Gingis Academy of Music

"It's impossible to give this music school less than the maximum allowable (5), especially when it comes to Ms. Natalie Gingis. I met her more than 20 years ago, when I was in college, taking a music course with her. That's when I started taking private lessons with her. I was amazed every time she demonstrates a piece of music that I was learning. She brought my level up significantly. She was my inspiration. I learned multiple music instruments from teachers graduated from the Vietnam Conservatory music school. None can be compared to her abilities. She's gifted. Her daughter, Anna Gingis won top international prices. So do lots of her students. I prefer lessons with Ms. Natalie over her daughter. Those that are complaining don't know how lucky they are to have her in the Saratoga areas and they are not good enough to understand, or they don't have the discipline to study piano. Most music teachers, especially, piano music teachers cannot demonstrate at the level Ms. Natalie can. Every time someone tells me that I play well. I always reply that I was so lucky that I met a piano teacher name Natalie Gingis when I was in college. My daughter took music lessons from this school, too. She quit because she's into sports. Seeing that white Kawaii RX-2 reminds me of the good old time."

"Some teachers make their students feel good about themselves, but the results are modest. In contrast, there are teachers who put a lot of pressure on the students while the students don’t always enjoy the ride. Nataly manages to get the best of both worlds: her students achieve amazing results while enjoying the journey. I think the main reason is that she genuinely loves her students and the music and this love is getting transferred to her students. Nataly was recommended to us by some friends. Our son has studied with Nataly for 6 years now and we are very glad to have found her. Max made dramatic progress during these years and he is now thinking of continuing formal education in music, even though this wasn't initially his objective. Our son had several music teachers and Nataly is by far the best teacher he had. If you are serious about learning music and ready for the journey, check the Gingis Academy out."

"I cannot say enough good things about the Gingis Academy. I studied piano for over 5 years with Ms. Gingis and she's the best music teacher I've ever had (and I've been playing piano since I was 3). Ms. Gingis was the reason I was able to get into an incredibly competitive music program for college (UT Austin Butler School of Music). She was also instrumental in helping me start my own piano school while I was in college. Ms. Gingis is incredibly understanding, patient, and communicative. Whenever I was struggling with a piece of preparing for an audition or anything, she would coach me through it and I'd always end up performing at my best. If you're looking for a piano teacher for yourself or for your children, you need to be going to the Gingis Academy. Ms. Gingis changed my life by teaching me piano and I am forever grateful to her. I hope that you're lucky enough to be taught by her as well :-)"

"I have known Natalie for 23 years and I'm also a piano teacher and I'm also was a student of Great Russian School and traditions but I always admire teaching and talent. I have learned a lot from Natalie myself and strongly believe that many teachers may do as well. I was shocked reading this dirty letter by this person who calls himself a piano teacher and also has a Piano School together with his wife. If they have time to teach other children why not to give lessons to their son? They, would save a lot of money and give him high quality lessons plus he would perform on much better piano. It's a very bad attitude trying to ruin another business by advising people to look for piano instructors in his area, probably in his school. He was complaining that his son didn't make any progress in 2 years. That means his son wasn't supervised while practicing , being very busy teaching other children and writing dirty letters about other teachers. I'd never bring my child to his school."

"My son studied with Natalie for almost two years. I chose this teacher because her students play in many competitions, participate in tests and demonstrate high achievements in playing piano at a young age. For myself and my wife being professional musicians and piano teachers, it was a goal to study with Natalie. But, boy - what a frustration and a mistake we made. While she know how to teach, she doesn't want to do her best if you as a parent won't work hard enough to earn her attention. She called my wife today, made her cry and told her that is not willing to continue teaching our son because she in not having enough fun teaching him and she can afford to not teach those children who don't show enough progress as she have enough other kids. My son has participated in numerous recitals at the studio and she said she won't let him participate in the theater as he is not capable of doing it and therefore she is not willing to teach him. For me as a parent and the piano teacher - it is shocking attitude. If you want your child to play for 2 years 2 line songs from Alfred primary book, perform on old out of tune piano at her studio while paying $15 per performance, be treated like a junk if your child is not up to her standards, pay premium fee for her low quality lessons - then choose this school. I put two stars instead of one only because I remember how well her students played in the past and would put zero stars for the teaching and attitude Natalie has as of now. She was a student of a prominent Russian teacher and performer, but she doesn't have neither the commitment, desire, passion, care of being his student and caring over the great traditions of Russian piano school and therefore doesn't deserve to be a part of this school. If you are looking for a great Russian teachers for your child - there are many wonderful and caring instructors in South Bay. Do your research before committing to this school. Thank you for reading"