Play Music

My son has been taking piano lessons with Chris for a few years and looks forward to his lessons every week. Chris and Zaneta are both enthusiastic and their enthusiasm is infectious. At the end of every lesson, Chris and Zaneta have their students jam with them, so that students learn to play with others and listen, but also so that they have a sense of freedom and fun in their playing. What has been exciting, as Chris has begun to teach my son theory, is to see that freedom translate into my son's ability to improvise blues and hopefully soon jazz. It's fun to see how much he enjoys experimenting, and how uninhibited he feels. I don't think this would have happened with many other teachers.

This is my son’s second year taking piano with Chris, and my daughter just started learning drums with Zaneta! They are very patient, kind, and talented musicians and instructors. The experience is tailored to the kid, and each lesson is creative, relaxed, and most importantly- fun! They can’t wait to come back each week!

Both of my kids have taken piano and drum lessons with Chris and Zaneta for a couple of years now. They are amazing teachers! In this program a student is allowed to explore and develop their own life long relationship to music with an instrument of choice. It is a child-led approach that I as a parent find very rewarding in the sense that I get to see my children enjoying music so much.

Taking drum lessons from Zaneta as an adult has been amazing. Her lessons are always energizing and interesting, and without fail leave me wanting to explore and play more. She shares her enthusiasm and passion for the instrument generously, and takes me seriously as a musician in ways that feel important. Lessons usually involve playing together in unison or improvising on different instruments, and there's a strong emphasis on feeling, body position, and intuition. She's super perceptive, open-minded, and patient. I'd definitely recommend her as a teacher to anyone who's interested in percussion!

My 8 year old has been taking lessons with Zaneta for several months now and he absolutely loves it! What I appreciate the most is how Zaneta uses my son’s interests to make the lessons fun and not feel like work. This is not like the piano lessons we had as kids! Zaneta figures out what engages each particular child and she tailors the lesson accordingly. My son is showing progress from week to week and he actually looks forward to doing the homework he is assigned. I also find Zaneta to be amazingly patient and unfazed when my son who has ADHD gets particularly wiggly or silly. She redirects him back to the work with finesse. I am always impressed. As a business I find Play Music to be extremely professional and a joy to work with. Zaneta and Chris are great!

I was seeking an opportunity for my son to take music lessons that differed from my own childhood experience, which was rigid and pressured. I wanted to find an experience where my kid could have a fluid and fun filled relationship with music that was creative and foundational. I feel very lucky to have found Chris and Zaneta, who are able to do just that! My son really enjoys his lessons with Chris, who is relaxed and encouraging. My son is motivated to learn. I also love the gatherings that Chris and Zeneta put on to celebrate at the end of the year, as they are warm, wonderful, and community-minded events. I highly recommend PLAY!

I took drum lessons from Zaneta as an adult, which was something I always wanted to do, but it was hard as an adult to be okay with another person watching me be a total beginner at something. She was amazing - she took me seriously, and she was encouraging and inspiring. Her lessons were fun and varied. I also referred one of my tutoring students to Zaneta and Chris for drum lessons, and I had the pleasure of watching the amazing transformation my student underwent over the course of her studies with Play Music. My student's growth in confidence and flexibility was evident even just in my academic work with her, and I believe that the wonderful connection she had with Zaneta and Chris had a huge part in that growth. They are gifted teachers and musicians!

Zaneta and Chris are talented musicians and committed educators who know how to connect with their students. My daughter has been studying with Zaneta for 5 years and loves her lessons and her teacher. I could not recommend them enough.

My boys have been taking lessons piano and drums with Chris for a few years, and they’ve had a wonderful experience! Chris is an incredibly thoughtful and patient teacher and really pays attention to what interests my kids and who they are so that they develop a love and appreciation for music on their own terms.

We love Play Music and Chris & Zaneta! Great teachers with great energy!