Miss Amanda

ABOUT MY BACKGROUND — I grew up during the start of the 90’s in San Jose, California and started my formal training at age 4 in classical and jazz piano at a Russian piano school called Almaden School of Music. I was also deeply involved in singing at this age, performing regionally across California and Arizona with my church choir.

After completing 7 years of piano lessons, I became highly involved in acting and theater arts. A few years later, my family relocated to Murrieta in Southern California. During this time, I began developing a repertoire of video game music, using self-directed study to explore more advanced piano techniques. I also began writing original pop compositions, character songs, love songs, comedy sketches, finales, atmospheric scores and sound bites. Many of these humorous compositions were created in the moment, shared and performed only in front of friends.

Later in 2011, during my first year at San Francisco State University, one of my piano instructors invited me to teach with a local music education company, Keyboard Educators. This marked the beginning of my teaching career at age 20.

During this period, I was also actively performing original pop music I wrote at campus events and began collaborating in a band that entered the San Francisco Talent Show Competition in 2013, earning runner-up honors after performing in Golden Gate Park. In parallel, I sang with San Francisco State’s gospel choir that placed first in a regional competition and performed at Herbst Theatre in 2012.

During a period of transition and personal reflection, I decided to move back home to be closer to family. In 2014, I transferred to Cal State San Marcos and began offering private piano lessons, teaching to students of all ages throughout San Diego and Riverside County.

After graduating in 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in Visual and Performing Arts & Music Technology, I relocated to Portland to explore new professional opportunities and begin a new chapter for my family. Over time, this move led me back into teaching, and in 2021 I was contracted as a piano teacher at Portland Adventist Elementary School while at the same time expanding my private teaching practice.

Since then, it has been a privilege to teach piano and music to hundreds of children and adults across a wide range of settings, including churches, private and public schools, daycares, and home studios throughout the Portland area.

Alongside my teaching work, I have continued to broaden my approach to music education through mindful, body-aware practices. In 2023, I earned my RYT-200 certification, with additional certifications in Yin Yoga and Kids Yoga. This background has informed my interest in incorporating gentle, mindful strategies at the piano that support focus, healthy movement and ease while playing.

In 2025, I became a member of the Oregon Music Teachers Association, and in 2024 I was recognized by Steinway & Sons as a Top Piano Teacher. Since then, I have been studying with an experienced adjudicator to thoughtfully refine my lesson structure and curriculum, supporting students in approaching examinations with clarity and confidence.

I absolutely love teaching and working with kids, and of course all ages! I remain deeply committed to refining my teaching methods and curriculum to make learning piano simple, accessible and enjoyable (my kids are always ready and quick to remind me if it ever gets boring). Looking ahead, my long-term professional focus is to complete clear, beginner-friendly educational resources—including an online course and instructional book—that explain piano technique and music theory in an approachable, effective way. I am also gradually expanding into digital learning through instructional videos and app-based tools, while continuing to compose, produce and perform original music.

As my studio continues to grow, I hope to further develop it into a space where students can learn not only piano, but also how to write, record, and produce their own music, building strong skills in both musicianship and music technology. Above all, my goal is to continue building a healthy piano studio that supports confident musicianship and nurtures the next beautiful generation of artists.

Taught with love, guided by curiosity — and occasionally supervised by my kids.