About
My past students are toddlers to adults. I have decades of experience and education from Berklee College of Music where I graduated with a scholarship and Summa Cum Laude as well as the Bachelor of Music from Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo. I also have a middle school & high school music instruction license in Japan.
Music lessons should be fun. Everyone has different expectations towards music and that's what I try to explore and expand depending on each student's needs and goals so they could enjoy and grow :)
Teaching is such a rewarding job! It makes me happy and proud when my students accomplish something that seems tough to make, when they complete piano books, when they practice every day throughout the week, when they gain confidence, etc.
I enjoy seeing through their potential that even their parents can't see, and grow it together.
It makes me happy when my students post their practice in SNS and tag me :)
https://www.instagram.com/yoshie_nkym/?hl=en
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Latesha
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
First of all, I'll try to build a relationship that my students can rely on me. Then I'd see the student's personalities, their purposes in learning music so I could provide materials that fit them.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
- Diploma from Contemporary Writing and Production major at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA
- Bachelor of Music Degree from Music Education major at Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo, Japan
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
For a beginner student, $40 for 30 min or $50 for 45 min. For an intermediate level student, rate negotiable.
Trial lesson is available for $20 for 30 min.
In-person lessons are going to be available for me to visit when all the schools in California resume in-person classes as long as the travel time will not exceed 30 min. I reside in the city of Los Angeles.
How did you get started teaching?
I started teaching in Boston when my friends were out of town to substitute. Since I moved to Los Angeles, I started to teach my own students individually and in groups. Luckily, many of my students' parents spread the word of mouth and resulted in me to teach more students.
Teaching has always been my passion and personality. I tend to tell anything helpful and useful to the people around me.
What types of students have you worked with?
Mostly beginners to intermediate piano students who are in a range of 3 - 50+ years old.
For in-person lessons, I would combine nursery school types of activities to develop the students' musical foundation and any age is not too early to start taking music lessons.
For online lessons, I'd like to ask for the student to be 5 years old or older in order to have developed the patience to be at the piano for 30 minutes.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
My student for over a year who is 4 years old now, lately practices by himself without the mom telling him to do so. This indicates that he enjoys practicing the piano and me very happy and proud!
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
I would suggest you see the teacher's personality. If you don't get along with the teacher as a person, it's going to be challenging to enjoy the lessons.
Also, it's really important that you know that you can count on the teacher. If the teacher would cancel or re-schedule often, that won't encourage you to practice and show your achievement to the teacher.
Genius performers don't necessarily mean that he/she is a great teacher. You want to find a great learner who would be happy to tell you how to learn step by step with patience.
If you are looking for a teacher for your kid(s), please be ready to work together with the teacher which is the key to success :)
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
I'd suggest you have the purpose of taking the lesson.
You also would want to be ready to commit your time to practice out of your weekly routine to make the most out of the lesson.