We've been so fortunate to have Joe as our teen daughters' piano teacher since they were young children. Under his instruction, we've watched our girls' technique, musicianship, self-discipline and confidence grow. Joe takes his role as piano teacher seriously, and he takes his students seriously. With a great sense of kindness and respect for what they are capable of, he challenges them to work hard, be precise, and take joy in the music and in the learning process. The student recitals he hosts annually (and often performs at - he's not only a skilled teacher but a gifted pianist himself) are always a highlight of our year. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Joe to piano students of any age who are eager to develop and stretch themselves as musicians.
Holly, Windsor Terrace
I can't overstate what a fantastic piano teacher Joe is. He comes super prepared, and gives passion and energy throughout the lesson. Not only has my daughter become an accomplished piano player during her six years of having lessons with him, but he helped us find an amazing, reasonably priced piano, and helped Maeve prepare to get into a music high school. The biannual concerts he organizes for his students are a lovely way for the kids to show their talents. In short, I can't recommend him highly enough!
Deirdre, Park Slope
Joe began working with my son around eight years ago when he was a rambunctious seven-year-old and all we had was a twenty-year-old keyboard. But Joe was great - not only did he make lessons fun and keep my boy focused, but he inspired him to practice! Two years later my daughter started and we got a real piano. Joe has always been able to read the kids and exactly what pace would work for each of them. Now the kids are playing Grieg and Schubert and doing great. Each semester Joe organizes a recital for all his students, which my children always look forward to. This is a terrific way for the kids to see how far they have come and to show the younger students what they will be able to accomplish if they stay committed. Joe has been a great teacher and friend and I can not recommend him enough!
Jane, Brooklyn Heights
Joe has been teaching my son Paul (eleven), my daughter Romy (seven) and me (fifty) for about three years with his signature blend of easy-going good humor, patience, keen intelligence and technical rigor. It has been a pleasure to observe my kids practice daily, advance in musical understanding and skill, and participate confidently in the wonderful twice-yearly recitals that he arranges for all his students. In my own experience as an adult learner, I have come to appreciate and admire not only his thoughtful teaching style and his own skill as a pianist, but also his deep knowledge of and enthusiasm for the corpus of Classical music, its composers, and traditions of pedagogy.
Mark, Cobble Hill
Joe taught our son piano from kindergarten until he finished 6th grade and decided to start learning another instrument. We love Joe and consider him a very special part of our lives. Joe is patient and kind, and he is willing to be flexible and adjust his teaching strategies - which is what happened with us when we learned about our son's particular needs as a child with ADHD. These individualized adaptations included breaking the lessons into smaller more manageable chunks, giving breaks that could be earned, and allowing our child to be inventive (which he really liked) by doing things like combining songs or changing the arrangements or keys of the songs he was learning. He helped our son write his own songs and encouraged his creativity. If Joe could teach violin we would still be with him today!
Julie, DUMBO
My two children have been working with Joe for two years and they absolutely love the experience. Joe is patient and thorough, and what I love most is that he is able to not only work with different levels of learning, but to teach theory and technique as well as the actual songs. Joe teaches with the perfect balance of discipline and fun. It has been so wonderful to watch my children not only improve at piano but also get better and better at reading music.
Gabrielle, Williamsburg
Joe is great. He's been our family's piano teacher for over three years. He works well with both our six-year-old and ten-year-old daughters. His teaching is a good mix of theory and practical skills to provide a baseline understanding of not only the piano, but music in general. His no-nonsense style keeps the kids focused on the lesson. He is willing to take input regarding what parents think works for their particular child, or songs to work on. He's also punctual and organized, and never misses a class or needs to reschedule, which is important for parents on a tight schedule.
Jason, Carroll Gardens
We love Joe! He is a terrific piano teacher, and has taught all four of my kids (three girls and one boy) over the past seven years. Joe began teaching my oldest daughter when she was five (she's now twelve and is still taking lessons), and he just recently began lessons with my youngest daughter, who is now five. Joe is great at engaging with the kids at their appropriate level, and making piano fun and interesting so that my kids have been excited to practice and progress. Based on what I have seen, he is great with all skill levels, from beginners to extremely advanced pianists.
Joe's demeanor is calm and patient; he never seems flustered. He comes to our home for lessons, and is punctual, professional, and prepared. He clearly takes great pride in his work. Joe also organizes piano recitals twice a year, which provide a great opportunity for the kids to showcase their musical accomplishments. I highly recommend Joe!