My 8-year-old son has been taking piano classes with Katya for 2 years. He started with no experience and made a significant progress over the course. I like that the skill of reading notes was taught from the very beginning. Katya is a very experienced and patient teacher. She always finds a way to keep the child concentrated and enthusiastic during the class and while practicing at home. Katya has developed a custom learning plan for my son that helps him to progress at his own pace. Sometimes my child feels overwhelmed and less interested in playing piano. Katya's help has been tremendous during such periods. She senses his mood and knows how to work through it. Recently, my son got interested in composing music. Katya started by explaining the basic principles and my son's first piece came out pretty good. I highly recommend Katya's studio to anyone looking for a great teacher who can make your child fall in love with music and piano.
-Olesia Kekukh

Katya is a truly passionate teacher who is determined to grow pianists equipped with not only right techniques but also with the right work discipline. Her piano school is meant to be for students with a serious aspiration to learn and love the art of playing the piano and composing. That is why Katya does not accept all applicants trying out a hobby but only those who are sincerely eager and ready to work on their playing skills both during the class and practice time at home. I really praise her ability to select both rigorous and musically aesthetic materials for practice and recitals. While Katya clearly expects your child to achieve and will always communicate challenging areas for further improvement she is a genuinely patient mentor and therefore even the most difficult stages of learning can be overcome with her teaching attitude. My 8-year-old daughter has been Katya's student for the last three years and she cannot imagine to have any other piano teacher. We are looking forward to participating in piano exams, contests and concerts in the future.
-Iana Pencina

I am writing this review to express my appreciation for my daughter's piano teacher, Katya Barash. Katya has taught my daughter Victoria for almost 4 years, from the age of 3. Since the very first class with Katya, Victoria fell in love with music. Katya offers an age appropriate, interactive, and flexible class structure. This includes listening to music and dancing, playing piano, reciting poems, studying rhythm, learning music notations, and of course, playing games. Katya is very passionate about music, which is seen in her enthusiastic teaching style and energetic teaching techniques. My daughter enjoys her class so much that she is able to work without a break for more than an hour. In addition to her enthusiastic nature, Katya is very patient with Victoria. She encourages her to make her best effort and emphasizes her improvement every piano lesson. During her four years of studying with Katya, Victoria was able to make tremendous progress as a musician. She went from being a novice in music to becoming an experienced piano player and performing at the intermediate level with enthusiasm, endurance, and an appreciation of music. Katya has prepared my daughter for exams at the Royal Conservatory of Music from the age of 5. With her support, Victoria achieved the High and First Class Honor Awards. In addition, under Katya's guidance, Victoria achieved the Grand Prize in the Rising Talent competition in New York, and first place along with a trip to Carnegie Hall in the Little Mozarts international competition. Katya also offers opportunities for my daughter to participate in live and online concert series organized by the New England Piano Teacher Association as well. As a result, Victoria developed confidence and comfort when performing for an audience. It is with great pleasure that I recommend Katya Barash as a music teacher to everybody who is looking for a piano teacher for their child/ren or for themselves. I am incredibly grateful to Katya for everything she has taught my daughter, who now proudly calls herself a musician.
-Tatayana Kolesnikova, Boston

My daughter Audrey has been taking Katya's private piano lessons for almost three years. Katya is a very enthusiastic and professional piano teacher who knows how to keep kids engaged and eager to learn. During her class, she is an extremely patient person, a must for handling young kids. She is very innovative in finding ways to keep kids motivated, for example, by picking new materials suited to individual tastes/preferences. My daughter has made significant progress in her piano skills. We have been lucky to find a great teacher like Katya, and highly recommend her to anyone looking for a piano teacher.
-Volha Kumar

"We are privileged to have Katya Barash as a piano teacher for our son. He has been her student for the last 3 years.

Our son loves coming to his piano classes and recently started voice lessons with her.

Katya is an accomplished musician, she graduated from one of the best musical institutions in Russia.

Her talent as a teacher is absolutely exceptional, she makes her students feel special and provides a very positive and creative environment in her classes.

Katya's patience and encouragement together with structured and well planned lessons give great results.

She inspires students not only to study music, but to create music as well.

She has been recommended to us by multiple grateful parents whose children are her students, and we have are happy to recommend her to anyone who wants to learn music."

Kevin, Natalia and Max Leach

"Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to provide an enthusiastic recommendation for Katya Barash as a music teacher.

Katya has given piano lessons to our ten-year-old-daughter for the last five years.

Katya is very attentive to detail and paid special attention from the beginning to ensuring that our daughter learned proper posture, hand placement, and technique, which has visibly set our daughter apart from her peers, who have studied with other teachers.

Katya has continually adjusted her teaching style to our daughter's evolving needs and personality, eliciting our daughter's best efforts with a soft touch and urging improvement with positive reinforcement.

Katya also has organized student recitals over the years, providing her students with life performance experience.

In addition to piano Katya has taught music theory, and singing.

In short, Katya is an outstanding and multi-talented music teacher."

William Fick, parent

"Katya is a wonderful teacher, very patient and encouraging, and very attentive to details.

I played piano when I was a child, and I'm really happy that Katya quickly gave me back the ability to enjoy playing piano.

Her teaching progresses methodically and logically through music theory and fundamentals, but she's also adept at keeping the pace of study moving briskly, inserting fun and interesting pieces from a variety of musical styles.

Katya is thoroughly dedicated and organized and accommodate my learning interests."

Micaela T., adult student

"Ms. Katya Barash gave our daughter piano lessons for 8 years (age 6-14).

We had a prior experience with a less understanding teacher, which left our daughter somewhat apprehensive of music lessons. Ms. Barash was extremely sensitive to this and quickly turned the experience to one of daughter's favorite activities of the week.

Her music assignments were both comprehensive and fun, and skillfully combined technique development with pieces which emphasized music understanding and appreciation.

The lessons themselves were creative, incorporating elements of song and rhythm, as well as the use of recorded accompaniment.

We also appreciated Ms. Barash's emphasis on proper posture and hand positioning, which gave our daughter a good basis for developing on her own.

Now our daughter realized that thanks to 8 years of thoughtful guidance from Katya Barash she could essentially enjoy picking up new music from the shelf and playing it on her own to her delight."

Eli and Ellen Gelfand, parents