Hall three times now! We recommend taking lessons for anyone looking forward to starting a rewarding hobby in music at Melody Institute of Music and Art. The teachers are excellent, and the office manager is helpful and professional. A truly great music school!

♫ AZRIEL S. MANLOSA
11 YEARS OLD
PIANO | 4 YEARS EXPERIENCE
STUDENT OF JEESOO KWON
♦ 1st Place, 2021 Elite Music Competition

Azriel has shown interest in music from a young age. He hummed himself to sleep, banging on his toy drum and then later on his "First Act" drum set. He was not just hitting the drums without purpose but with intent and natural rhythm, accompanying the songs he sang. When he was seven, we brought out an electric piano; he immediately took a liking to it, making beautiful sounds with his tiny fingers. That was when we thought of enrolling him in piano lessons to at least learn the basics. We found Melody Institute and did the free trial. He was introduced to Mrs. Kwon, who is still his teacher today. That was in February 2020 when COVID-19 became ingrained in everyone's vocabulary. Thanks to Melody Institute's professionalism and perseverance, they found a way to keep the music going through virtual classes. With the guidance of Mrs. Kwon, Azriel's love for music continues to flourish. He has been participating in the school's recitals since he started. He has also won First Place at the 2022 Elite International Music Competition in New York City. It was such a great experience for him. Now, listening to him play the piano, his fingers gracefully moving and producing such wonderful music, makes us proud of his accomplishments. He not only learned how to play the piano but also learned discipline and dedication. He now also plays the clarinet in his school band. All this would not have been possible without Melody Institute and the dedication of Mrs. Kwon. Thank you, Mrs. Kwon! Thank you, Melody Institute!

♫ NAVYAA AND GIRIRAJ MAKIN
10 YEARS OLD
PIANO | 4 YEARS EXPERIENCE
STUDENTS OF JING CI LIU
♦ Navyaa Makin: 2023 GOCAA International Piano
♦ Performed at the Global Outstanding Chinese Artists Association
♦ Concert Series at National Opera Center & Young Musicians
♦ Showcase Gala Concert at DiMenna Center for Performing Arts

My children have been taking piano lessons at Melody Institute since 2020 and have made tremendous progress. They have benefitted immensely from all the teachers, starting as beginner students and moving on to advanced lessons. Both have felt encouraged and motivated to do better. Our experience with our current teacher, Ms. Liu, has been nothing but outstanding! She is very knowledgeable and patient; she has always been encouraging and has had a positive influence. She has been instrumental when it comes to practicing for exams and competitions. My kids have performed well at several competitions because of her encouragement, personalized attention, and feedback. Overall, Melody Institute has been a wonderful experience for my family. The teachers are talented, kind, and dedicated to helping students of all ages and skill levels achieve their musical goals. I highly recommend this school to anyone interested in learning piano.

♫ AARAV DHAR
10 YEARS OLD
PIANO | 6 YEARS EXPERIENCE
STUDENT OF DMITRY NIKOLAEV
♦ 3rd Place, 2024 Little Mozarts Competition
♦ Grand Prix, 2024 Concert Festival International Competition

Melody Institute has had a significant impact on our son's musical journey. Aarav started piano lessons when he was under five years old and has been with the same teacher (Dmitry) since then. His teacher has continuously and progressively engaged him in learning the instrument in an exciting and challenging way. This has significantly shaped his interest in learning piano and his ability to display his talent outside Melody. We are delighted with the growth we see in our son's piano skills and truly take joy in his relationship with his teacher. Melody Institute is a great place to get a holistic musical experience, especially with the yearly recitals where many talents come together in the same room.

♫ SOPHIA OLIVER
15 YEARS OLD
PIANO | 9 YEARS EXPERIENCE
STUDENT OF SHEILA HUANG
♦ 1st Place, 2018, 2022, 2023 Crescendo Competition
♦ 2nd Place, 2019 & 2021 Crescendo Competition
♦ 1st Place, 2021 & 2022 Elite Music Competition

Sophia has studied with Sheila Huang at Melody Institute since age 5. Sheila has the skills, patience, dedication, and personality to be one of those teachers who truly makes a difference to young musicians. She provides motivation backed up by experience in music and works from a central core of kindness while challenging others to do their best. Sheila's creativity, preparation, and attention to detail positively set the stage for learning to occur. She demonstrates the desire to see students succeed through her dedication, self-evaluation, and compassionate nature. We have been impressed with Sheila's instructional instincts and ability to connect with her students. Sheila's ability to form relationships and rapport with students is evident in her teaching and student performances. Her instruction has helped our daughter grow in her abilities and gain the confidence to perform on and off the concert stage. We enthusiastically recommend Melody Institute and Sheila to any music student who wants to develop their music skills.
- Jason Oliver and Cindy Gao

♫ CINDY VENSON
12 YEARS OLD
VIOLIN | 4.5 YEARS EXPERIENCE
STUDENT OF YEN-CHIN JIM LIN

Cindy started taking violin lessons at age 8. She was introduced to the instrument and has never looked back; she has fallen in love with the violin. Most of the credit goes to the music teachers she has studied under. She has had only two teachers in her almost five years of study. However,  the teachers alone could not do it. With the perfect and encouraging environment at Melody, Cindy could reach milestones as a developing violinist. At this point in her musical education, Cindy has tremendous confidence and can independently read and understand music notes. Violin is her instrument - she plays everywhere: at school, church, and birthday parties. We are so grateful for the work done by Melody Institute. All our family will eventually enroll at MIMA!

♫ SOHINI MAITY
12 YEARS OLD
PIANO | 7 YEARS EXPERIENCE
STUDENT OF SHEILA HUANG
♦ 2024 Silver Medal at the Young Maestro International Competition

As the parents of Sohini Maity, we are privileged to witness her flourishing musical journey with Ms. Sheila Huang. Sohini has been under Ms. Sheila's mentorship since March 2017 and, in these seven years, has shown remarkable growth both musically and personally. Her expert guidance has been instrumental in Sohini's transition from group to private lessons, significantly boosting her confidence and skill set. This tailored approach has enabled Sohini to master more complex pieces and broaden her musical range. Under Ms. Sheila's tutelage, Sohini has participated in and triumphed at several prestigious competitions, including winning the Crescendo International Competition and the Elite Music International Competition. This year, she notably secured a Silver Medal at the Young Maestro International Competition in the late intermediate category. Ms. Sheila's patient and supportive teaching style has been crucial in helping Sohini navigate and surmount various musical challenges. We believe other students will also find immense inspiration and delight in their musical education with Ms. Sheila.

♫ JEFFREY RODRIGUEZ
ADULT STUDENT
GUITAR | 5.5 YEARS EXPERIENCE
STUDENT OF ANTHONY SANACORE

I started at Melody Institute in September of 2018. I chose Melody over other places because the staff is friendly, and the instructors are knowledgeable teachers with lots of experience! I have not been disappointed in my decision. My guitar playing and understanding of music have significantly developed in my three years here! I'm definitely staying here and absolutely recommend it to anyone interested in learning an instrument and improving their understanding of music and its theory. My guitar instructor is such a great teacher, musician, and person overall! He brings a structural approach to teaching the instrument that helps you learn it at a faster pace. He is very knowledgeable in all genres of music! Jazz, classical, rock, bluegrass, etc. I love everything about Melody. My only regret is not coming to Melody Institute earlier!

♫ LUKE BARAI
9 YEARS OLD
DRUMS | 1 YEAR EXPERIENCE
STUDENT OF MARTIN JAMES DIMARIA

Hi! I'm Luke Barai. I am nine years old. I started at Melody Institute in the spring of 2023 when I was eight. When I started, I could try out either drums or piano, and I chose to practice drums with Mr. Martin. 
I have Mr. Martin as my teacher. He is a very helpful and good teacher. I like playing and practicing drums with Mr. Martin!

♫ MICHAEL GUILLEN
17 YEARS OLD
VIOLIN & VOICE | 4.5 YEARS EXPERIENCE
STUDENT OF JANINE COLLETTI

When Michael decided to learn violin, we were fortunate to find an excellent school with a positive and beneficial environment. We have seen him develop an understanding, respect, and passion for music. He was able to participate in a few recitals, and we couldn't be prouder. We must credit Melody Institute for providing an environment that encourages him to be the best musician he can be and guaranteeing the professionalism and dedication we expect from his teachers. Violin is not an easy instrument, and voice takes a lot of dedication. Still, we are confident that Michael will soar beyond all our expectations with Melody Institute's and its faculty's guidance.

♫ KATY LECLERCQ
ADULT STUDENT
PIANO | 7 YEARS EXPERIENCE
STUDENT OF ELISE KALLAH

I had always wanted to take piano lessons. When a school opened up near my home, I checked the website and saw lessons offered for people of all ages. I signed up for lessons immediately after my free trial and told everyone I know just how great Melody Institute is! I am always guided through the pieces I am learning and feel like my skills are diligently improving. The staff takes terrific care of me if I have any questions or need to reschedule my lessons when life happens.

I look forward to my weekly lesson!

♫ JONAH, REBECCA, & ZACHARY STORCH
21, 19, & 16 YEARS OLD
PIANO | PRIVATE STUDENTS
STUDENTS OF SHEILA HUANG
♦ Jonah Storch - 2nd Place, Crescendo Competition
♦ Rebecca Storch - Grand Prize, International Music and Arts Society

My children have been learning piano for years; it has been an amazing journey; we are so grateful for all the good recommendations about their curriculum, exams, and auditions that Melody Institute provides. It is remarkable that the school teaches the value of hard work with their instruments. Melody Institute has taught us how important commitment to learning is. Since beginning lessons, my children have had more confidence and pride in themselves and their abilities (e.g., competitions/auditions, school concerts, accepting compliments on their playing skills). After hearing her play, Rebecca mentioned that people had asked her if she would pursue music as a major in college. Seeing the smile on her face because of that was a wonderful feeling! People always ask us where our children go to school for music. We are proud to say Melody Institute every time! Here, we have found a dedicated teacher who surpasses the teachers we have had in the past who did not challenge the children or push them to achieve their greatest potential. We hope to continue with Melody Institute for more years to come.

♫ TIFFANIE DOWLY
6 YEARS OLD
GROUP PIANO | PRIVATE PIANO
STUDENT OF SHEILA HUANG

I highly recommend Melody Institute to everyone! My daughter started learning piano at four years old. She started with group lessons before moving on to private lessons. During lessons, our daughter was engaged and wanted to practice and learn. The staff is so kind and helpful too! During Tiffanie's time in group lessons, I participated with her. I learned a lot, making it easier to help Tiffanie continue learning and practicing at home. I also had lots of fun in the class, learning alongside my daughter and the other parents. To this day, I still remember what I learned in the group lesson with her. The school was accommodating in the transition from group to private lessons. We were immediately advised when Tiffanie was ready to transfer. I was thrilled that Melody took the time to evaluate what would be best for Tiffanie. The group class gave my daughter an excellent foundation for her future music studies!

♫ ABIJAH ARANDA
9 YEARS OLD
PIANO | 6 YEARS EXPERIENCE
STUDENT OF DMITRY NIKOLAEV
♦ 1st Place, Little Mozarts Competition
♦ 3rd Place, Steinway Junior Pianist Competition

We are delighted to send our son to Melody Institute. The school has a great staff and a welcoming environment. No words can express our appreciation as we continue to witness our son's growth and progress each step of the way; he can enjoy playing music with an innate passion we would otherwise not have known he possessed. Thank you to Melody Institute for always bringing out the best in our son and providing him with a positive learning experience at his own pace, which gives him great opportunities to be proud of when he looks back. Special thanks to his piano instructor for all the kindness, patience, diligence, and encouragement that has been shown to our son and for always believing in our son's potential. "Behind every student who believes in themselves is a teacher who believed in them first."

♫ SPATIKA PRASANNA
11 YEARS OLD
PIANO | 3 YEARS EXPERIENCE
STUDENT OF SHEILA HUANG
FATHER: Chaitanya Prasanna, Private Piano Student

My daughter has attended Melody Institute since she was a little younger than 5. Before Melody Institute, we tried another music school. Spatika was utterly put off by the experience we had there. Our experience with Melody Institute is the complete opposite! What is unique about Melody is that the school allows (and encourages) a parent to be with their child during lessons. This is fantastic, as not only do I get to participate in my daughter's learning, but I also get to learn a bit as well. This experience spurred me to take piano lessons, too - something I've always wanted to do but for which I "never found the time." I would strongly recommend Melody Institute to anyone looking to (re-)discover the joy of learning and playing music.

♫ MADELEINE MILLER
17 YEARS OLD
PIANO | 9 YEARS EXPERIENCE
STUDENT OF SHEILA HUANG
♦ 1st Place, Crescendo Competition
♦ Gold Prize, National Young Maestro Competition
♦ Grand Prize, International Music and Arts Society

Madeleine studied at Melody Institute since the first day it opened. At Melody Institute, her instructor always found ways to gently and kindly encourage better technique and longer practice time. We were introduced to new places for Madeleine to perform in and competitions to be a part of all the time. We feel fortunate to have our daughter's piano study continue its progress at Melody Institute!