TESTIMONIALS
Testimonials from JM Students' Parents
“My son has been learning piano at joyful melodies since he was five, now he is going high school and enjoy playing piano everyday.
The staffs here are very warm and helpful. His piano teacher Ms Yoshiko is so dedicated, patient and caring. She challenges and encourages him to try and be his best all the time. Through learning music, he starts to understand other things in life: hard working, being responsible and not giving up things easily. That definitely helps his school performance as well!
Thank you joyful melodies, thank you Ms Yoshiko, keep up the good work!”
–N S.
“Both my daughter and my son are current students at Joyful Melodies. It all started with my daughter attending a summer camp at JM which allowed her to explore different instruments and sparked her interest in music during her Kindergarten year. Now that she is in 8th grade, she is still learning violin with Teacher Susan at JM and enjoying it very much. My son has been learning piano for 2+ years with Teacher Thomas who is very patient and makes it fun for my son.
It's also awesome to have a music school like JM that has lessons for multiple instruments and we can schedule the kids' lessons at the same time to cut down on our commute time. A big plus for the busy parents and busy kids!”
–Louise T.
“My daughter started the violin pretty late, after she quit the piano when she was about 11. Usually, it was pretty hard for a kid to start with a new instrument (she wasn't a music prodigy) in such a late age. That said, she was lucky enough to have great tutors from Joyful Melodies. With the encouragement and patience by her tutors, she was able to obtain her CM certifications from CM4 to CM Advance throughout her high school years. It was such a great joy/excitement when she passed the Advance merit level. I know it would be almost impossible if it wasn't because of her tutor. I'd like to thank other JM teachers who taught her theory and accompanied her for her CM tests. Because of them, she was able to make such a great achievement before she went to college.”
–Charles T.
“My son has been learning piano at Joyful Melodies for three years. We have a good experience. The teachers are friendly and professional. They do not scare the kids, instead they give them positive encouragement.My son is making great progres.”
–Lindon L.
“My daughter started guitar and piano lessons here about a year ago. Since then, I have been very impressed with the skill and knowledge of the staff and teachers. My daughter has grown and is becoming a great musician.
My daughter practices a lot and has had outstanding guidance from her teachers. She has taken lessons before from other places, but has never received this level of expertise and training until now.
I have witnessed a couple of situations with people such as the previous ladies and their experiences dealing with the front desk and or teachers. From an outside perspective, the front desk was absolutely correct in the information passed along to the customers and how they handled it. I understand the people's perspective also, but when emotions get involved as they do, things get misunderstood or interpreted in ways that were not necessarily what was meant. On top of that, there is ALWAYS two sides to every story.
In my opinion, this is the best music school in the bay area and I will continue to bring my daughter here for lessons as long as I can and am able to. Thank you Joyful Melodies!! ”
–Kawika W.
Testimonial from Music For All Community Outreach Program at Sacred Heart Community Service
“Joyful Melodies Music School is not only dedicated to providing high quality music education to children and adults but also sponsors a music outreach program for the less fortunate community. Thank you Joyful Melodies Music School, for their generous donations that has helped the Music For All Community Outreach Program launch free music education at Sacred Heart Community Service. They have truly brought the passion of music to the disadvantaged children in the Bay Area. We are so deeply grateful for their continuos support in this meaningful music outreach porgram. Because of Joyful Melodies Music School's generous donation, the music outreach program will be able to reach out to many children. Most importantly, to inspire and encourage them to never give up their dreams despite life challenges. Thank You, Joyful Melodies Music School!”
–Megan
Testimonials from Parents of Preschoolers
"Highly highly recommend Beethoven beginners and little Mozart with Mr Thomas. He has created such a wonderful nurturing environment for the kids. I love his teaching style , His ability to break down complex concepts into manageable pieces is amazing! He's just the right amount of goofy and silly while also being firm when he needs to be. We feel really lucky to have found this place. My kids have learned so much while also having fun."
-- Kate N.
“My 3 years old daughter attended their bilingual Chinese/English Music class and Little Mozart Music Class on Saturday when she was 1. She loves both class and now she sing all the time. All their teachers and staffs are very nice. Highly recommended.”
–Vicky C.
“My 2 yrs old son attended their bilingual Chinese Music class and he enjoyed it very much. Now he loves singing a lot and sing all the time. The teachers were very friendly. Highly recommended.”
–Dickson Y.
Testimonials from Music Camps
“Our daughter were exposed to multiple instruments and we feel that she learned a lot in a very short amount of time! Also as parents we still had to work so it was great to have the camp where she actually learns something and enjoys making new friends instead of staying with the grandparents! Good class size, good teachers, can see the instructors really put a lot of mind and effort in the class. These great dedicated and motivated teachers were able to motivate the kids to learn all sorts of instruments. Thanks, Joyful Melodies.”
–Allen L
“It's a great way to provide exposure of multiple musical instruments to the kids so that they can find their true passion.I (the mom) play piano and never push or send my kids to any music lesson, partially hoping that they will discover it themselves like myself many years ago. JM camp is a great way to introduce Louis to music, and he became really fascinated with piano and keyboard. He has been playing everyday at home practicing the tune of Pirate of Caribbean on piano and keyboard again and again. We are very surprised and happy that he has good sense of rhythm and finger technique. He is probably more ready for music lesson than we thought. We would definitely recommend this music program to our friends.Teachers are very enthusiastic and great.”
–Kay C
“As parents, we although always want Dennis to love music, we do not know what he is interested in and how to help him get started. The winter camp at Joyful Melodies provided our family with a good opportunity. In the winter camp, Dennis was able to play in a relaxed environment where he played with his friend, tried different instruments, and learned basics. Eventually he decided to play violin because of his pleasant experience in the winter camp. Since then, Dennis has been practicing violin with his favorite camp teacher, learned many songs, ranging from the “Old MacDonald Had a Farm”, to Bach’s “Minuet No. 3”. We are happy to see Dennis make such huge progress. ”
–Xiaochuan
Testimonials from Students of Joyful Melodies
A Testimonial for Taking the CM Advanced Level in Piano - 2016
“The CM. It’s not really an examination, it’s more of a journey. Dedicating time in your life to playing piano - or any other instrument is synonymous to embarking on the journey. This journey has moments where you are in paradise - some pieces you play and perform are so exquisite, your euphoria wakes up. This journey also has moments where you are in agony - some pieces are so challenging, you clench your sweaty fists in frustration and rage. In those moments, a portal is presented to you to exit this journey - and never return. It is your decision to enter this portal or not. If you complete this journey, you can do much more. Every challenge in the world begins to feel surmountable. In addition, the pride of completing the CM lives within you for the rest of your life, and becomes a highlight of your childhood during your senior years.
The other part of my success of completing the CM owes a large honor to my piano teacher . She was brilliant at maintaining my motivation in playing the piano. (Unless you have a burning passion for music, practicing an instrument every day for an hour or more for nine years causes you to gradually succumb to boredom) My piano teacher does not just teach me, she cares for me. When I slacked off like a sloth, she was irked at my lack of progress, but she never gave up on me and kept encouraging me. She is always the first person to congratulate me every time I completed a Certificate of Merit examination. She flew back from her home country to attend my Branch Honors Recital (for distinguished Certificate of Merit students) this year after I completed my CM advanceld level. My teacher also appalled me by pulling out a bouquet of flowers for me after the Honors Recital as a congratulation. Her cares for me invigorated my confidence and motivated me to play better and better.”
A Testimonial for Taking the CM Advanced Level in Violin- 2016
“When I first started violin, I was in sixth grade. It was the first extra-curricular activity that I was allowed to choose for myself. When my last of my many violin teachers, told me about the test, CM testing appeared almost unachievable. The highest level seemed as if it were only possible after years of hard work, and I had started too late to attempt it.
I learned soon after it wasn’t how hard the test appeared to be, but rather how much a person practices effectively that decides the final outcome. I would practice the same music for months and achieve little. However, practicing while focusing on specific hard parts of the music, or techniques that needed refining, made it much easier for me to progress as a player and test taker. A word of advice: no matter how fun it is to play the parts you can play very well, always practice the ones you find the most difficult.
Thankfully, when I took my CM tests, I had joined my school’s orchestra. Orchestra is a proving ground for musicians who’ve only had individual classes. When a musician is able to coordinate with an orchestra-size body of people to create music, it makes it easier for him or her to coordinate with a piano accompanist, keep time, and practice dynamics. In addition, a lot of learning for music occurs when a person learns new music, which is something that happens on a daily basis in an orchestra. My school’s orchestra even had a program where we would play with the choir for a show. We would play masterworks from different time periods and practiced a lot of baroque, classical, and romantic pieces with different tones and feelings. It is during these performances that much of my musicality developed as a violin player.
The hardest part of the CM tests for me was the written portion. While I barely managed to skim by the first three CM tests (4,6,and 8) that I took by learning under my violin teacher during our classes, the advanced level CM test was another story. It seems that every year, the written test forced me to study very hard on the days leading up to the test in order to pass them. It was only through the extra lessons provided by Mr. Thomas that allowed me to pass the last test. Even then, I was in the testing room for over an hour reviewing questions and recounting notes.
Lastly, the most important thing you need to pass the CM test is motivation. A lot of the enthusiasm that I had for the test was provided by my violin teacher, whom if not for her urging I would not have done any of the tests in the first place. Even when it seemed harder and harder to find time to practice over the week as I progressed in high school, going to practice with her in my weekly lessons helped progress my skills as a player. Without my teacher, I would never have progressed to the level I have now and never would have added so many pieces into my repertoire, so I must thank her for all of the help she has given me over the years. It is through my experience that I found that if it comes to a point where students cannot even come to class, then they will never have the capability to achieve the advanced level for CM. But in the end, it is most important to have fun while preparing for and taking the test, or you will never be very motivated to practice.
Wherever life takes me, through college and beyond, I know that being able to play the violin is a skill I will take with me on my path. Music has become a facet of my life for me to relax and have fun. It has taught me a lot of practical skills, such as prioritizing and time management. Without my experience in music, I would never have become the person I have become. I wish all future players luck in finding their passion in music. ”
A Testimonial for Taking the Advanced Level in Piano - 2016
“I have been playing piano at Joyful Melodies (JM) since I was in 2nd Grade. I attribute the success of my recent accomplishment to the great piano teachers at JM as they instilled the passion towards music. I was nervous going into the Level 10 Exam as the songs were long and needed several hours of practice. The theory part of the exams were intimidating as it consumed diligent learning besides the regular school and other extra curricular activities. My piano teacher was my great source of support as his confidence in me motivated me to practice hard and succeed. I will summarize with the statement "Perseverance is the only way to success". I am confident the love of music will always stay with me as I continue to play saxophone on the Jazz band at school along with AP Music Theory next school year as I continue on my next journey in life. ”
A Testimonial of Vocal Student in USIMC - 2019
United States International Music Competition was a wonderful experience for me to showcase my talent of singing and my love for music. The Joyful Melodies’s vocal teacher, Ms.Swetlana Garrido helped me prepare for my audition and for the live performance. I have been learning vocal from Joyful Melodies Music School for four years, and I have been loving it very much. To be around other people who share my love of music and to see other people’s interpretation of the same thing was a great exposure. U.S.I.M.C gave me an opportunity to share what I did with music. Because it was an international competition, winning 1st place in two categories twice boosted my confidence and self-esteem and gave me motivation to work even harder at what I love. I would recommend this competition to anyone who has a love for music, and not just for singing. There was so much diversity in the forms of music; piano, marimba, voice, and more. This competition was so much fun to take part in and I enjoyed it very much!
A Testimonial for Taking the CM Advanced Level in Violin -- 2022
" I have been taking music lessons at Joyful Melodies since I was in second grade and my experience here has been so incredible and supportive. In these ten years, there have been many hard times with school or other extracurriculars, making it difficult to balance my workload and violin practice. I truly believe that I would not have been able to stick with my violin playing without the constant and unwavering support of my teacher. During the pandemic, I was able to practice more and pass the CM Level 10 exam, which was a huge accomplishment that I never thought that I would be able to achieve. I am so incredibly grateful for everything that my teacher and Joyful Melodies have given me over the years."
Student Testimonial - 2024
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Being a part of the Joyful Melodies family is one of the strongest foundations of my identity and my life.
As a seven year old, I didn’t fully grasp the magnitude of my situation, but picking up the violin and walking into the JM studio for the first time changed my life forever.
Every week, my violin lesson gave me motivation to practice, and with every new skill I acquired, my younger self felt one step closer to being just like my dedicated, incredible teacher, Ms. Susan.
That little girl could have never imagined how much of an impact violin would have later in her life. Joining my high school’s string orchestra in freshman year hugely expanded my horizons. I made many new friends, and even began listening to classical music on my own. I became more and more grateful for my teacher and her giving me the ability to play violin, and made some amazing memories, like performing at Carnegie Hall, and discovering a deep love for performing chamber music.
My self confidence and happiness grew, especially when a friend recommended that I audition for a small, selective chamber orchestra and I was accepted.
None of these incredible things would have happened if I hadn’t taken a chance on the violin, and, more importantly, if Ms. Susan hadn’t taken a chance on me.
My greatest advice to any person beginning their music journey is that in your moments of struggles, your progress may seem small and you might ask yourself why you are doing this in the first place. In these moments, pushing through will give you the results, friendships, connections and passions that are absolutely priceless.
Testimonials from Directors of Schools and Parents
“I really love your program. The students love the music class – your program makes their day! I definitely recommend this program to all preschools.”
–Theresa Campbell
Director of TLC, Cupertino
“I enjoy the way you instill love and appreciation for music. Your age-appropriate music program is loved by our students and parents.”
–Hanna Bash
Executive Director of Happy Days
Santa Clara and Cupertino
“My children love your music class. They don’t want to miss a single class!”
–Michelle Koblas
Parent at CCLC, Los Altos
“We loved this class! My daughter had two teachers and both were EXCELLENT! I have recommended this class to many people. I loved to go to join the class when I was able!”
–Jennifer Cote-Nance, Parent
“My daughter absolutely LOVED this program. I would highly recommend it to other pre-schools.”
–Marci Long, Parent
“My son loved his classes! It was always the highlight of his week. I am sure the love of music was much enhanced by his Joyful Melodies classes.”
–Kary Wilson, Parent
“My daughter has had a wonderful learning experience during the Joyful Melodies program. Thank you for bringing out the love of music that she has shown us.”
–Cynthia, Parent
“My son has really enjoyed your program, and I love how he knows many of the classical composers.&rquot;
–Amy Barton, Parent
“My son really loves the music class and the teacher. It has already helped him develop a sense of appreciation for music, which is exactly what we had wanted him to get from these classes.”
–Seeying Tam, Parent
“My daughter seemed to thoroughly enjoy your music classes, so I thank you for a job well done!”
–Armin Spura, Parent
“I appreciate all the time you have put into my daughter's musical education. Even though she is very young, I really feel that she has gained tremendous knowledge from attending the class.”
–Dyanne Ransom, Parent
"Mr Homayoon is a very patient and enthusiastic guitar teacher! He takes time to get to know his students and makes sure to communicate with the parents as well! He seeks to connect with his students first as he helps them develop a passion for music and playing guitar! We are thankful to have found a patient, thoughtful, creative, and caring teacher!"
-J.J., Parent