OUR TEACHERS
ZOE BLAKE
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.
Shabnam
Shabnam J. Kermani is a composer, conductor, pianist, producer, engineer, and audiovisual artist from Tehran, Iran, residing in San Francisco, California. A Berklee College of Music Film Scoring and Conducting graduate, she recently finished her Master's degree in Music Production, Technology, and Innovation at Berklee Valencia. Shabnam aspires to bring a unique and innovative voice to the professional film industry not only as a composer and filmmaker, but also as a creative storyteller. In her music, she draws upon her classical training, her Iranian heritage, and her studies in the field of classical literature and archaeology.
Sam Sohmer
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.
Ondine Young
With a DMA in Choral Conducting from USC and a background in early music, Ondine brings over two decades of experience in conducting, music education, and performance education. Her career encompasses positions such as conductor, music director, and instructor for various choirs, orchestras, and music academies. From leading the Community Women’s Orchestra to teaching violin, piano, and music theory, she has demonstrated adaptability and passion for nurturing musical talent across age groups. Ondine enjoys bringing movement, expression, and technique to the process of learning music. She has experience with the certificate of merit and has guided many students through this process.
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Paige
Paige is a fourth year student at UC Berkeley. She took piano lessons for ten years between the ages of 5-15. Since then, she's continued to play a wide range of music from genres such as ragtime, classical, and contemporary. She worked with kids of all ages as a nanny for over five years and has loved working with children. Paige is passionate about playing piano and enjoys passing on this love for music through teaching.
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 Ashbrook
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.
Eden Herzog
Eden is a Bay Area native whose musical journey began with piano lessons at age 6, expanding to include flute and violin. She pursued a choral track in school, and in 2016 performed with her a cappella choir at Carnegie Hall. After graduating from the University of Guelph in 2021, she returned to the Bay Area. She renewed her focus on playing piano, particularly classical and contemporary scores. Eden believes in forging personal connections to music, and fosters this in her students through a fun and engaging teaching style.
Jet Ogey
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.
Coco Bastien
Coco Bastien is a French Canadian born musician, songwriter recording artist who made her 12 years teaching career at the prestigious Gladwyne Montessori school (preschool-8th grade) in Philadelphia, PA, where she ran the 400 students body music program from the classrooms to the concert Halls with a 20 chairs ensembles, rock bands, choirs and private tutoring. During this time, she also was in charge of the Philadelphia Symphony's Orchestra yearly family concerts, entertaining and creating programs and activities for all. Since her arrival in the Bay, January 2022, she has been a popular piano instructor at the Guitar Center in Emeryville, CA. She is a dedicated yoga practitioner and teacher and uses breathing and body awareness techniques to support and enhance her student's natural musical abilities to emerge; from hearing, to understanding and playing. Her passionate joy for teaching has always fueled her dedication and created a trail of happiness and kinships among students, parents and staff alike.