Testimonials
Diane Fang
Between my sisters and us, we have 4 girls taking piano lessons from Ms. Xu. The oldest has been with Ms. Xu for 9 years and the youngest 7 years. Over the years, as the girls grew and matured, we have become good friends with Ms. Xu. We want to take this opportunity to extend our gratitude to her. We admire her working tirelessly to create a challenging environment for her students. She not only teaches piano lessons to our girls, but also shares her life experiences with us. As the girls go through elementary school, middle school, and high school, each period brings different challenges. From learning piano and taking classes in schools to meeting new friends and applying for colleges, Ms Xu has given us very valuable advice, drawing from over 20 years of experience in nurturing children to become exceptional students and outstanding individuals.
Charles Lee
I was lucky enough to have Mrs. Xu as my piano teacher for 14 years, from the age of 4 until I graduated high school. She is a wonderful and dedicated teacher who loves music, and inspires that same passion in her students. Mrs. Xu is an expert at teaching the basics that every child needs to become a great piano player. And she does it in a way that keeps students engaged; teaching simple and fun pieces to beginners, and more difficult (but still fun!) pieces as the student progresses. Mrs. Xu taught me to appreciate the process of learning a complex and beautiful piece of music. It’s a process that requires repetition, discipline, and persistence. But the end result – the ability to not just play, but understand and convey the nuances and emotions of a piece – is amazing. I highly recommend her!
Bryan Wu
I’ve had the privilege of having Ms. Xu as a piano teacher for over two years. In our brief time together, she has helped me develop in many different ways as a pianist and played a key role in my ultimate success at winning a number of different awards, such as Advanced Panel Finalist and the AMUSE senior pianist award. Ms. Xu has a very specific and defined goals for her students and is very effective in pushing her students to reach these goals, even if it means they must leave their comfort zones. She is also often on the lookout for other opportunities and competitions for her students, should they be ready for it. Unlike other teachers that I’ve had, you will not get away with neglecting to practice. If you are serious about being pushed to work hard at the piano, then in all likelihood you will work well with her.
Valerie Lai
My daughter has been learning piano from Ms. Xu for three years now. At age seven, my daughter knew absolutely nothing about music and piano and now she is playing Bach, Sonatina, and Czerny. Ms. Xu is a brilliant pianist and she is very precise. She makes sure all the notes are played correctly with the right speed and style before she moves on to the next song. She works with my daughter diligently, as a result, my daughter progresses rapidly. I have to admit that the journey of learning the piano is full of thorns and roses. My husband played the piano himself and his mother was a certified piano teacher. He understands that mastering classical music requires rigorous training, and Ms. Xu is fully equipped to teach our daughter to be a great piano player. In the past three years, my daughter has shifted from not liking the piano to loving it. She loves it not because it is easy but because she has a great sense of accomplishment from mastering a difficult song. She is becoming more confident as a result of it. She also LOVES the recital that Ms. Xu puts together every year. I highly recommend Ms. Xu to any students who are serious about learning the piano and willing to work hard.
Steven Salem
I've just turned 71 and am Ms. Xu's oldest student. Seven years ago when I retired, the first thing I did was to look for a piano teacher for myself and my (then) 7 year old daughter Lizzy. I've been playing classical music on and off since I was about 21, but hadn't had a lesson in years and wanted to study piano again in retirement. We're both happy we found Naien Xu. She helped my daughter Lizzy from a beginning student (who didn't like practicing), and now Lizzy recently passed the audition for the Torrance Memorial Medical Center's Piano Volunteer Program. As for me, I never thought I could advance as far as I have under Ms. Xu's teaching, recently playing the first movement of Beethoven's "Pathetique" sonata from memory, and Chopin and Schubert among other things. She has made sure that both Lizzy and I study pieces that will challenge us, and I know for a fact that the memory work I have to do for her recitals has significantly helped my memory into my 70's. I would recommend her to any student who truly wants to begin or improve their piano playing.
Sammi Yim
I have two daughters taking piano lessons with Ms. Xu. They have been taking lessons since they were both 5 years old. My older one has been with Ms. Xu for 10 years and the younger one for 4 years. Throughout the years my two girls learned piano from Ms. Xu, I personally learned a lot from her too. She shared many valuable life experiences with us and helped us see situations in different ways we could’ve never thought of. I’m so grateful to Ms. Xu for all the things she’s taught both my daughters, as well as me, throughout the years that we’ve been taking lessons with her. Not only is she a teacher to both my daughters but she’s also a friend and, above all, a mentor who constantly shares valuable life experiences with us.