Amy P. says, "We have enjoyed our three years with Elizabeth Gutierrez. Three of my children (ages 6-13) have taken from her, from beginning piano to intermediate piano levels. Elizabeth quickly took to the task of teaching my children correct form and technique, as they had some things to “unlearn” from my previous instruction (I had attempted to teach them piano before we found Elizabeth.) I knew we’d found someone that knew what she was doing when I saw how my children were learning to properly place their fingers, wrists, arms. I watched them correct their back posture and saw the ways they struck and stroked the keys. That was the only beginning! She identified their theory knowledge and adjusted her teaching to their different levels, bringing them up to speed on key signatures, scales and cadences, the order of sharps and flats, and knowledge of dynamics and musical expression.
Elizabeth is detail oriented and extremely thorough when it comes to teaching a musical piece. She ensures that my children play their pieces the way the composer intended. When my kids feel ready to pass off a song as “completely learned” she doesn’t let them settle for mediocrity. She expects them to play to the best of their ability. She requires hard work and doesn’t tolerate laziness.
Elizabeth is very respectful and pleasant to work with. She set up tuition so it was convenient to pay, and followed copyright laws when providing and purchasing music for my children’s use. Her personality is warm and professional. She always encouraged my children but understood that intimidation isn’t the way to inspire. She understood that family time sometimes prevents my children from practicing as much as they wanted to, and recognized that music isn’t the only focus of their lives. However, my children felt very motivated to please her and show her the progress they would make from lesson to lesson. They improved and progressed substantially under her training.
Because Elizabeth is so well networked, she always knew of great opportunities in the community for my children to prepare for. She tailored their performing and participation experience according to their talents. She is exceptional at preparing students for performing at events such as festivals, competitions, and recitals, and discourages procrastination. When we go to these events, I have noticed that my children (and other children in her studio) seem more prepared than the students taught by other teachers. There were times when we couldn’t participate, and even when we had to pass up opportunities that would benefit our children, she didn’t question our boundaries or unduly pressure us.
We recently moved too far away from Elizabeth for it to be feasible to continue taking from her. In my new area, every teacher that I talk to speaks highly and respectfully about her. She has certainly made a positive impact on the community and on my family. I would recommend her as an excellent teacher to anyone who is seriously considering classical piano training.
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