Piano instruction has a very specific place in my heart, because of all the disciplines I regularly practice, this one is the most tangible in terms of its impact on others. I teach a community of students spanning every American time zone and age bracket, personalizing each curriculum so as to teach personal musicianship, not just technical piano ability. With lessons centered around classical technique and theory, while branching into alternative fields such as pop/jazz/theatre playing styles, ear training, and improvisation, it’s no wonder that I look forward to work every day.

See what students have to say!

“Our two sons (6 years old and 8 years old) have been learning piano with Alec for almost two years.  They have made amazing progress.  Alec not only teaches skills but also inspires them to appreciate the music.  Alec encourages them to write their own songs and use music to tell stories.  Our sons love playing piano and creating music with Alec!” -Nancy Tao and Roy Hsiao, parents of Royce and Rex

“Alec is an amazingly talented musician and an absolute gem of a teacher who has paved my solid path back to the piano after many years away. His strong knowledge of diverse repertoire, endless patience, warm and engaging personality, and magical bag of tricks for tackling any technical challenge make him a wonderful instructor for students of all ages and levels of experience. Whether in person or virtual, my lessons with Alec are always a high point of my week!” — Heather Swartz, student

“Alec is super knowledgeable and constantly adapts to help me learn whatever I'm interested in. Not only does he know the fine points of almost any style or subject, he knows multiple ways to teach them, so he can find the best way to help anyone grow as a musician. Very communicative and flexible, an all around great teacher!” — Brendan Riley, student

“Two years ago, lamenting the fact that I couldn’t play piano, I told Alec, “I’m not musical, and I’m terrible at piano.” to which he replied, “you don’t take lessons.” That was true. Curious, I thought, “Why not take lessons and practice and see what happens?” To my utter and slowly revealing surprise, I discovered that an ordinary person can take lessons as an adult and actually learn to play the piano.
Alec is an exceptional teacher. In each lesson, he gives you laser-focused tailored attention while genuinely making you feel as if your musical progress is of the utmost importance. He teaches theory along with technique, so with time, you gain a deeper understanding of your practice and the compositions. In addition, while Alec has advanced skills and training, his teaching style is innovative, passionate and relatable; if you are not grasping a technique or concept, he has a magic hat filled with endless angles and approaches to ensure you can succeed. Finally, Alec has an uncanny ability to zoom in on musical weaknesses and adhere himself there, allowing you to confront and improve upon the gaps in your playing and knowledge that most hold you back.
I realize that some day, Alec may be too busy with his own musical compositions to have the time to teach me piano, but until that day comes, I will continue my two lessons per week and delight in becoming a musician.” — Deborah Herman, student and Alec’s mom!