Catherine & Mark Tran
We cannot express how fortunate our daughter has been to have Professor Eckstein as her piano teacher. Despite our daughter’s very young age, Prof. Eckstein saw potential in her and gracefully took her under her wing and started her systematic instruction. It almost seems “effortless” how her every instruction naturally flows from one to the next, and “magically” such a young child can start playing piano!—thanks to the decades of Prof. Eckstein’s teaching acumen, combined with a profound passion, dedication and high standards as a teacher. We are absolutely amazed at the progress our daughter has made in a short amount of time and at such a young age.
As someone who was classically trained in a music conservatory, I can appreciate not only the brilliance of Professor Eckstein’s pedagogical methodology and impeccable musicality but also her compassion, patience, and understanding that she shows our daughter on her path to developing her own musical aptitude and sensitivities. It is rare to find a teacher who can at once inspire our daughter to be earnest and disciplined in her practice and also draw out the pure joy of playing music itself.
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Mitzi Lee
Our family is truly blessed to have finally found Mrs. Eckstein! She is an amazingly wonderful teacher. We could only wish our children had started with her earlier, when they first began their piano studies, in order to lay out the correct foundation.
Mrs. Eckstein, in her graceful and gentle way, has inspired our children not only to do their utmost best in approaching every piece, but also to have a deep love and appreciation of music. She teaches them how to practice and memorize the piece, dissecting every measure, bar by bar with clear and concise explanations.
It is rewarding to watch our children grow in their technical and musical abilities through Mrs. Eckstein’s relentless devotion and impeccable musicality, as well as her years of experience. She brings out the best of each student’s individuality and unique style. Clearly, Mrs. Eckstein takes her teaching seriously and professionally, as evidenced by the results she creates in her students.
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Elena and Armond Hairapetian
Mrs. Eckstein has been teaching piano to our daughter for five years and our son for four years. Within months under Mrs. Eckstein’s instruction, our daughter not only can play challenging repertoires, but her technical skills have improved tremendously.
Mrs. Eckstein is highly professional, patient, creative and responsible person. She is very kind, nurturing yet clear in her expectations. She recognizes students’ musical potential and steers them to where they need to be. She works with students at their level and seeks out new ways to keep them challenged. Mrs. Eckstein is the most remarkable piano teacher one will ever encounter. Our children are eager and look forward to their weekly piano lesson.
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Mrs. Cernius
Mrs. Eckstein has been a tremendous positive influence in my children’s lives! She is an exceptional teacher with a rigorous work ethic and very high expectations for her students. Mrs. Eckstein’s greatest strength, in my opinion, is her ability to motivate students to work through the difficult process of learning to play the piano. She approaches each lesson with a passion that’s contagious, and with infinite patience and kindness. She takes the time to understand each student as an individual and establish a rapport with them, and she masterfully adapts her instruction to meet each student’s needs. I credit Mrs. Eckstein with sparking and nurturing my children’s love of classical music and music history. She is a teacher for whom we will always be grateful.
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Mrs. Landis
Ana Maria Eckstein maintains an unwavering commitment to excellence and artistry in her piano studio. Until my daughter’s senior year, I attended almost all of her hour-long lessons and found it similar to attending a weekly master class in piano pedagogy and kindness. Mrs. Eckstein crafts each minute of the student’s lesson with instruction as she weaves theory into the opening with scales and technique and then seamlessly moves into the student’s pieces. I was always impressed with her skill in pushing each student to his or her highest while showing great compassion and understanding for the uniqueness of each individual. She consistently helped and encouraged me in my parenting role as I tried to provide the proper support and help for my daughter. Under the tutelage of such an impeccable and gifted musician, students of Mrs. Eckstein have the opportunity to excel in both their music making and personal growth. Both as a professional music teacher and as a parent, I will always be grateful for the years my daughter spent in the company of Mrs. Eckstein.
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Mrs. Pham
My children have been studying piano with Mrs. Eckstein since November 2010. In the last year, they have gained a great deal of knowledge and skill. Mrs. Eckstein is an exceptional, dedicated, caring, patient, and motivating teacher, and my children have excelled under her teaching. It is evident that she approaches piano as an art. Her teaching is disciplined, organized, and extremely efficient. I have seen my children flourish and thrive under her care, something my children have confirmed in their own words.
Mrs. Eckstein doesn’t only prepare the students for CM testing; she also encourages her students to practice at home, sight read better, form proper posture while playing, to form round fingers, and to be confident in competitions. She truly takes great pride in her teaching and wants her students to learn and appreciate the art of studying piano.
What impresses me about her is her dedication and patience and how amazingly fast her hands move on the piano. My children have truly developed an appreciation for music. My children are fortunate to be her students and to learn from her many years of wisdom and knowledge of piano.