Tonewood Piano Studio

Testimonials

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"I would recommend Amy Norman to anyone who wants to have a great experience learning piano. Amy brings so much more than mastery of her art: Her focused, kind, forward-thinking approach to teaching has enriched my son's life. She guides him through the nuances of challenging pieces with firm regard for the music, but a compassionate approach to his skill-level and attention span. Amy organizes not just recitals, but practice recitals, to give her students a sense of community while they put their accomplishments on display, and chooses a wide range of jazz, classical and popular selections that fire their imaginations. It's been particularly interesting and entertaining to see Amy match students up for duets, which give the students a chance to play socially and hone their live performance chops."

-Susie Gerhard
 

"Amy Norman is a gifted teacher, and our son Max has benefited tremendously from her guidance.  Max started working with Amy when he was five, and now, at eleven, he enjoys a variety of music, plays several instruments, and always looks forward to his lessons.  Amy's teaching methods provide just the right balance of structure and support, and Max has grown both as a musician and a person under her guidance. Through the recital program, Max has learned to speak and perform in public, but also (by playing duets) to be accountable to others. With Amy's encouragement, Max has become a wonderful pianist -- he truly enjoys playing -- but more importantly, he's learned to love music."

-Nan Boyd
 

"My daughters have been taking lessons from Amy for about 3 years, both starting when they were in 2nd grade. As a parent, I appreciate that Amy not only focuses on the basic principles of piano/music, but she also engages the children's interest in piano playing. Amy has encouraged my daughters to play by showing them how good they can be through practice and learning the different techniques of piano playing. She is gentle and understanding while being consistent with them learning the notes and techniques. She is not like the piano teachers I had as a child where I simply played scales for an hour. She had my daughters learning songs that they could play almost immediately which is why I think my daughters have stayed with piano. Amy has shown them that playing piano is not just classical music but it can be lively jazz or other contemporary music which my children can play at their level! Amy is also very easy to communicate with. Whenever my daughters have had concerns, she has been able to address them with my child so that no one is at fault. 

The recitals that Amy has for her students are always lovely. My girls have looked forward to them, they are like the prize for the semester."

-Evalynna Ho
 

"Amy Norman is an incredibly talented pianist whose love for music is infectious. Her skill set and gentle demeanor make her a fantastic teacher for students of all ages. I recently participated in the Tonewood Piano Studio Spring Recital. As an adult student with only one year of piano lessons under my belt, I wasn't sure I would have the confidence to play before an audience of other students and their parents. However, Amy inspired me to be diligent with my practice and to shift my mindset. She reminded me to focus on sharing beautiful music with others and that one wrong note would not spoil the piece. Playing in the recital was such a wonderful experience that helped accelerate my learning in ways I could never have foreseen! I came out of the recital with an increased confidence in my ability to read music, and I enjoy learning and practicing my pieces so much more now. I can't thank Amy enough, and I look forward to being her student for years to come!"

-Natalee Shean