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Teaching and Private Lessons

In the private studio with Candace, there is a tremendous focus on independent and critical thinking to achieve a personal and relevant connection with music.  From the youngest beginner to students preparing for college auditions, each student is pushed to observe their technique, listen to themselves and great artists with a critical ear, and find their own unique way of integrating sensation.  Students participate in two recitals a year, where building community and support are at the forefront, and are given extra opportunities to participate in competitions, performance exams, and four hands chamber music with their studio-mates.  Current students have performed at Carnegie Hall Weill Recital Hall, Merkin Hall, Academy of Music, and more.  They are accepted to prestigious summer festivals in the United States and Europe to further their musical study.      

Private lessons are generally held at the home studio at the northernmost part of Manhattan, New York, which is also commonly known as Hudson Heights.  Traveling to the home in Manhattan is also an option, but is scheduled very carefully.  Because of the heavy emphasis on technique, Skype lessons are held on a case by case basis.  If you are interested in lessons for your child, please reach out on our contact page, and read over the studio policy​ for pricing and studio rules.  I ask that parents pay special attention to the policies on attendance and cancellations.

Studio Announcements/Student Achievements 

2022 Student Achievements

Elite Music Competition 

Vivian Mennecke-Calandra - Second Prize

 

Little Mozarts Competition 

Audrey Stevens - Second Prize

Edoardo Donnianni - Third Prize

Triumph Music Festival 

Vera Felciano - First prize

Lucia Manzo - First prize

Crescendo International Music Competition

Laura Vokits - Third prize

Vivo International Music Competiton

Zoe Waring - Second prize

Winter Harbor Music Festival Chamber Music Participants

Michael Waldman

Jeremy Hines

2021 Student Achievements

 National Young Maestro Competition Finalists

Eliot Hsueh

Ian Hsueh

Leslie Correa

Rondo Young Artist Festival Competition         

Jasper Mallorca - Honorable Mention

Audrey Stevens - Honorable Mention

 

Triumph Music Festival        

Vivian Mennecke-Calandra - First Prize

                                          

Vivo Competition 2021     

Darrow Julia O’Brien - Third Prize

Vivian Mennecke-Calandra - Third Prize

2020 Student Achievements

Crescendo International Music Competition
Kassidy Chambers, second place

Darrow Julia O’Brien, third place

Triumph Music Festival

Zoe Waring, first prize

Ian Hsueh, first prize

 

Elite Music Competition 
Zoe Waring, second prize

Ian Hsueh, second prize

National Young Maestros' Competition

Vivian Mennecke-Calandra - Best Performance of a 20th Century Piece, bronze medal 

2019 Student Achievements

Pittsburgh International Piano Competition
Channing Sun, 3rd Place
Sean Shen, 3rd Place
Yongxian Ye, Honorable Mention
Zoe Waring, Honorable Mention

STUDIO HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS

Students will remain masked in lessons, and receive hand sanitizer upon entry.  Please give as much notice as possible for illness.  Remote lessons are ALWAYS and option, and preferred to getting sick!

Winter 2023 Recital Green Room Shenanigans

Winter 2023 Recital Green Room Shenanigans

Lucy plays Baby Kangaroo as a baby kangaroo

Lucy plays Baby Kangaroo as a baby kangaroo

Small but mighty Margaret

Small but mighty Margaret

Alighieri Studio 2023 Winter Recital

Alighieri Studio 2023 Winter Recital

Lucia at Academy of Music Triumph Music Festival

Lucia at Academy of Music Triumph Music Festival

Vera at Academy of Music

Vera at Academy of Music

Spring Recital 2022

Spring Recital 2022

Spring Recital 2022

Spring Recital 2022

Alighieri Studio’s Spring 2022 Recital

Alighieri Studio’s Spring 2022 Recital

Adult learners at Winter Harbor Music Festival

Adult learners at Winter Harbor Music Festival

Shostakovich 5 Pieces for Two Violins and Piano at WHMF

Shostakovich 5 Pieces for Two Violins and Piano at WHMF

Zoe at Weill

Zoe at Weill

Warmup/Dress rehearsal at Carnegie Hall Weill Recital Hall, PIPC 2019

James 2014

James 2014

With my student James - his last recital with me before his first year of undergrad for piano performance!

PIPC 2019 Zoe and Sean

PIPC 2019 Zoe and Sean

Proud teacher with students Zoe and Sean backstage at Carnegie Hall

Sean 2019

Sean 2019

Sean at our spring recital 2019

Winter Recital 2018

Winter Recital 2018

The whole crew! One of our best recitals to date!

Spring Recital 2019

Spring Recital 2019

Backstage and getting situated at Mikowsky Hall

Eliana 2018

Eliana 2018

Some beautiful playing from Eliana at the 2018 Winter Recital

Studio Space

Studio Space

A general panorama of where parents wait for lessons

During lesson

During lesson

Zoe in the middle of a lesson

Jack Recital 2016

Jack Recital 2016

Jack warms up to play his Granados at the Winter Recital 2015

The Studio 2016

The Studio 2016

Winter Recital 2016

Zoe 2016

Zoe 2016

Warming up with Zoe pre recital

Backstage 2016

Backstage 2016

Backstage shenanigans

The Studio

The Studio

A rare look at a clean studio without students and music everywhere!

With sweet girl Chloe, May 2016

With sweet girl Chloe, May 2016

My students are also so supportive of my performing career! Chloe came to one of my concerto performances!

Spring Recital 2016

Spring Recital 2016

Spring Recital 2016, right before I returned to Juilliard!

Vuk

Vuk

Vuk studying his music before his lesson in the infamous comfy chair

Point Counterpoint 2015

Point Counterpoint 2015

Teaching never stops even in the summer! With husband, and two talented girls, Rachel and Chloe, that we coached in their chamber groups

Yadany

Yadany

Yadany in a lesson

Tara and Vuk

Tara and Vuk

You might encounter studio dog Fritz during your lesson!

Studio Recital Winter 2013

Studio Recital Winter 2013

At Renee Weiler Hall, 2013

The Lineup - Winter 2013

The Lineup - Winter 2013

Sometimes, we don't get a backstage, so students practice their good audience skills while staying organized.

Summer 2012 Recital

Summer 2012 Recital

At Hunter College Ida K. Lang Recital Hall

© 2019 by C. Chien.   Proudly created with Wix.com

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