Golden Key Piano School’s March 2026 Newsletter

Dear Golden Key Piano School Community,

As March begins, our halls are filled with the focused energy of our students as they prepare for recital season. It is a time of immense growth, and we are so proud of the commitment our students are showing at the keys. This month, we have several important announcements, exciting performance opportunities, and a final call for our upcoming Master Class.

1. Prep Group Class Registration

It’s still not too late to register and join our group class, held on Wednesdays at 1:30pm. These innovative group lessons are specially designed for younger students to prepare them for further private piano lessons.

Children will be introduced to the piano, taught the keyboard and musical alphabet through imagery and fun games which capture their attention and foster their imagination. They will develop the essential understanding of the piano literature appropriate for early ages.

To register, please reply to this email and we will send you more information!

2. Masterclass with Temirzhan Yerzhanov: One Spot Available

We are currently down to one final spot remaining. This is a rare, intensive learning opportunity to receive personalized guidance for your advanced repertoire.

If you are an advanced student, but not ready to participate, we strongly recommend that you join in and observe. You will learn a lot just by observing.

We are honored to welcome back Temirzhan Yerzhanov this year for another masterclass dedicated to our advanced students. Named ‘Best Performer of the Year’ by San Francisco Classical Voice, Maestro Yerzhanov is a Gold Medalist of the International Robert Schumann Piano Competition and has performed at world-renowned venues including Carnegie Hall and the London Wigmore Hall.

As a graduate and former faculty member of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, his students have gone on to win top prizes at prestigious competitions like The Queen Elisabeth and The Tchaikovsky.

Participation Details:

Space is limited for this exclusive session. If you are an advanced student interested in participating, please discuss this with your teacher immediately to begin preparing your piece.

Date: Sunday, April 19th, 2026
Time: 5:00 PM (Duration: Approx. 2–3 hours)
Location: DC Piano 801 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94710
Format: Each participant will receive a 30-minute lesson.
Participant Fee: $90
Observer Fee: $15

Sign Up and Pay here

3. Graduation Recital

We are proud to announce the Graduation Recital for our students who will be leaving for college this year. This is a special opportunity to celebrate their years of dedication and the musical legacy they leave behind at Golden Key Piano School.

Date: Sunday, March 8, 2026
Time: 5:30 PM
Location: Piedmont Piano Company, 1728 San Pablo Ave, Oakland, CA 94612, United States

We invite you to celebrate our graduating students, please RSVP by responding to this email. We look forward to celebrating together!

4. Solo Recital Registration

Kindly register for the upcoming annual solo recital. The annual solo recital is set up for 26th April 2026.

The rehearsal will happen on April 12th, April 14th and April 16th 2026. You can register for the rehearsal here.

Please note that to attend the recital, you only need to pay once for the rehearsal.

5. School News

A Fond Farewell to Teacher Chenyi

It is with a mix of gratitude and sadness that we share the news of Chenyi’s departure from our faculty. During her time at Golden Key Piano School, Chenyi has been an extraordinary teacher, bringing deep musical insight, patience, and a genuine warmth to every lesson. She has played a vital role in our students’ growth, helping them find their own unique voices at the piano.

While we will deeply miss her presence in our studio, we are so excited for her as she embarks on the next chapter of her journey. We want to thank her for the passion and artistry she shared with our community and wish her nothing but the very best in her future endeavors.

Don’t worry though, we will most likely see her around on recitals and maybe even as a substitute teacher.

Transfigured Night, piano recital by Jeff Li

One of our beloved teachers, Teacher Jeff will be performing a solo piano recital on Sunday May 24, 7:30pm at Berkeley Piano Club.
If you would like to attend, the details are as follows;

Transfigured Night, piano recital by Jeff Li
Sunday, May 24 at 7:30pm
Berkeley Piano Club
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/transfigured-night-piano-recital-by-jeff-li-tickets-1984096712678?aff=oddtdtcreator

Come enjoy an evening of piano music performed by East Bay pianist, Jeff Li.

Mark your calendars for an evening of hauntingly beautiful and poignant piano music by Sibelius, Bach, Chopin, Zwilich, Babadjanian, and the Beatles/Hiromi Uehara.

This eclectic program explores the darker sides of human experience, and the emotional undercurrents we navigate as we sail through the night.

This is the west coast premiere of this recital, which will be performed again the following week in Boston, MA at the Winner’s Concert at the 2026 Boston International Piano Competition.

• Doors open at 7 pm. Admissions is free and open to the public.
• Music starts at 7:30pm, lasting approx. 60 minutes with no intermission.

6. Follow Our Blog

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

Check the blog here:

Why Improvisation isn’t Just for Jazz Pianists