OUR TEACHERS
Zoe
I started my music education as a child in the Bay Area. My passion for music stayed with me through out my life and took me study and graduate with a degree in Professional Music and Music Education at Berklee College of Music in Boston. After a move back to the Bay in 2017, I decided to start a small business to offer in-home lessons with a calm, modern approach to music pedagogies.
Erika
Erika is a pianist, violinist, and vocalist with over a decade of experience studying, performing, and teaching music. She has trained extensively in classical piano, completing the MTAC Certificate of Merit program through the advanced level and performing in multiple honors recitals. Erika has also studied violin for more than ten years, participated in choirs and international tours, and explored composition and arranging through workshops and collaborative projects. Her well-rounded background spans piano, violin, voice, and ensemble work, giving her a deep appreciation for both the technical and expressive dimensions of music. In addition to her own studies, Erika has developed a strong foundation as a music educator. She has served as Assistant Music Director for her high school theater program, taught chorus parts to ensembles, and currently teaches beginner piano to young children through UC Berkeley’s Music Connection club. She brings patience, adaptability, and creativity to her lessons, focusing on tailoring her approach to each student’s learning style. Now pursuing a degree in Molecular and Cell Biology at UC Berkeley, Erika remains committed to sharing her passion for music by fostering confidence, joy, and curiosity in her students.
Sam
Sam Sohmer is a classically-trained pianist, vocalist, producer, and composer who was raised in Wheaton, IL. After taking classical piano lessons from ages 5-15, he began teaching piano himself, while pursuing more of a vocal track in high school. He received the ILMEA All-State honors for choral vocalists twice, placing in the top-four tenors in the state. After high school, Sam attended Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he studied Contemporary Voice and Music Education, before leaving school to move to California and participate in ABC’s American Idol, where he placed in the Top-48. After filming the show, he decided to stay in California and attend Vanguard University to further his Music Education training, as well as study film-scoring and composition. Finally, after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down in-person learning, he transferred to Liberty University, and finished his degree. He now lives in Newport Beach, where he spends the majority of his time writing music for films, teaching classical piano and voice, and spending time with his friends and family.
Tess
Tess is a professional pianist, who teaches piano in addition to regularly performing as an accompanist and soloist. Her personal repertoire has a primary focus on Classical music, but she maintains a vast repertoire of classical, jazz, pop, and contemporary pieces. As a private instructor, Tess works with students of all ages and skill levels, from toddlers to adult seniors. She delights in working with students to help them realize their educational, performing and musical goals, tailored to their priorities. When not teaching, Tess performs regularly as a staff accompanist with the San Francisco Girls Chorus.
Susan
I embarked on my musical journey at the tender age of 7, teaching myself the piano and later formalizing my skills with lessons at 13. My classical training paved the way for a lifelong love affair with music. Amidst raising three wonderful kids as a single parent and pursuing a master's in IT, I continued my piano odyssey, delving into community college classes and sharing the joy of music through teaching. Today, I find immense fulfillment in playing for seniors in group homes with Alzheimer’s, adding a touch of melody to weddings, funerals, Christmas parties, and various gatherings. It's a beautiful journey, and I believe it's never too late to explore the enchanting world of piano. Let's make music together!
Steve
Steve was born in England in 1949 to a musical family and began lessons when he was 7 years old, continuing through the 7 grades of the Royal School of Music. He took music as a Major at College when he was learning to be a School teacher for children aged 7-11. He studied classical music but has also ventured into different genres; rock, reggae, blues, Jazz , Latin, also writing original songs and short pieces. Music has been a constant thread throughout his life. Besides the piano he also plays drums, harmonica and sings. He loves teaching and he loves people, enjoying sharing his musicality with his students. Steve moved to the USA in 1983 and is now a US citizen living in Oakland with his wife. At present he plays keyboards and sings in two local bands.
Karen
Karen is from the Bay Area and has always loved music - from growing up listening to her mom's Cantonese opera and pop albums, discovering punk rock, or experiencing the production of The Magic Flute. Her music education began first with vocal classes from age 6 - 15 where she learned how to read and sing choral and chamber music, followed by classical piano training at age 11 until college - when she took a detour to study and receive a master's degree in design from Pratt Institute. As a lifelong learner, music has been a core part of her life, and has always kept a keyboard nearby. Her approach to teaching is to build a solid foundation to engage curiosity for expression and musical exploration. She is looking forward to teaching you the joy of playing piano.
Dan
Dan Ashbrook was trained in classical piano as a teenager by concert pianist Blanche Nissim. He has also been playing guitar for about 50 years and took music courses in college while earning a degree in Communications from California State University, Fullerton. Early in his career, Dan worked in talent acquisitions for EMI Records where he gained experience in scouting, signing, and developing recording artists. He loves to help people discover the joy of playing music, which he learned after teaching piano and guitar to friends and family members.
Catherine
Cat is a classically trained pianist from Sacramento, CA. From giving mini performances at the keyboard before she could crawl, to twirling around to her dad’s Michael Jackson, Celine Dion and Alicia Keys records on repeat, she started formal lessons at age 5 and never looked back. Until college, weekends were filled with piano competitions that culminated in performing her favorite Rachmaninoff and Beethoven pieces at Carnegie Hall, playing flute and emceeing at senior centers, and joining youth symphonies and chamber orchestras along the way. Music has been and will continue to be the constant undercurrent for her life. Under the decade-long guidance of mentor Carol Chuang, Cat solidified her artistry in the classical realm through the completion of the MTAC Certificate of Merit program with honors in the Advanced level. Grateful for these foundational experiences, she now believes wholeheartedly in the power of dedicated, joy-based teaching. Combining her background in piano with her Public Health undergraduate work in community organizing for arts accessibility and youth equity research at UC Berkeley, Cat approaches lessons with warmth, patience, and a focus on individualized learning to foster a foundation of trust and safety essential for learning. She is excited to combine her experience in teaching piano throughout college with her work in special needs support post-grad to empower students to develop sustainable, self-expressive relationships with music. In the future, she hopes to develop neurodiversity-affirming piano curriculum and explore the intersection of occupational therapy with music and arts therapy in graduate school.
Jet
Jet Ogoy is a native San Franciscan artist with a love for playing instruments, making music, acting, and cats. They enjoy exploring a wide range of music theory, style, and culture. Jet is passionate about teaching, volunteering, and creating new connections that are essential to conveying the emotions evoked from music.
Tenzin
Tenzin is a second generation Tibetan Indian and has always loved music. He has a BA in Western Classical Music and has completed a Fellowship in Vocal Performance in Contemporary Music from London College of Music. He specializes in voice, guitar, and piano training. He is a passionate educator and has been teaching since 2017. He believes that learning music can help an individual express themselves and build confidence.
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Dustin
With over 25 years of teaching experience, Dustin Breshears brings a wealth of knowledge, passion, and dedication to his students. A classically trained pianist with a BA and MA in Music from CSU, Chico, he has taught private and group piano lessons, served as an accompanist, and held leadership roles in numerous music education programs. Dustin’s expertise extends beyond teaching—he has directed youth orchestras, organized music festivals, and managed international concert tours. As a father of eight, four of whom perform in a touring string quartet, he understands the importance of nurturing a student’s musical growth with both technical excellence and heartfelt encouragement. His goal is to inspire students to develop their skills, confidence, and love for music in every lesson.
Ahmed
Ahmed is a versatile musician and educator of piano and guitar with over 11 years of teaching experience. Ahmed holds a master's degree in music composition and sound production from AAU. He has delved into various musical teaching realms from teaching both full bands and one-on-one lessons to composing music for film and television. He covers broad spectrum of genres including rock, metal, pop, funk, reggae, and hip-hop. His goal is to inspire students to explore diverse musical styles within piano and guitar while honing their skills and creativity.
Sanjana
Sanjana is a versatile music educator and performer with over 15 years of formal classical piano training and a strong foundation in Hindustani classical vocal music. She holds a Sangeet Visharad (B.A. equivalent) in Hindustani Classical Vocals from Pracheen Kala Kendra and has performed extensively in solo piano and vocal recitals, including long-form concerts at Kalakendra Portland and top-ranked National Piano Guild performances. As a private instructor since 2015, Sanjana has taught piano beginners through advanced students, emphasizing technique, sight-reading, musical expression, and confidence-building. She also teaches Indian classical voice and harmonium to students of all ages, blending raga theory with performance practice. Her diverse experience extends to language teaching and classroom instruction, which enriches her pedagogical approach—balancing structure, creativity, and cultural fluency in every lesson.
Jenicole
Jenicole Enage is a pianist and has always been involved in music while growing up. From singing in her church choir to learning how to play the violin and performing at the Disney Concert Hall in 2019 with a youth orchestra group, FASO, music has always been present. After begging her mom to enroll her into piano lessons when she was 9, she has been playing piano for almost 10 years now, and has taught at her childhood piano studio as an assistant teacher for 3 years. From performing in annual recitals to playing at family gatherings, she loves to explore new songs when she has the time, especially when she gets to duet with her cousins. Jenicole is now an undergraduate student at UC Berkeley, where she is pursuing a degree in Nutrition and Metabolic Biology, but is motivated to support others and contribute positively to their success.
Lily
Lily Ramus is a musician and music teacher who has been passionate about music since learning to play the guitar and joining her first band in middle school. A decade later, she is a recent UC Berkeley graduate with a degree in music and enjoys teaching, performing with her band, and seeing live music whenever possible. Lily has experience playing and teaching a wide variety of genres and styles including, pop/rock, jazz, blues, metal, funk, country, and fingerstyle. Over the years she has played in many different bands and ensembles and in her current project she performs regularly at venues across California including, The UC Theatre, BandCamp HQ, The Pauley Ballroom at UC Berkeley, and 924 Gilman. In addition to teaching and performance, Lily is very involved in the local DIY music scene and for the past two years, she has organized several concerts and statewide tours highlighting queer and female-fronted bands and artists. From preparing for a music theory exam to starting a punk band, Lily believes that learning music should be fun and self-fulfilling, and is committed to helping students reach their diverse personal goals.
Grace
Grace is a composer, songwriter, producer, and improvising musician. She has been playing the piano since age 8, the guitar since age 11, and singing as long as she can remember! She has been immersed in music her whole life, first in the theater, then more and more at the piano and the guitar as a songwriter. Her interest in a career as a recording artist eventually led her to electronic composition and production. Her commitment to excellent musicianship as a singing pianist really began in the second and third years of her undergraduate music degree at UC Berkeley. After studying improvisation with Ben Goldberg, Cecilia Englehart, and Myra Melford, she really got serious about doing what it takes to be an improvising musician. Today, she is working on integrating her studies in composition, theory, and analysis and her own improvisational practices into a more shared and spontaneous method of music making. She is so excited to be teaching music to young artists again! From preparing for a music theory exam to starting a punk band, Lily believes that learning music should be fun and self-fulfilling, and is committed to helping students reach their diverse personal goals.