88 Keys Music Academy - Arcadia — Local services in Arcadia

Having been to multiple local conservatories/academies and graduated from a university's music program, I've been under the tutelage of various instructors and my 6 years under Carrie's direction has been one of the most profound experiences in my music career.

As a person that had absolutely no music experience until the age of 12, where compared to others that started at age 5, I was at a complete loss and needed specific and strict guidelines to catch up to others in my age group. Carrie had been only one of two instructors in my life that made me feel prepared and made sure that pieces were chosen in time to prep for the MTAC piano exam and to have a piece chosen suitably for a specific category for competitions whereas my many other instructors would tell me to "do what you feel is best" or "pick a piece that you liked" and just made me feel as if they either don't want to bother with researching pieces that are suited to my capabilities and something that can push my boundaries as the next step up in musicianship or they are just performers that lack the drive to inspire the next generation of musicians to reach their potential and beyond.

As a longtime student of Carrie's, I am very grateful that she has taught me the strict basics and fundamentals before allowing me to be free to explore other pieces of music to my liking. As a graduate of Carrie's piano studio, I am greatly thankful for the opportunities to take part in annual studio recitals and just feeling like there was a greater purpose to improve on my pieces.

I highly recommend for anyone to start their music journey here. If you are dedicated to adding piano as a life skill and gaining confidence as an individual through various performance and competition opportunities, you will definitely get devoted, knowledgeable, and inspirational...

After deciding to rededicate myself to learning the piano after a 15 year hiatus, I was determined to find a piano instructor who could help me reach my goals. Annie over at 88 Keys Music Academy has been my piano teacher for 8 months or so, and in that short time I've learned and progressed way more that I thought was possible. She has a great teaching style, with the perfect mix of seriousness, fun & (LOTS of) patience. She pushes me to always try harder while also being understanding of a few time/schedule constraints I have. The lessons are very efficient, and I always leave wanting to rush home and incorporate what I've learned. The quality I like best about Annie, however, is that she continuously stresses to me the importance of the "musicality" of my playing. This gives me the belief that, even though I am a beginner, I don't have to settle for simply "hitting the right notes", but am capable of playing in a manner which makes the listener "feel" something. That's a great feeling! The facilities and studios at 88 keys are brand new and look great! I'm confident that my piano playin' goals will...

This is a nice hole in the wall place. Easy to miss. It's next to the AMF bowling alley. Good parking in the back lot, or if you need to make a quick drop you can use Baldwin Ave.

I wanted to talk about the teacher Vivian Lee. She's a great teacher and tries really hard to accommodate schedules. She's also very talented in the violin, but more importantly teaches well. She works hard with kids, understanding their needs and helping their blind spots. She cares about them learning but is gentle as well, like giving kids stickers when they accomplish something. Encouraging and praise goes a long way for kids, and she does that often. Being a teacher is not an easy task. It's not just about sight reading, practicing scales and learning music theory, but also being able to communicate well with kids, having them feel safe and comfortable and caring for them. She does a great job at both, being skilled at music but also being personal, friendly and desiring kids to succeed in a manner that puts the kids wellbeing foremost before hers. She's a...