Welcome To Piano By Mari!

The Piano By Mari studio offers private instruction to children (Ages 4+) and adults at all skill levels. A challenging and comprehensive curriculum, beginning with piano fundamentals plus a variety of musical styles, music theory and history, is specially custom-tailored to each student's individual needs and learning style. Students benefit from the personal one-on-one attention, and planned semiannual recitals to provide them with exposure to performing before a live audience. They will also be provided the opportunity to perform in festivals, evaluations and competitions when a commercial performing arts facility (currently in the design & planning stages) becomes available in the vicinity. Regular (30-minute) and extended (45-minute) lessons are available. Arrangements for multiple lessons per week can be made, based upon scheduler availability.

Simply put...Ms. Mari's lifelong passions are MUSIC (specifically, piano playing) and TEACHING! A true Kama'aina (born & raised in Hawaii) in every sense of the word, she has a collegiate-level music major background with 17+ years of experience as a private piano teacher (both studio-based and traveling). Ms. Mari specializes in primary (elementary) school-aged children, as she has a Bachelor of Arts degree as well as a 5th-Year Professional Diploma in Elementary Education (with Music Emphasis) along with 13+ years of experience as a certified elementary public schoolteacher. See Ms. Mari's Philosophy Of Education for more details in her own words.

While also teaching full-time during the day as a classroom schoolteacher, Ms. Mari still persued her first-love...MUSIC! Her impressive repertoire of piano teaching experience includes:

• A 7-year stint as a private piano teacher working part-time (on weekends & holidays) for Ellen Masaki, a well-known, Hawaii-based local musical entrepreneur; founder of the Ellen Masaki School of Music, as well as owner of Thayer Piano Co. Ltd.
• An additional 10 years of experience as a traveling piano teacher, teaching students at their homes who are children of small business owners as well as high-ranking business executives.

Utilizing her previous experience as a full-time classroom teacher, Ms. Mari also operates Tutor By Mari...a private & group academic tutoring service.