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Piano Lessons
Los Angeles
We are a private piano studio in Brentwood. We teach children and adults, all levels, all styles of music. Classes are offered at our studio or in your home. We are patient and believe in making the music learning experience enjoyable and yet enriching at the same time. Our main goal is to foster love of music in all of our students. Besides laying down a solid music foundation by teaching performance, theory, ear training and technique, we also encourage our students to play music they love to play - classical, film, broadway or pop/rock. This makes them practice and brings more excitement to their lessons. You can play anything from Bach through Mozart to Lady Gaga or Coldplay. We always maintain a positive learning atmosphere where every student feels special, cared for and successful. You'll often see us cracking a joke... and just having fun at the piano... :)We are a husband-and-wife international performing artists, originally from Bulgaria. Having lived in three countries (Germany, Bulgaria, U.S.), our methods of teaching combine the best of the European and the American school of piano. We are graduates from USC and members of the Music Teacher's Association of CA. We have been successfuly in business since 2002 and our students have won 1st prizes at music competitions in CA. Teaching has been a part of our daily lives and without a doubt, it is the most rewarding experience of all. There is no better feeling than seeing our own students blossom and grow before our very eyes. Click on Video and Teachers tabs to enjoy our students' performances at recitals over the years and also watch a video of us performing in Asia, Europe and the U.S. Come see us - we'll give you one lesson free! No obligation. It will be fun! :)
We are a private piano studio in Brentwood. We teach children and adults, all levels, all styles of music. Classes are offered at our studio or in your home. We are patient and believe in making the music learning experience enjoyable and yet enriching at the same time. Our main goal is to foster love of music in all of our students.
Besides laying down a solid music foundation by teaching performance, theory, ear training and technique, we also encourage our students to play music they love to play - classical, film, broadway or pop/rock. This makes them practice and brings more excitement to their lessons. You can play anything from Bach through Mozart to Lady Gaga or Coldplay. We always maintain a positive learning atmosphere where every student feels special, cared for and successful. You'll often see us cracking a joke... and just having fun at the piano... :)
We are a husband-and-wife international performing artists, originally from Bulgaria. Having lived in three countries (Germany, Bulgaria, U.S.), our methods of teaching combine the best of the European and the American school of piano. We are graduates from USC and members of the Music Teacher's Association of CA. We have been successfuly in business since 2002 and our students have won 1st prizes at music competitions in CA. Teaching has been a part of our daily lives and without a doubt, it is the most rewarding experience of all. There is no better feeling than seeing our own students blossom and grow before our very eyes. Click on Video and Teachers tabs to enjoy our students' performances at recitals over the years and also watch a video of us performing in Asia, Europe and the U.S.
Come see us - we'll give you one lesson free! No obligation. It will be fun! :)
Free classes
Studio
Policy
FAQ
Our studio is located on Barrington and Wilshire Blvd in Brentwood (westside L.A.). We offer in-studio as well as in-home individual lessons in Westwood, Santa Monica, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and West L.A. Our students perform at two recitals per year (usually USC or a Westwood church). Besides performing in front of an audience, they are asked to introduce themselves and say a few words about their songs. This way they not only get to perform on stage but also learn how to speak and connect with a live audience.
Studio lessons: since we are a husband-and-wife piano teachers, we teach in two different rooms at the same time. Siblings are offered the opportunity to take lessons simultaneously vs. taking lessons one after another. In addition to saving time, you can save money with our Family Discount for sibling students. Our rates are competative with the good music schools in the area and you can also choose between male and female teacher. Another way to save money is to come to our studio vs. one of us coming to your place - lessons at student's homes cost a bit more than in-studio lessons. Also, once you have become a part of our studio, we offer Referral Discount to our existing students. Don't forget to check out our video (click on video tab) to meet our students and watch them perform. You can also click on the Teachers tab and see a compilation video of us performing in the U.S., Europe and Asia.
Our key strenghts:
1. Commitment to private lessons is for the entire month. Tuition is to be paid in full whether or not all classes are attended. Makeup classes may be scheduled if classes were missed. Read details below.
2. Payment for the month is due by the 1st of the month so please bring your payment on the last lesson of each month. Payments received after the 3rd of the month are subject to a $15.00 late fee.
3. Paid lessons can be made up by the students only if at least 24-hour notice is given prior to the scheduled lesson. The student is permitted to make-up the lesson within three weeks of cancelled lesson date. The scheduling of make-up lessons is the student’s responsibility to instigate. Payment from a student cancellation cannot be applied to the next month's regularly scheduled lesson time.
4. "No-Shows" or lessons cancelled (by the student) within 24 hours of the lesson time cannot be made up. This includes cancellations due to illness..
5. If a cancellation by your instructor occurs, payment can be carried into the next calendar month, or if you prefer, a make-up lesson can be scheduled.
6. Students will be required to purchase their own music books or reimburse the instructor upon purchase.
7. Students are strongly encouraged to participate at student recitals (usually once or twice a year). Recitals are usually held at the University of Southern California or a local church. Participation fee is usually $35 per student/performer. No tickets will be necessary.
8. State certification tests may be taken if a diploma is desired (Certificate of Merit). Tests are taken in February/March every year, usually at Cal State LA. Registration deadline is September/October. Certificates are given upon completion of the test by the Music Teacher's Association of California.
Piano lessons are a unique experience: it is not only a music lesson, but also a learning experience that coordinates one's mind, hands, fingers and spirit. It requires endurance and patience, and it is the basis of education.
What is the Mozart Effect (and the M.I.N.D. program) everyone is talking about?
The Mozart Effect is a concept believed to increase the brain development that occurs in children when they are exposed to classical music, especially the music of W. A. Mozart. In 1997, physicists from the University of California announced that they had scientific proof that piano and singing instruction are superior to computer instruction in enhancing children's abstract reasoning skills. In addition, it was found that the math scores of students went up after they listened to Mozart's music.The Music Intelligence Neural Development Institute (M.I.N.D.) was created to further research and prove the wondrous effects of music.
When should I start my child his/her piano lessons?
The average age is about four-five years old. But the age can be younger depending on the interest of the child. At this age, a child usually has attention span long enough to sit for 15-20 minutes where simple rhythmic and melodic patterns can be taught. Depending on the teacher, various methods may be used to expose the child to a positive attitude towards their first piano lessons.
How long should my child practice?
There is no set time for practicing, however, it is important that a child spends quality time with his/her piano rather than quantity. It is also very important to have concentrated and focused practice session on a daily basis.
How do I know if my child has talent?
Talent or gift is something that a child is born with. You probably heard this phrase said many times, "oh, that child is so talented", this simply means that the child is very natural at what he/she is doing. Playing the piano maybe very natural and easy to that child. He/she may learn a piece of music in few days rather than few weeks, memorizing a piece of music is easy and not a struggle. Performing in front of the public is fun and exciting. And most of all, the child wants to play the piano and simply enjoys making music.
My child performs better at home than in his/her lessons, why?
Children are most comfortable at home than anywhere else. When a child goes to his/her piano lessons, he/she will feel the tension and the anxiety to play their best to their teachers. It is important that the teacher allows child to feel at home. In our lessons, we spend first few minutes talking and listening to the child's weekly events so that the child can settle into lessons more easily.
When is my child ready for competition or contest?
A competition means that your child is being judged on how he/she is performing by other teachers and musicians. A competition may not necessarily be a positive experience for all children, however, it is necessary in order to award the best in the field and in that particular age category.
Usually, when a child is ready to enter competition, he/she will enjoy playing for people and feels very confident. This is the best sign that the child is ready to go out and be judged by other musicians and not just by the child's piano teacher.
My child practices too fast, what can I do to help?
Most frequent reason why a child practices fast is to get it over with the practicing. And most of the time, students like to play fast. It's very showy and exciting. One way to avoid this fast playing is to use a metronome. A child usually finds this interesting. Another way is to practice clapping the rhythm singing the melody and practicing each hand separately on a slower pace.
My child is not reading the notes, but rather plays by ear. How can I help him/her?
In the beginning, it is easier to play by ear than to actually read the notes on the page. Depending on the piano teacher and how early the child begins his/her lessons, rote-learning maybe used. A rote learning simply means that the child will imitate what the teacher is playing. Once the rote learning is enforced, a transition from rote to reading notes must be done in a very careful way. Many of the times, a child will memorize the notes quickly so that he/she doesn't have to look up at the book. If this happens too often, a child's ability to read notes will improve very slowly. In order to avoid this kind of situation, the child must practice reading notes before playing the new piece. Learn the patterns of moving notes and use flashcards to practice note reading. And writing notes of the pace they are playing will certainly help.
My child has stage fright and refuses to play in front of people other than his/her family, why?
It's very natural to be nervous in front of the public. Children's feeling become very sensitive and excited when they have to go up on the stage and perform. They feel as if the whole world is watching them. This is the reason why the teacher must prepare the child with confidence and build a self-respect for his/her musical ability. Throughout the year, the teacher builds self confidence into the child and allows him/her to express their feelings verbally as well as musically.
My child has difficult time memorizing his/her music, how can I help?
Memorization means retaining information in one's mind. How do you memorize music? By playing the music over and over again? This type of memorization is called finger memory and it will work for beginners. However, as the child progresses and plays more demanding pieces, finger memory is unreliable. The child must memorize by studying the piece's structure, form, harmonic and melodic aspects of music. If these theoretical works are studied very carefully, the child should be able to retain many pieces of music in his/her memory.
Two years ago, my wife and I started our oldest daughter, then five years old, in piano lessons. Both of us being musically oriented, we feel that music instruction is just as important as enrolling her in soccer, gymnastics or ballet. But, when practice begins and the sound of scales badly played reverberates through the house, I began to wonder what are the benefits children receive from piano lessons?
Actually, there are many beneficial attributes children acquire from learning to tickle the ivory; the following are five of the most prevalent:
1. Piano Lessons Help Children in School. The most talked about benefit children receive from piano lessons is that it also helps with their school lessons. Numerous studies available show children who play an instrument, score higher on both standard and spatial cognitive development tests alike. There are also findings that show kids who play piano, in particular, scored higher in math, especially on problems dealing with ratios and fractions.
In one particular study conducted by Dr. Frances Rauscher (apsychologist at the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh) and Gordon Shaw(a physicist at of the University of California at Irvine)tested preschoolers who received piano instruction. They found that preschoolers who received piano lessons scored 34% higher than their non-musical counterparts in tests measuring spatial-temporal reasoning,which is the brain function used to understand math, science and engineering.
2. Piano Lessons Raise Self Esteem. Learning to play the piano is hard work and takes dedication. Not only does each song mastered increase a child's self-esteem, but showcasing their newly learned talents at piano recitals can boost their self esteem as much as winning a game in a sports competition.
Lessons also help kids to learn how to keep a positive outlook when facing difficult tasks. The understanding that mastering a new skill is a process that requires patience helps children to approach tasks with confidence, and not become discouraged or frustrated.
3. Piano Lessons Increase Coordination. Increased eye-hand coordination is almost a given for children that learn to play the piano, but there is more than that. Kids who play the piano have improved fine motor skills and, unlike other instruments,the piano requires both hands to work independently of each other, one moving fast while the other may be moving at a slower rate. All of these things help to increase a child's overall dexterity and complex thought processes.
4. Piano Lessons Help Children to Concentrate Reading a piece of music takes a great deal of focus, causing a child to interpret a note and a rhythm, translate it into hand movements on the keyboard and then immediately go on to the next one. Reading and playing music allows them to think both critically and creatively, which is a skill that will assist them in anything they choose to undertake in the future.
5. Piano Lessons Help Children to be Well-Rounded. Regardless of whether a child plays the piano for a short time or for a lifetime, the long-term affects of their piano pursuance are many. Through playing the piano, children are exposed to classical music that they may otherwise have never heard. Kids may develop an appreciation for composers like Bach or Mozart that stay with them for life. In addition, the skills and knowledge they learn in piano may help them easily pick up another musical instrument later.
So, as I sit and listen to my little one, pounding painfully away on the black and whites, all I have to do is remember that as she continues to practice, she'll be creating a great deal more than a few simple melodies, which is truly music to my ears.
In addition to our free trial lesson, we volunteer to offer free piano appreciation classes to children once a month. Lessons take place in our studio in Brentwood (West Los Angeles).
Contact us to schedule a free 20-min piano lesson for your child - group or individual. Based on availability on a first-call, first-serve basis. Space is limited, however, we will do our best to accomodate you.
We reserve the right to terminate the free piano appreciation program at any time. We do it with love and would like to keep it going as long as our time and schedule allow it.
Ilia Tosheff and Velly Tosheff
TosheffPianoDuo.com
RESUME
EDUCATION
University of Southern California (USC) - Los Angeles, CA
Hannover University of Music and Drama - Hannover, Germany/Monaco, France
National Academy of Music - Sofia, Bulgaria
HONORS and AWARDS
THE GRAND PRIZE - Tokyo (Japan) 1998 International Piano Duo Competition
THE GRAND PRIZE - Dobrich (Bulgaria) 1997 The Coast of Hope Int'l Contest
FIRST PRIZE - Rome (Italy) 1998 Valentino Bucchi Two Piano Int'l Competition
FIRST PRIZE - Rome (Italy) 1999 International Music Tournament (TIM)
FIRST PRIZE - Sofia (Bulgaria) 1997 Music and Earth International Competition
WINNERS - Zaragoza (Spain) 1999 International Music Tournament
WINNERS - Michigan (USA) 2003 International Web Concert Hall Contest
WINNERS - Miami (USA) 2003 Best performers of newly commissioned work WINNERS - Los Angeles (USA) 2004 USC concerto competition
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR - 1998 Sofia (Bulgaria) Most Successful Debut "PREMIO "G. Zinetti" - Award for Excellence Verona (Italy) 2002 Zinetti Festival
PREMIO "V. Bellini" - Caltanissetta (Italy) 1999 International Music Contest
AWARD for the Most Promising Performers Groningen (Holland) 1998 Peter the Great Festival
AWARD - for High Artistic & Performers Achievement 1998 Sofia (Bulgaria)
National Academy of Music
LAUREATES - Biel (Switzerland) 1998 Competition for Contemporary Music
NOMINATION - for Crowning Achievement in Musical Art 1999 "Crystal Lyre Awards" Bulgaria
PERFORMANCES and TOURING
Japan, Korea, China, Germany, The Netherlands, Malta, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, Switzerland and the United States, including recitals in prestigious venues such as the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and the Cultural Center in Chicago. Highly acclaimed European, Asian and U.S. orchestral appearances with the Klassische Philharmonie Bonn (Germany), the Brauschweiger Staatsorchestra (Germany), the State Academic Symphony Orchestra (Bulgaria), the Thornton Symphony Orchestra (Los Angeles), Vallejo Symphony Orchestra (San Francisco) and the Qingdao Symphony Orchestra (China).
RADIO, TV BROADCASTS, RECORDINGS and PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
Radio DRS 2 Switzerland, Radio France International, Radio WFMT Chicago, the German NDR Radio 3 Klassik, KUSC and KMZT Los Angeles, and the Italian-, the Bulgarian-, and the Chinese National Television. Numerous recordings worldwide, including music by the famous film composer, Marco Beltrami (Terminator 3) at Warner Bros. in Los Angeles. Membership: International Piano Duo Association in Tokyo, Music Teachers Association California.
TEACHING and PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Institute of Music, Art and Science, Bellflower (Los Angeles area), CA piano faculty
Private piano studio (all ages, all levels) piano teachers and owners, Los Angeles
San Francisco Conservatory - taught piano master-classes at the high-school level
San Jose State University - taught piano master-classes at the college level
Southwestern Youth Music Festival competition - member of jury (Los Angeles) Freelance music producer, arranger and writer
Tujunga United Methodist Church, Tujunga (Los Angeles area), pianist/organist
Westwood Hills Congrigational Church, Los Angeles, pianist/organist
University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, piano accompanist
American Academy for Dance and Kindred Art - Santa Monica, piano accompanist
Pacific Christian on the Hill High School Los Angeles, choir accompanist
First Baptist Church of South Miami, Miami, FL - choir accompanist
Worldwide performances and concert touring as the Tosheff Piano Duo
TOSHEFF STUDENTS' ACHIEVEMENTS
ACCOLADES
"A virtuoso piano concert...masterful technique and interpretation"
Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung (Germany)
"It was a truly dazzling performance in which the generosity, technical brilliance and musical understanding of the two pianists left a lasting impression on the audience"
Sunday Times (Malta)
"The pair from Bulgaria delighted and fascinated the audience!"
International Piano Duo Association Bulletin (Japan)
"A Bulgarian duo with charm and virtuosity...very filigree and pearl-like sound in a perfect and flowing teamwork...full of temperament and sweeping verve"
Volkstimme (Germany)
"Tosheff & Stoyanova - two very professional musicians"
Nieuwsbald Van Het Noorde (Holland)
For more information visit: http://tosheffpianoduo.com/
email:
pianoduo (at) yahoo.com
or call 310.207.2943
Come see us, first lesson is free.
Standard rates from $200/month.
Special rates for summer 2010* :)
*new students only
Special rates summer 2010 :)
with award winning-pianists
Velly and Ilia Tosheff
of the Tosheff Piano Duo .com
Performed in Europe, Asia & the U.S.
© 2010 Tosheff Piano Studio at Barrington and Wilshire, Los Angeles, CA 90049 Piano Lessons Los Angeles
