Golden Key Piano School’s August 2025 Newsletter

Dear Golden Key Piano School Community,

As we step into a new month, we’re excited to share highlights from the past month and give you a glimpse of the exciting opportunities ahead this month!

1. Best Of Berkeley Award

We would like you to join us in celebrating our Best of Berkeley Award in Music Instruction for the 18th consecutive year!

We are grateful to our amazing teaching staff without whom these awards would not be possible.

We are most grateful to our community for elevating us to this stature over the years.

2. Referral System

We are proud of the quality lessons we offer, and that’s why most of our students come from referrals. These referrals not only affirm the excellence of our programs but also help us grow our scholarship fund, making music education accessible to more aspiring pianists.

Many thanks for your referrals!

To show our appreciation, for each student that is referred, we will:

• Add $50 to our scholarship fund to make our quality lessons available to a wider community.
• Waive the $45 registration fee for your friend as a welcome gift to our school.
• Send you a thank-you gift.

We appreciate your referrals to your friends. If they register in the month of August and use the code: BACKTOSCHOOL, their first lesson is on us. Invite your friends and family for a free 20-minute consultation with Headteacher Katrin. Email us today for details!

3. Calendar

Please find our 2025-26 school calendar of events on our website soon. Please mark your calendar for rehearsal dates and recitals.

We would love to see you take advantage of our free monthly performance days. Performance days are informal and were designed to prepare the students for formal performances and stage.

4. Student News

Congratulations to Maya

Maya, one of Teacher Nicole’s students, has successfully passed RCM Level 6 Practical Exam with First ClassHonors and we are so proud to be associated with her. We have been with her for a few years and have seen her growth through that time. We celebrate her journey and would love to congratulate her and wish her great things as she continues to advance within the music space.

5. Staff News

Welcome to Teacher Janice

We are delighted and excited to have teacher Janice join us as a part the Golden Key Piano School’s teaching staff! Janice is a pianist and teacher based in Oakland, California. She started learning music at the age of 10 and continued her education at California State University Northridge (CSUN). At CSUN, Janice studied Piano Performance under the guidance of Dimitry Rachmanov and Jason Stoll. Over the course of her music career, Janice has performed in large and small ensembles including but not limited to orchestras, jazz bands, and chamber groups.

Janice began her teaching career in 2021 and has experience working with students of all ages. She is passionate about educating students with an enjoyable and structured curriculum to guide them along the path of their musical journey. We are happy to introduce Janice as part of the Golden Key Piano School teacher’s team starting summer of 2025.

Welcome to Assistant Alia

We are delighted and excited to have Alia join us as a part the Golden Key Piano School’s admin staff! Alia Kostecka is a dedicated UC Berkeley humanities student with a big heart. Originally from Los Angeles, Alia has a passion for the arts and creative research. She does both freelance and professional writing, with her most recent work being at the Free Peach- Berkeley’s largest satire publication. With an additional extensive background in childcare, she has 4+ years of experience working with families and is excited to meet all of the Golden Key Piano School students!

Beyond professional life, Alia enjoys spending time with her terrier pup (Benji), cooking, reading, and hanging out with loved ones. You can find her on both LinkedIn and Facebook under Alia Kostecka. We are happy to introduce Janice as part of the Golden Key Piano School admin team.

6. Follow Our Blog

We update our blog with a new post every week, where we post useful insights, advice, and more.

Check the blog here:

Playing with Purpose: Cultivating Emotional Expression in Your Piano Practice