Pianist Candice Choi is excited to bring her exceptionally unique East Coast musical training back to her hometown, San Francisco. Her imaginative and festive performance of Richard Danielpour’s Enchanted Garden crowned her the winner of New Jersey Music Teacher’s Association (NJTMA) Young Musicians Competition and her fervent interpretation of Saint Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 awarded her the honorable 2009 Concerto Competition winner at University of the Pacific.
I have been teaching beginning and intermediate level students, children and adults, for 35+ years. I incorporate theory and ear-training, and ensemble work in the lessons. Students are encouraged to share their accomplishments through workshops and performances. Playing music as a soloist and as a chamber musician has greatly enriched my life, and I try to give these opportunities to each student.
Katrin Arefy is the artistic director and head teacher at the Golden Key Piano School in Berkeley, California. She received her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the Gnessin School of Music in Moscow. Katrin also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts in Painting from Azad University in Tehran.
Bios of our teachers www.stepupmusicvallejo.com
I am a Marin County native currently residing in Santa Rosa. A 2002 semi-finalist of the Pacific Piano Competition for California Community College Pianists and a recipient of the Carolyn D. Witt Memorial Music Department Scholarship, I transferred to Sonoma State University where I studied general music and gave a senior piano recital in 2006.
Full bio and statement available at Community School of Music and Arts (www.arts4all.org). I have taught piano, accompanying, chamber music, theory, history, and been active as recitalist, chamber musician and conductor for 45 years. I supervised the development of all curriculum at CSMA from 1985-2010. I teach beginning through professional levels, using ABRSM syllabus as an excellent guide to standards and milestones.
Acclaimed by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung as "a commanding solo player, the most
supportive of accompanists, and a leader in chamber music," pianist Jeffrey Sykes has
performed across four continents and collaborates regularly with leading instrumentalists
and singers. Last fall he gave a recital on Chicago’s prestigious Dame Myra Hess concert
series, and he recently returned from a tour of France that culminated in performances of
French solo and chamber music at the Musée des Impressionismes in Giverny, home of
Claude Monet.
My goals as a teacher are twofold: to instill and support a love of making music in each student, and to successfully teach every student while honoring each individual's learning style. My many years as a journeyman singer, a piano player, a choir director and as a parent uniquely qualify me to teach. I teach beginning pianists of any age over 5 years, and singers at any level from the age of 10. My teaching style is warm and unintimidating but my standards are high and I am very serious about what I do.