Lessons

I am pleased to offer piano lessons in my home studio in El Cerrito. My lessons are classically based, emphasizing strong grounding in technique, and also incorporate composition, improvisation and detailed score analysis. With over 10 years of teaching experience, I bring the versatile perspective of a contemporary performing musician to my music education philosophy and aim to encourage each student’s distinct musical voice. I have taught and coached students who have gone on to top universities and music schools, including Yale, Juilliard, University of Michigan, and others. Additionally, I have trained in NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) and am very interested in the brain’s understanding and mapping of concepts through a variety of sensory inputs and networks.

Prospective students can contact me to schedule an interview and trial lesson.

Testimonials from students and parents

"Anne Rainwater is the piano teacher I’d been looking for all my life, teaching me about musical depths and the finest details of technique. Because of her I'm playing better than I ever dreamed possible music I always thought was beyond me."

Steve B.

Student

"Anne is a wonderful teacher. I would recommend her to students of any level, but all the more so if you're somewhat serious about the piano. I had been struggling to get better on my own for a while before I started studying with her. Anne has helped me accelerate my progress, tackle more ambitious pieces, and think in new ways about how to practice effectively. And most importantly, to listen to and appreciate the music more keenly."

Scott F.

Student

"I enjoy taking lessons and playing the piano with Anne. I find her analysis of scores is often very useful for both practicing and appreciating music. And from her lessons too, I find she tries to teach me, besides and beyond technical skills, how to express musical feelings."

Harry X.

Student

"I have been studying with Anne Rainwater for nearly 3 years. She has helped me improve my piano playing in both fun and thoughtful ways. Using different means to understand and connect to the pieces we learn, Anne has brought much into music that I had not experienced before. During lessons, we explore the known and even the unanswerable questions that music raises. She uses each students’ interests to help them understand better the beauty of music and how each student can create and develop their own creativity and imagination around the pieces they are to perform."

Frances G.

Student (age 15)

“I am so glad we found Anne for my nine-year-old son. He has learned great technique, music theory, and the joy of playing. Anne strikes a very fine balance of patience, playfulness, and gentle firmness. I especially appreciate that she respects each student as an individual.”

Robyn W.

Parent

"Our 8-year-old daughter loves taking piano lessons with Anne and has learned to play so much in just one year. Anne definitely has a way of teaching kids that shows she is serious about musicianship but is still playful, patient, and kind."

Lucia H.

Parent