WHAT STUDENTS ARE SAYING ABOUT
LESSONS WITH MATT JOHNSON
954.701.1518
“Matt is fantastic!! My daughter just started taking lessons and Matt was the perfect choice. Our first meeting he sat and talked to my daughter, asked her questions, had her play and made it fun to learn.
He has a unique approach to teaching and makes it fun and at the same time he challenges her, which she likes. He makes her think....
When we left our meeting with him we were both smiling ear to ear and I asked her, so what do you think? She said, mom, he was awesome. I love how he is going to challenge me. That will make me work harder. Not long after we left we called Matt to thank him for taking the time to meet us and how much my daughter enjoyed talking to him.
Thank you Matt—you teach with your heart and you’re a wonderful teacher and so happy you were referred to us. We highly recommend Matt Johnson.”
Tina K.
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“Matt's solid academic credentials, lifetime body of inspiring work and passion for his calling make him a superior musician and teacher. Matt is an insightful and patient teacher who will challenge piano students at any level to excel. Matt's style is relaxed yet engaging, with just the right amount of intensity to keep you on your toes. If you're serious about learning piano, you owe it to yourself to give him a call. I'm glad I did.”
Dan F.
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“I’ve had the pleasure to study piano with Matt, and I can say that he literally changed the way I approach the piano. I'll never be the same, and that's a great thing! Matt taught me how to bring out the melody on whatever I'm trying to play, and I couldn't be happier with the results. I’ve definitely become a better musician! I've started playing the piano when I was 6, and I wish I could travel back in time and learn those valuable lessons from Matt instead.
Matt Johnson is not your average piano teacher—he is the real deal!”
Doug C.
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"As an adult returning to the piano after many years, I am so glad to have found Matt. Maestro Matt (as I call him) is a music professional in every sense of the word. He’s brought a sense of 'I can do this!' to this student. While a perfectionist, Matt patiently listens with understanding and freely shares his knowledge. I come prepared to each lesson and ready for piano because I want to, not because I have to. His lovely studio is a study in harmony itself. I recommend Matt Johnson to all who want to experience the joy of playing piano…at any age.”
Diane J.
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“Matt is a caring teacher. He is always attentive and makes music learning fun. My kids enjoyed the class time and couldn’t believe the hour had passed. I would recommend Matt to any family.”
Simone D.
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“My daughter’s lessons are absolutely fantastic, Matt. Wow! We are still amazed that you are able to fit so much piano info into an hour. Seriously. She now understands and is playing from lead sheets. Thank you so, so very much.
You are a gifted teacher.”
M. D.
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“Matt started teaching my daughter at the age of 5 and instilled in her a love for music and playing the piano. He challenged her and to this day she remembers his words when she has a recital. We were sad when we had to leave the area knowing that as a piano teacher, Matt would be irreplaceable. I highly recommend Matt for all levels of piano students.”
Sally H.
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“I’m very grateful for Mr. Johnson because he helped me tremendously on passing my music theory course in my last semester of graduate school. He kept me focused and help me through my multiple mini-tantrums throughout my music theory class when I didn’t have a clue sometimes of what my professor was trying to explain. I’m very grateful and appreciative for all Matt’s taught me.”
Daisy G.
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“Matt is a wonderful piano teacher—proficient, talented, and good with students. He has high expectations, but that is not meant to sound intimidating. Instead, it's a comment on the way he challenges students to meet their full potential.”
Kristen Y.
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“Matt has instructed both of my children, who are now both in the top jazz class in high school. He has a profound knowledge of music techniques and theory, but most importantly is able to teach in an inspiring way. We would highly recommend his professional service.”
Pat M.
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“We highly recommend Matt Johnson for piano lessons. His knowledge of music and music theory, along with his encouraging teaching style is a perfect match for my son. We couldn't be happier to have found Matt.”
Bonnie S.
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“Matt has been teaching my daughter for almost 2 years now and his dedication and patience has been outstanding. He has been a great mentor to her not only in music but in her discipline to accomplish tasks. Thank you Matt!”
Mary M.
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“I came into piano lessons…as an adult novice…with a lot of confused ideas as to what I wanted to accomplish, and how. Matt's patience and versatile teaching style showed me how best to express the music that's been stuck in my head for years. Thanks Matt!”
Jared B.
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“Studying music with Matt is a great experience for me. He is professional, knowledgeable and an inspiring piano teacher. My pianistic and compositional skills have improved significantly since I started studying with him. I would definitely recommend Matt Johnson to anyone looking for a piano teacher.”
Noir N.
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“Mr. Johnson was my first piano teacher and he got me off to a great start. He is great and dedicated. He has inspired me a lot so it kept me playing piano until now.”
Bryan L.
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“My child takes piano lessons with Matt Johnson and I must say, I am totally satisfied with his work. Mr. Johnson is very detailed and meticulous, and I recommend his classes to my friends.”
Michelle J.
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“Honestly, Matt Johnson is the best piano teacher in the world! I've been learning to read notes my whole piano learning life, but ever since I had Mr. Matt as my teacher, I've learned so much theories, tips, patterns and everything else in the music world. As I've spent my years with Mr. Matt, he isn't one of those strict piano teachers that scares kids, instead he teaches kids in a funny and joyful way that motivates students to progress their playing in music. I highly recommend Mr. Matt to beginners or advance kids. There is always so much to learn from Mr. Matt!”
Espee W.
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“Matt Johnson is a fantastic teacher who not only cares about excellence in music, but also about the student as a person. I took lessons for only nine months in high school, but still consider him a good friend who I have gone to for advice. His desire is to develop the student's skills as a musician, but also develop him/her as a person, prepared for whatever career the future holds. I highly recommend Matt.”
Josiah J.
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“I highly recommend Matt for piano lessons. His amazing academic qualifications, lifetime body of inspirational work and enthusiasm for his profession make him a better artist and trainer. Matt’s understanding of music and composition, along with his motivational teaching manner is a wonderful match for kids and adults who want to learn music. He is a perceptive and patient teacher who will challenge piano students at any level to shine.”
Arthur M.
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“Matt has been a very professional and patient teacher for both kids. He has a solid foundation in the skills and theory of music and was able to transfer this knowledge on a pleasant and individual method. We are glad to have had Matt as a teacher at the beginning of the musical journey of our kids. Thank you Matt!”
Eve X.
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“Since I was young, I've always wanted to learn how to play the piano. Now as an adult, I've taken the plunge. I tried learning on my own but wasn't getting very far. I spent a year looking around for a piano teacher in my area I could feel comfortable with. Finding Matt was either sheer luck or God's grace.
Matt is patient, caring and honest with me. He makes learning fun and he always knows just the right amount to push me beyond my comfort zone. My technique and understanding have improved considerably in the time I've been working with him. I am sight reading, my rhythm (which I thought would be hopeless) is slowly improving and I have more confidence in my studies. I've gone from knowing absolutely nothing to "late elementary" in a short time. I've also gained a greater appreciation for music, music theory and my own abilities.
The best thing is that each week when I conclude my lesson time, I always walk away feeling happy and motivated to continue learning and practicing.”
Doug G.
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“In the words of my daughter, 'he has opened my eyes to a whole new world about how to play the piano.’
I want to thank you for renewing her interest in the piano. I appreciate your flexible and insightful instructional style, able to get inside of your student's head and find ways to help them overcome their personal hurdles. You are what we were looking for. Additionally, the music which flows from your fingers is inspiring and coupled with the way you help my daughter relate to what you play for her, reveals what an outstanding musician you are.
Your introductory four pronged approach (finger substitution, rhythm, chops, and goal piece/chords) is what she needed to actually make her earlier studies finally come together. Six weeks ago she would not/could not tackle a piece by herself, but last week, in just five days, she conquered two new pieces on her own. While like most kids her age, she gets impatient, frustrated, and even bored with the very passages which would make her advance, she is now learning how to become an independent learner at the keyboard and developing the (physical and mental) stamina and playing technique by which to do so.
I think she enjoys the time she spends with you…and the intellectual exchange…as much as she enjoys the music.”
Mark R.
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“We are happy to have found a great and patient teacher for our kids! Thanks, Matt”
Patrick W.
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“Thank you for helping me grow as a musician and as a person these past few years. You have pushed me in a loving way, and I am grateful for that. You are a wonderful friend and mentor. Thank you for all that you do.”
Kerry N.
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“We are moving. Do you know any piano teachers in the Ohio area?
I need someone like you! Great musician from a playing and theory point, but also makes it fun for the kids and is able to tap into their talent. I have some big shoes to fill when it comes to a teacher for (my daughter).
There are no words that are adequate enough to describe how thankful I feel that she began her musical journey with you as her teacher. You made her fall in love with playing the piano. You were able to impart your musical knowledge on a level that she was able to grasp as well as providing her with a foundation that she will carry with her for years to come.
There have been many tears on her part regarding, and I quote, 'There will never be another teacher like Mr. Matt.'”
Harmony S.
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“You seem to have a way of tapping into your students inner potential that they don't know is there yet and bring it out in the most amazing ways. Too bad I didn't have a teacher like you when I was studying piano. Hopefully my daughter will continue to love the piano as she does now…and you won't retire.”
Stephanie H.
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“Thank you for all you have done to nurture our daughter’s love of music and the piano. You are an amazing teacher and I will miss watching and listening to you on the piano.”
Rodney H.
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“I worked with Matt throughout high school and know it was one of the best decisions I ever made! Before studying piano with Matt, I could only play basic songs, didn't know anything about dynamics, was not really interested in learning music and was literally dragged to lessons every week.
Thankfully, that all changed when I began working with Mr. Johnson—I actually looked forward to our weekly lessons! I now have many classical and popular pieces under my belt…songs I never dreamed I could play.
His relaxed style of teaching kept me motivated and eliminated that ‘ughhh…I have piano today’ attitude that I had with previous teachers. I loved the musical challenges I received while working with Matt and would definitely recommend him to anyone looking for a knowledgeable and fun teacher to learn from.”
Stephanie L.
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“Thanks, Matt! You really ‘hit the spot’ for my daughter. She loved your laid back (yet serious) teaching style and giving her the freedom to explore the world of music with her own interests. You are obviously quite qualified to teach any style or any level of piano, but I appreciated the fact that you cared more about your student’s interest than your own.”
Sheree S.
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“As a beginning adult student, Matt made me feel comfortable from day one. His enthusiasm and teaching style are contagious. I highly recommend Matt for students of any age.”
Jay C.
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“After not having played for twenty years, taking lessons with Matt helped rekindle my love for the piano. I appreciated his willingness to let me choose my own music—usually a mix of classical and New Age. He also challenged me to stretch beyond my perceived limit. I never dreamed, for instance, that I’d master a Beethoven Sonata, but I did.”
Grace D.
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“Matt taught me to look deeper into the meaning of music so that the sound of the music itself became an expression of my emotions.”
Andrew D.
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“I’ve worked with Mr. Johnson, both as a parent of his music students and as a musician who is active in church and community organizations.
What I have come to value most about Matt is his ability to sense how far an individual can reach as a musician and then to create an environment in which that goal can be achieved. For me, at least, I had no idea I could perform at the level he knew I could reach. If you had told me ten years ago that I would feel comfortable playing keyboards for church services, singing in small ensembles (including solos), and directing handbell choirs, I'd have laughed.”
Jo-Dee G.
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“I began taking private lessons with Mr. Johnson in 2004. For the previous 10 years, my training focused on obtaining certain levels of achievement and preparing for piano competitions. I become bored and frustrated—ready to quit piano! I wanted to play more modern sounding music and wanted a fuller sound when I played.
My parents sought out Matt for lessons after they heard him play several church Christmas programs and were very impressed with his use of dynamics and how emotional his playing was. During our initial interview, he explained his philosophy of teaching his students to be thinking, performing and functional musicians, not just key pushers. He stressed the importance of looking past the written music and making it your own.
Matt’s method is to have students learn to play a piece just as it is written first. Then after he is satisfied that they understand the piece as it was written and can play it that way, he works with them to instill techniques to make the music their own and add their personal style to the piece through improvisation. He teaches his students how to apply what they have learned about theory to improvise, change keys, reharmonize chord progressions, add arpeggios, implement various rhythms, carefully use dynamics and voicing, etc.
One of the most valuable things Matt taught me was to ‘fill in’ areas of a song where there are rests. When the music leaves one hand resting for two or three beats, improvise and fill in that dead space with some notes! This is where a fuller sound comes from. All of this makes the music more modern sounding, fuller and more rewarding because you are creating your own personalized version of the song—the way you like it.
His teaching style brought back the challenge, the joy, the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. I didn’t even know these were the things I was missing at the time.
Matt has given me the confidence to express myself on the piano, and even as an adult, I will be forever grateful to him for giving me that ability.”
Elizabeth R.
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“At the age of 62, I decided to begin learning how to play the piano. With good fortune, I became a student of Matt Johnson. Matt’s consistent patience, sincerity and obvious concern for my success created a positive environment. Having Mr. Johnson as an instructor and guide is the primary reason why I still love this new learning experience.”
Betsy C.
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“Although I have not remained a pianist by trade, Matt's first-rate musicianship and teaching skills not only educated me as a child, but continue to be the inspiration that drives me as a student of music throughout my adult life.”
Andrew P.