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Leslie writes:
Musical Chairs Studio is simply the best opportunity I have ever found for my child to learn piano! Caitlyn is an exceptional teacher whose incredible teaching method produces results while motivating my child. I had tried other piano teachers for my children in the past and had to fight my children to continue. Now, I use piano class as a positive motivator because my daughter cannot get enough of it. Her father heard her practicing recently and just couldn't believe her progress and enthusiasm.
Deborah writes:
Kent Jager has been the favorite piano teacher of all four of my children. He is a talented and skilled musician and a very patient man. He makes playing the piano seem like the most natural thing a person could do.
Mark and Lisa write:
Since Luke has started lessons with Lisa, his excitement for music can't be contained. He actually asked me to download some Beethoven so he could put listen to it on his i-pod! Lisa is patient and encouraging. We couldn't be more pleased with our son's experience with Musical Chairs. He looks forward to his lesson each week.
Lori writes:
Kent Jager brings to piano teaching both an impressive knowledge of music and a patiently skillful teaching method. He knows not only how to teach students the basic skills, but how to inspire them to want to stretch themselves. Kent challenges and encourages his students with every lesson!
Joe and Kathleen write:
When our son Gabriel began piano lessons with Lisa about 3 years ago, my wife and I were very concerned about him holding onto his childhood sense of play and enthusiasm. We both love music, yet our own childhood music practices were an unpleasant daily burden.
Joe quit music lessons when he was 8 (it wasn't because he had mastered the art), and in the first year of managing our son's piano homework, his attempts to skillfully facilitate Gabe's music homework were futile, at best, and frustrating at worst. In seeking advice from Lisa regarding this situation, she provided excellent advice: relax, lay off the facilitating, and see where her technique and our son's interest took things.
Thankfully, it took very little prompting for Gabe to do his daily piano practice. More importantly, the clue that Lisa's advice and methodology were working to nurture his enthusiasm was when we noticed that when Gabe had time to knock around, he often would play with the piano. Not "play" the piano, play with the piano. That was incredibly delightful for us: not only is our son choosing to spend free time with the piano, he is also having fun making music. And when Gabe is around friends who are taking lessons from Lisa, their play often centers around the piano.
We are not sure how she does it, but Lisa senses what makes a student tick: where to push, when to hold back. She intuitively knows how to give Gabe tasks and goals in ways that keep him wanting not only to stick with the program, but to have fun with it too. What more can we say, except that if ever time allows, we would love to have Lisa teach us to play.
Janet writes:
Caitlyn is a wonderful piano teacher for my boys, ages 5 and 8. While they had no real interest in starting piano, they now love their lessons, and ask if they can have them more times per week. Caitlyn is patient and knows how to get even the most distracted, hyper, 5 year old boy to site down and have a great time with her at the piano. And she has my 8 year old learning musical theory and happily doing his "homework" for his lessons. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a kind, dedicated, patient and knowledgeable teacher.
Paul and Lisa write:
A few months after switching over to Musical Chairs, I asked my 6 year old son why I no longer needed to ask him to practice piano. I would find him playing on his own without the usual resistance to practice. He said, “Because now it is fun.”
His response said it all. Learning became fun. And I credit that change to Lisa. Lisa knows music and she knows children. Being a mom herself, she knows how to relate to children and understands how to teach, motivate and challenge with both humor and respect. She teaches in a warm and welcoming family environment (complete with furry dog, basement playroom and revolving door of interesting people to meet!).
Lisa has opened my son’s mind and heart to music and it shows. For a young boy, “playing” is everything. Because Lisa has exposed him to theory and practice in a spirit of play, my son has progressed to where he is “playing” the piano. And for him, that's a lot of fun."
Patty writes:
Kent Jager is a remarkable piano teacher, and human being. He exhibits the very qualities that lend themselves well to piano instruction. He is one of the most patient people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. Kent is incredibly knowledgeable, talented and passionate about music. He has experience not only as a piano instructor, but as a teacher of music at Queen of Angels School. There, he proved his skills in flexibility and varying methods to accommodate different learning styles. I honestly don't know of a child/student or parent that has not been served better or been made better by interacting with Kent.
Sarah writes:
We haven't been with you very long, but already Rachael is blossoming into a person who loves to learn music! It has been such a joy for us to have piano to look forward to. Rachael seems delighted with her lessons and she "loves" Caitlyn (she told her in person last week in place of "thank you"). I feel very thankful to have the opportunity for our whole family to enjoy what she is learning so eagerly. Thanks for presenting music in such a magical way - you do a terrific job!
Rylie, age 6, writes:
I like taking piano lessons with Caitlyn because she is nice and she is a good teacher. She gives me good songs to play.
Meg writes:
I can't think of anyone I would rather have teaching piano to my daughter than Caitlyn Bodine. Beside her obvious knowledge of the piano, Caitlyn possesses the warmth, patience and sense of fun needed to be truly effective with children. My daughter looks forward to her lessons and practices with an enthusiasm that she carries straight from the classroom.
Musical Chairs Studio
2136 W Wilson Ave.
Chicago, IL. 60625
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