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.