JAKE RIVERS MUSIC SCHOOL

Over 150 students taught!

VIDEO TESTIMONIAL

TESTIMONIALS

Our two boys have really enjoyed taking piano lessons from Jake for the past five years. He makes their lessons fun enough that they stay interested, but also focused enough that they are steadily advancing their skill levels. One of our boys has special needs, so his learning style and motor skills are quite different from most people. Jake has always been very patient and supportive, tailoring the lesson around his strengths and abilities. He encourages both of our boys to do their best, but never pushes them past what they are able to do on any given day. Jake is a very talented musician, whose compassion and creativity make him an inspiring teacher.   

Dana K. (10 years)

In 2014 our daughter began taking lessons with Jake from when she was 7 and our son, 11 recently started taking guitar lessons.  Jake has some qualities which were very important to our family when selecting a teacher.  We find Jake has a direct influence on how much our kids enjoy music and enjoy their lessons and as a result enjoy practicing.  

First, we find he gives clear and creative explanations to our kids questions.  Both of my kids learn very differently and Jake does well communicating with each them individually.  The lessons are fun and focused, the kids are very clear of their practice and what to do over the next week.  Jake lets my kids select a lot of their own music and he adapts it to be successful for them which is a huge bonus in our opinion to keep the kids interested. Jake is proud to teach and his positive attitude is infectious.  We have enjoyed numerous concerts with him and over the years I have seen not only my kids grow but others as well.  The concerts are very professional for so many kids, we feel lucky to be a client of his.

Hayley C. (9 years)

Jake constantly inspires my son, Levi! Levi naturally wants to play the piano every day, and is always excited to learn more. Jake works with the songs that Levi is interested in learning, and comes up with great new songs that take Levi to the next level. Jake has a specialty with working with kids - very patient, and quite encouraging! He takes the extra step with Levi, to keep him inspired and excited to play more. I am so thankful to have met Jake and to have started Levi's piano lessons 6+ years ago!!!

Tawni K. (9 years)

Our two daughters have been taking piano lessons with Jake Rivers for the past year. It has been a very positive experience for the girls and for us as parents. We had a couple false starts in getting our daughters interested in learning piano prior to hiring Jake. Things changed dramatically once we started lessons with Jake. Jake is a very talented musician in his own right. His passion for music is evident in the ways that he encourages and inspires our daughters to learn. He has a perfect demeanor for teaching youngsters in that he is both patient yet firm in his coaching and direction. He regularly and effortlessly creates skill-appropriate arrangements of their favorite songs to learn which makes practice more engaging and satisfying for them. He also has a knack for accompaniment during lessons and recitals that can make even the simplest of songs sound more full and impressive while still featuring the student. We look forward to hearing our daughters' continued progress working with Jake.

Brandon I. (4 years)

My 8 year old special needs daughter is learning piano from Jake for a while. Initially, it was a challenge getting her to sit and play in front of the piano because of her attention issues. As a teacher he recognized her music interest and encouraged us to make it as much of a positive experience for her to get her to sit in front of the piano. Now, she plays small songs and had her first virtual recital earlier this year, we cannot imagine her coming this far if Jake was not there guiding her and us. He is patient, encouraging, great music teacher and adapts the lesson to how he can get a kid to learn. Jake has a unique quality in recognizing the strength and weakness of a student and transparent in sharing his ideas with parent to make the kids learn. Tries different learning methods and has up to date technology to make virtual learning as easy for the kids. Recently, my 4 yr old son also learns from Jake, he makes it fun and easy for him to understand. He looks forward for his piano lesson with Jake every week. We are blessed to have found Jake to teach our children :)

Ahalya N. (4 years)

My 5 year old and I have been Jake's students for almost 2 years. He is amazing with kids, and understands a child's pace and mindset and teaches accordingly. He is patient and very understanding. I have never played an instrument before, and wasn't sure if learning as an adult is a good idea dear. But Jake's constant encouragement and support gave me the courage to start learning. Apart from being a great teacher, he is a wonderful and hard-working person. Our family will miss him dearly.

Sreeja G. (7 years)

Jake Rivers’ combined talent, love of music, and positive attitude make him a highly qualified music teacher. His enthusiasm for music is inspirational. He is both structured and playful in his approach to instruction. Jake's patience separates him from the average instructor. He was able to motivate both of my teenage sons to practice their instruments. They look forward to their lessons. I highly recommend Jake to anyone looking for a music teacher who will go above and beyond. He is a very special teacher.

Alex M. (8 years)

Our 2 kids, ages 10 and 12, have been having piano and guitar classes with Jake for the past year and it has been a great experience to have him as a music teacher. Jake makes the lessons engaging by teaching modern pop tunes (in addition to classical ones), which made our children excited to learn and play. He is patient, flexible with last minute schedule adjustments and in each lesson he is "pushing" the children to improve their skills by teaching slightly more complex songs.
We are very happy with having Jake as their music teacher.

Marilene R. (6 years)

Jake taught our eldest son piano for around a year, and now is also teaching his younger brother as well. Jake has a clear passion for seeing the kids grow, adjusting his material to meet the needs of each child. He always encourages them to do their best, but ultimately wants the best for the kids. Jake’s passion, skill, and knowledge of music is undeniable. I have no hesitation in recommending Jake as a music teacher.

Alan K. (5 years)

Our oldest son was taking lessons with Jake for 6 months in person before SIP. The two of them clicked right from the beginning and Oren was progressing really well. When Covid hit and we had to SIP, Jake was able to transition to virtual lessons effortlessly. I was really impressed with how he was able to communicate and keep Oren's interest even though he wasn't physically with him. Jake has a very patient and engaging style of teaching and I highly recommend him to anyone who asks. We are so lucky to have found him!

Nurit A. (4 years)