Yamaha Music Center

We have 3 kids that attend this school and we are incredibly happy with the level of attention that they receive. I have noticed other reviews that portray the school in a negative light. This is not the case at all. We have been a part of this school for at least 6 years and will continue to support this school because they are in our opinion The Best! Thank you Kimiko and staff for all you do!
The Tordera’s

I was looking up YMC online for the calendar and Unilocal site came up second on the list. I was amused by the rating so I read all the reviews and felt compelled to write my own. I sent my 2 kids (now 15 and 11) to YMC for over 6 years.
First of all, the parents must expect to be part of the system in order for it to work, at least for several years. If the plan is to drop a 4-​year-​old kid off once a week and expect the kid to come home practice, unleash his/​her undying love for music, while cannot wait to boast to your friends and family that your child is a musician, you are kidding yourself.
The group lesson is a little over $ 100 for about 4 lessons a month, I doubt a private tutor goes for less than that, or an hour a week is close to sufficient… For us, group lessons for the kids at the beginning worked out well. You and your child get to find out if you are up for more serious commitment later. The class setting gives kids a chance to learn with their peers. You know if your child is ahead/​behind and you work with your child. YOU get to learn the same time as your children, so you can reinforce what’s taught, at least at the beginning. Consider you are paying for 1 and get 1 free. The start is going to be slow. Learning music is not easy. If I pay for private lesson instead I would most likely not be invited to listen in and unable to assist with the child’s progress. Yamaha trains through what they consider the correct way, where kids tend to like to play by ears, they learn to read the music scores, study music theory (yikes to some), and it is not necessarily easy or fun for most.
Looking back, if you wonder if it’s too early to put the kid in piano at age 4 or 5, my daughter is able to achieve more than my son at her age, despite they are 4 years apart. Even though my son is playing more difficult pieces, as he’s older, with more strength and longer hand reach, she progressed faster and completed the same level tests as him. Now that my son is in high school, his school work load and his other interests make it much harder to commit to playing piano. If you are to push your child to play an instrument, 4 – 14 is likely the period they can be pushed as they have the free time to do so, AND before the teenager weirdness kicks in. So while a child could barely play a simple Christmas song after a year in group lesson, ability to play fluently at intermediate level (like learning to speak) comes after the second year for mine.
Practice at home is so important. I sat with my kids at least a couple times a week for years, plus they were expected to practice on their own for 2 times. I stopped sitting down with them last year, for at some point in time kids should learn to ‘take care of their own chores/​practices’ especially they have all the tools to succeed on their own without their parents.
Our teacher, Ms. Ana, is very nice, talented and works very hard. She has a lot on her plate, so it comes down to us the parents to help the kids with organizing — because guess what — my kids have poor organization skills, and it’s nobody but the parents’ job to teach and preach, even if it frustrates me to no end why they are so difficult to teach :) Over the years, under Ms. Ana, my kids had played many difficult pieces and composed several, and even though they did not earn them first prizes, and the push at home was tiresome, it’s a proud accomplishment and memory for us looking back — and I have plenty of concert videos to look back to.
Last week we went to a relative’s home for Thanksgiving lunch; they had a piano and my kids went and played without being told. That, to me, is the true accomplishment — they love playing music, and one true gift a parent can give to a child, a skill to play a music instrument that lasts a lifetime.
For those who find their teachers with accent they cannot understand, I could only suggest you speak with the front desk and ask for a different time slot for another teacher; speak with them in person before committing perhaps.
For the director, we don’t interact with her much, but she has always been courteous to us. To put things in perspective, she does not play a part in the child’s learning experience, I would not rate the school poorly because of a poor interacting experience between the adults, but that’s just me.
In summary, playing music, like sports, is not for everyone; it’s totally understandable, and most kids are not born self-​motivated geniuses. I want my kids to learn how to play piano good, and the Yamaha system works for my kids, Ms. Ana is patient and kind, and I’m sure my kids’ classmates and their parents will agree to that. The group lesson supposedly ended after the 6^th year; the kids actually love the class so much they wish to continue, and Ms. Ana is providing them new ensemble pieces to play. That is where my 5 star is based on, from 6 years of experience with the school.

I send my children here for their musical education and am beyond satisfied with the results that I am seeing. The same lady, Miss Elisa Tseng, teaches my oldest child privately and my youngest child in a group setting. I adore this teacher. I can’t sing her praises enough. Miss Elisa is kind, patient, and very knowledgeable. My children are flourishing under her instruction. I believe in yamaha’s teaching system. I see the results. I would never consider going elsewhere. I also find Paul at the front desk to be very efficient and nice. Send your kids here. You won’t regret it.

Pulling my son out of music lessons. 5 months and he barely knows anything. The class structure is difficult because it has too many students and parents in one room. Gets messy a lot of times. Teacher is very nice however hasn’t dealt with younger kids for s long time. Like all the other reviews. The director/​owner is horrible to deal with and only cares about payments being made on time. She needs to read some of these reviews and understand why people are leaving. Also way over priced for what the outcome is. Several other schools closer and better.

I totally agree with the other reviewers. I like the teachers there.(Some teachers have strict manners toward children.) The dirctor (owner) is VERY rude and manipulative. You really DO not want to deal with her. The course content is interesting to little children, yet the setting of the class is very hard for the little ones to work as a group. (Obviously under 5 yrs old’s attention span is not last One hour.) You (parents) are the one making sure your child follow the class. Parents must seat through the whole class with you child, but it’s not like a fun type of «parents & me» class. You’ll be there to WATCH and PUSH them.
If your child is over 5 yrs old, I highly recommend you consider a private lesson. The group class setting is just not worth the money.

Completely dis-​satisfied with the course content, teaching method and pace of the class. They very in-​flexible and rude in behavior.

My daughter has been going here for almost 8 months now learning piano. Their pace is perfect for her and the teachers work well with the kids to keep them engaged. I would definitely recommend them. The price is less than $ 90/​mo for 1 hour per week, group classes. Affordable and if you miss a class they mail you the homework, I like that attention to detail.

Yamaha Music Center is a venue that hosts events and also hosts private, group, and public music lessons. I attend Yamaha for weekly piano lessons.
The venue itself is rather old and not as up-​to-​date as it could be; Yamaha is in the Woodbridge area of Irvine, which is the oldest community in the city, therefore everything is built in more of a traditional fashion.
The venue is suitable for family-​friendly occasions and small, casual, get-​togethers. There is one somewhat large stage in the main hall which is conveniently stocked with one grand piano and a few miscellaneous organs. The audience itself can hold no more than 50 – 60 people, and even at the max it becomes stuffy and overcrowded.
There is an adjacent room suitable for refreshments, however it lacks visual appeal and taste in decoration.
I have studied under two piano teachers at Yamaha under the last 3 years. Both of them have done their job, albeit not to any extremes. My first teacher, whom I studied under for almost one and a half year, moved back to Asia without giving me any previous notice. She, although a decent teacher, did not communicate efficiently with me and hardly ever motivated me to practice my lessons.
My second teacher is much more upbeat, friendly, warm, and inviting. She is engaging and encourages me to put my own creative spin on the songs I play. I appreciate this. Although she is definitely a more competent teacher in comparison to the first, I feel that she allows me to slack off and also does not provide as much motivation as she is capable of.
I would recommend Yamaha for casual private lessons or very casual get-​togethers. It is neither high-​profile nor highy-​regarded, however, in short notice, it is a pretty good option.