Testimonials

Ms. Udovenko has undoubtedly been the best piano teacher that I have had, in my past 12 years of piano lessons. I am very fortunate to study with her. Ms. Udovenko is exceptional as a piano teacher, for her vast knowledge on the russian classical piano technique and for her expertise at instructing these techniques to her students. With her instruction, I was able to transform from a failed Grade 10 RCM student to a competitor in post-secondary institution piano performance undergraduate admission auditions.

From a father’s viewpoint, Mariya is a total professional and a top notch performer. Both my son and daughter have been with her for 7 years. My son just successfully completed level 10 piano, my daughter is still practicing for her ARCT, Mariya has been a great teacher, lenient yet firm when needed to ensure her students (my kids) progress to the best of their ability.

An extraordinarily talented and accomplished musician and teacher, Mariya’s exuberant and positive personality makes lessons with her a privilege. She is one of the few teachers with the intellectual scope to handle the full range of students, from the young beginner to the ARCT candidate and professional stage performer.
As an adult student with little previous training, I was amazed by how much progress I made on pieces that most teachers would never have even allowed me to attempt. I recommend her enthusiastically.

Michael E. Pezim MD, FRCSC, DABS, DABCRS, FACS.

Mariya has the very unique combination of being exceedingly pleasant, incredibly skilled as a musician while also displaying a great talent as a teacher. There are many teachers who are able to describe the mechanics of playing piano, however, Mariya adds an amazing ability to demonstrate and then effectively transmit to the student the musicality, or what makes a piece of music sound beautiful.

Mariya has been able to guide me, my wife, and children through an amazing spectrum of music over the past few years and has always been able to find that point where our personal preferences are stimulated and we are challenged appropriately from a technical perspective.

Under Mariya’s guidance, I have played pieces that I thought were far beyond my abilities and have begun to recognize how to start to play them more musically in a way that emphasizes the melodic beauty that must have motivated the composer.

Mariya has an immense personal talent and appreciation of the beauty of the piano and she couples this with a very effective teaching style.

I have been very fortunate to have Mariya as a piano teacher of my three children since 2000. She has helped them to achieve a competent level of piano due to her patience and ability to work with young and older learners alike.

I studied with Mariya for 4 years during which my skills as a pianist and interpreter increased dramatically. During every lesson Mariya brings challenge, inspiration, a sense of tradition and pride, and consistently clear logical advice concerning technique and musicality. My time spent under her excellent guidance gained me admission into my top choice university, where I am now in my 3rd year of piano performance studies. Mariya’s lessons still often come to mind and continue to aid my progress. I highly recommend Mariya for anyone who is serious about learning the art of classical piano.

I started piano lessons with Mariya when I was 40 years old. Over the past three years Mariya has helped me to transform the knowledge of basic playing and theory I acquired as a child into a real understanding of how notes written on a page are made into music.

I surprise myself on a regular basis with the giant leaps I am making in my technical and sight reading skills during my study with Mariya. I am accomplishing this improvement through immersion in challenging and complex pieces that are well beyond what I thought I could ever play. I love romantic and early 20th century classical piano, and with Mariya’s guidance I am learning to interpret music from Rachmaninov, Ravel, Liszt, Granados and many others.

Mariya is an extraordinary musician and a patient teacher. I believe my investment in piano study with Mariya has unlocked a lifetime of intellectual and artistic challenges, and I recommend her with great excitement to any adult who wants to take up piano again in a serious way.

Mariya has been teaching me piano for 6 years. She is very knowledgeable in music performance and pedagogy. Coupled with her passion, my playing has improved leaps and bounds both technically and expression-wise ever since learning from her. Her encouragement for me to participate in recitals and competitions continue to foster my confidence in the instrument.

Under Mariya’s tutelage, I am much more emotionally and intellectually bonded to music, a gift which she inspires me to pass on to my own piano students. Mariya is an open-minded teacher who welcomes new ideas and questions, creating a positive learning environment. Meanwhile, she sets high expectations for her students, as she does for herself, to challenge them to attain new heights in the art. Her school is definitely one of the best choices for those who adore music and wish to pursue for self-betterment in piano.

Mariya is a gem! I am so glad that my daughter is in such knowledgeable and competent hands.

My son has started his piano lesson with teacher Mariya last year and he progressed from RCM level 2 to level 7. Not only his piano skill and technique has improved dramatically but also his interest and passion for music has grown over the year. Teacher Mariya is extremely patient and professional. I strongly recommend anyone who is serious in learning piano to take lesson with her. She is a passionate and responsible teacher and kids love her very much.

I’ve been learning piano with Mariya for 6 years, And all I can say is that Mariya Is the best because she is very experienced and talented!!!

P.S. My younger brother is also learning piano with Mariya and he also thinks she’s the best piano teacher!!!

Ms.Mariya is an exceptionally talented and accomplished piano teacher. Under Ms.Mariya’s guidance, my son managed to get from Grade 1 to Grade 9 RCM in 1,5 years! He loves learning from Ms.Mariya. My son is very fortunate to study with Ms.Mariya Udovenko, one of the best teachers in the world!