About Suzuki Piano Academy

The Suzuki Piano Academy was started by Heather Williams in Richmond, Virginia. After graduating from BYU with a B.A. in Piano and receiving her Suzuki Piano Level 1 Certification, she was hired by the Virginia Commonwealth University Suzuki Program as a full-time teacher. After one semester, she started her own company in Richmond for the next 7 years, hiring 5 teachers in piano, violin, and guitar. She is also certified in Suzuki Piano Levels 2-6 and trained as a Music Together teacher. She married and moved to Fair Oaks, CA, in 2007, where she worked in Fair Oaks, Folsom, and El Dorado Hills, teaching private Suzuki piano lessons. She discovered the joy of homeschooling her 4 children in 2012 and married her knowledge of music with the needs of the homeschooling community and various charter schools, teaching Music Monkeys performance-based theory classes for K-3rd grades and Music Mind Games for 4th-8th grades. She currently works with other Suzuki teachers in her El Dorado Hills and Fair Oaks locations to meet the growing demand for music instruction.

How Students Learn and Grow

We cater to the very young. Private piano lessons in the Suzuki method typically begin between the ages of 3 and 5. Students learn naturally how to "speak" the language of music before reading the notes. By observation and imitation, students can learn to play complicated, beautiful music. In our academy, reading begins after the first seven pieces have been played hands together fluently and musically. Children love having the music at their fingertips, memorized and internalized. Parents love the repetition and layers of learning that foster true mastery and confidence. The Suzuki method requires memorization of all pieces starting at the lesson. Pieces are reviewed each day and week to build deeper skill sets (i.e., balance, dynamic shaping, and articulation) and long-term memory. Due to the nature of the method, it is suitable for every child—even those with special challenges.