Fontana Piano Studio

My son has been taking lessons with Nick for a few years. He came from a different instructor and Nick diligently worked with him to fix some bad habits ingrained from previous instruction. My son has been able to reach his goals of advancing in the OMTA syllabus certification exams and is working on preparing for his level 10 exam this year. We love and appreciate Nick’s dedication, care and deep knowledge of music which shines through in every class. I just wish we had found Nick earlier in my son’s piano journey.

Nick is great! He has taught both my daughter and son for years. He started teaching my daughter when she was about 10 and taught her for about five years and my son when he was 8 and is still his instructor four years later. Nick is a wonderful pianist who is passionate about music and loves sharing his love of music with his students! He is great at teaching both technique and theory and adjusts his teaching to meet the needs and goals of his students. He changes things up to keep lessons interesting and seeks to foster ownership of the learning experience by having students help pick the pieces they are working on. He also strives to make the learning experience a fun one (ask about his Halloween recitals) and is very kind and patient with his students while not hesitating to give students a gentle push when they need it. We couldn’t be happier with him as an instructor.

Teacher Nick is a wonderful piano teacher who cares about each one of his students beyond piano playing. Music is more than just learning to play the keys on the piano but more importantly how the principles of discipline and perseverance plays into our daily lives. Both my boys have learned under teacher Nick and he really tries to find ways to make piano fun. He tailors the lessons to match what each individual student needs to improve. I just wanted my boys to enjoy music and teacher Nick has been able to do that for them. I know he has students who are serious piano players and for them it's a different goal. I highly recommend teacher Nick for all levels of piano players, serious and the not as serious. =)

Nick has been a colleague for a number of years, and I have been consistently impressed with the quality of his work with his students. His students play beautifully. There is a holistic quality to his teaching - piano lessons are a vehicle for exploring self-expression and self-confidence, and that work amplifies the quality and depth of his students' performances. He is patient and encouraging, knowing when to "teach" something and when to guide the students to personal discovery. Nick also possesses a wealth of knowledge about anatomy and physiology and how it applies to playing in a healthy manner.

Nick is such an excellent teacher, especially with kids. He always stays patient and encouraging, and somehow he knows how much they need or can be pushed. He is creative in finding fun solutions that make even difficult concepts more accessible. His professional level ability at the piano seeps into the lessons, and it is clear that he has the technical, theoretical, and musical skills to optimally prepare his students for every level of examination. I've seen him prepare a student to pass level 10 syllabus with distinction as well as college exams. He really cares so much. He has called me many times to talk about how things are going in the lessons. Depending on what needs to be addressed, conversations have ranged from just a few minutes to over an hour.

He is at home in various styles from jazz and pop to classical music and always seems to find the right pieces. It is heartwarming to watch him share his passion for music and for connecting with others breathe life into the lessons. I can't recommend him enough.