Be sure to also check out our Yelp page reviews and Google Reviews.
"As much as I'm looking forward to [college abroad], I'm already missing our lessons together. I've Improved so much as a pianist over the past few years. You did such a great job of encouraging me to work on my technical skill and improve my repertoire while still allowing me to incorporate my own music, and that's the kind of balance I hope to maintain in my practice even years down the road. Thank you so much for everything." - Lina (graduating High School senior).
"Anna and I would like to extend many, may thanks to you for the years of tutelage you have provided Lina. We are, of course, aware of how her skill as advanced, and how she was encouraged to seek out challenging new pieces to play. But, your patience and ability to listen has been invaluable as well. You seem to have a unique ability to listen to and gently encourage your students as the advance their skills. We hope you and Lina are able to continue working together." - John & Anna, parents of Lina (graduating High School senior).
"I have been very happy with my lessons. Dr. Monique has been willing to teach me the way I want to learn. She is very qualified to teach any level of music that one could want to learn." - Jacques
"My son started with Dr. Monique at age six. My son is now eight and plays with such joy and confidence. Music theory can be challenging for young children, but Dr. Monique makes music accessible and fun. She is positive, engaging, and always professional. Watching my son learn from such an experienced and skilled pianist and seeing his love for music flourish has been a privilege. I cannot recommend Dr. Monique enough." - Grace C.
"Dr. Monique has been phenomenal towards my progress with learning piano. Not only does she have a wealth of knowledge in both music theory and technique, she pays critical attention to how the student learns and develops in their own respective way. For me, I find learning music theory while playing more effective in retaining what I learn. Accounting for this, she is able to block certain parts of the lesson to explain theoretical concepts I may at first find confusing. She can effectively simplify nuanced concepts while connecting it to what I play during lessons.
When I first began lessons with Dr. Monique, she took the time to understand and discuss how I learn best. I was struggling to break old habits that I had picked up from self-teaching; we would play a piece and identify the problem areas within the phrases to work on so she could understand the root of the habit. Once we understood my opportunities, she selected specific exercises that swiftly replaced old habits with the correct ones. She was able to factor my feedback, my current understanding and skill with piano, and the rate of personal skill progression over time all into account when developing a personal teaching style that worked best for me.
Dr. Monique has been very flexible with my busy schedule and has taken the extra time out of hers to allow makeup lessons should something conflict with the date. She proactively communicates with her students and encourages them to learn by either bonus group lessons or external resources.
I am so fortunate to have found a teacher that not only is a wonderful musician, but also an incredible teacher. I recommend her courses to anyone who has an interest or passion for piano - no matter the skill level!" - Bobby G.
"I have been with Dr. Monique for a few months now. I am 73 yrs old and play at an early advanced level. I have had a lot of teachers and I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoy working with Dr. Monique. The offsite lessons (Zoom) are terrific. I have attended a recital and was very impressed with the musicality of her students. I highly recommend Dr. Monique. " - Gerald L.
"To celebrate 2021, I made a New Years Resolution to take piano lessons again after a hiatus of about 15 years. Monique matched every quality I was looking for: a flexible instructor with a great sense of humor who didn’t mind that I wanted to pick my own music. As an added bonus, her piano lessons are fun! She is wonderfully patient and has great advice for helping you make a piece sound fabulous. I’m very impressed with how much I’ve accomplished in a short time! I highly recommend Monique if you’re an adult thinking about taking lessons – it’s a great experience." - Phoebe
"I have been taking lessons with Monique for over 3 months. I sought her out because of a New Years resolution, I wanted to learn to play piano. As a 26 year old. With very limited musical experience. To say lessons with her have changed my life would be an understatement. She matched me with the right music book, the right schedule, and the right teaching. I have never felt more confident in my life. Learning something new in a structured way has brought a newfound sense of accomplishment and I owe it all to Monique. Her lessons are affordable and she holds you acocuntable while still making it an extremely fun and rewarding experience. Would recommend her to any adult who wishes to take on something new for themselves." - Maggie C., Atlanta.
"We would like to thank Monique for her professionalism and her patience and kindness with our child. She's the perfect match to teach piano to young kids" - Diane, mother of 4-yr-old Katelyn.
Testimonials from piano student parents upon moving to Atlanta:
"Monique has done a wonderful job with our eight year old son Adam. She kept him engaged, and interested throughout the lessons, and positive reinforcement was used to help him improve. We were fortunate to have Monique as Adam's music teacher, and the lessons learned will last a lifetime! Our greatest joy was to see Adam perform at a recital which Monique organized. This was a great achievement and it greatly helped improve our son's confidence with his art and with performing in front of an audience. We will miss you Monique!"
--Jason & Olga L. (Las Vegas)
"Monique Arar is a very gifted teacher! She has both musicality and technical knowledge, and she is able to encourage her students to develop these skills. My daughter took lessons from Monique for a year and her skill level increased significantly. She not only learned theory and practice skills, she also learned performance skills. Monique's requirements for her students greatly assisted us as parents. She is caring and truly invested in helping her students progress. " - Melanie E., 2016
"My daughter Salina absolutely loved going to piano lessons each week. Monique sparked a passion in Salina I never knew existed. She taught her at a level Salina could understand and before we knew it, she was playing the entire book cover to cover. Monique is patient, kind and truly loves what she teaches; it is evident in her work. I would recommended Monique time and time again and Atlanta is lucky to have her. We miss her in Las Vegas , but wish her the best." -Andrea C., 2016
Testimonies from "Introduction to Keyboard - MUS 111" at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas 2007-2009:
"We will miss you. I like your spirit and your professionalism. You have been a great asset to UNLV and we need to look for more students like you. " - Jonathan Good, Chair, Department of Music
"Monique was an amazing instructor, and didn't let me get in my own way especially when I didn't want to count out the music. She took the time, and had the patience to see me through some of the more tedious aspects of learning to play the piano. I benefitted greatly from that! Thank you! " - Juliet M.
"You were an awesome teacher and a better friend! It was great surprising my family with "Jingle Bells" at our home piano when the semester was over - they couldn't believe how much I learned!" - Alex M.
"It was fun having you as a teacher. After talking about it so much, my sister will be taking your class next semester!" - Pauline F.
Anonymous course evaluation comments:
Private Instruction:
"From the very first lesson I took with Music With Monique I knew I would be getting a great education. I started learning from the very first lesson. After only a couple months of lessons with Monique I learned very quickly how to read music and play the things I wanted to play. I also gained a wonderful appreciation for classical music and the thoery that goes with it. Thanks Monique for helping me achieve my dream of being a great piano player! Now I play keyboard in a local band in the bay area and love collaborating with Monique to learn more about myself and the music I love!"
-Abigail D., San Francisco
" I just started Music With Monique a couple weeks ago, and wow, what an improvement in my music reading skills! Thank's Monique!"
-Sandra H., San Francisco
"I have been taking lessons for two years and never even learned to read music, I only memorized and regurgitated. After only a few lessons, not only did I find myself practicing more, and having more fun with what i was playing, but I'm not memorizing anymore. With the easy practice carriculum monique set for my personal needs, im finding myself not only playing music, but reading it myself! Monique is the best if you want to really excell in you piano skills. See for yourself!"
-Steven G., Las Vegas
"Monique, you are the best teacher, thanks for helping me with my piano recital for school. I would have never been able to learn this without you. You made my family and friends so proud of me. The recital went great! Thanks for being the best!"
-Molly B., Las Vegas
"I have taken other piano lessons with other teachers in person and I’ve learned more with “Music with Monique” via zoom that I have in any of my other lessons! Monique is very dedicated and passionate about getting her students to exactly where they want to be. She is so talented that even over zoom you will learn more than you would anywhere is else in my opinion. I highly recommend “Music with Monique” to anyone that is interested in learning the piano at any level! She’s the best" -Denzel C., Atlanta
"I took a FaceTime lesson last week and it was a great, convenient, and safe solution to taking lessons during this time. It truly was no different than being in the studio, Monique was able to still see my finger placements and help teach me about my ergonomics. I would highly recommend this alternative to anyone!" - Jordan K., Atlanta
If you are suddenly finding yourself working from home or your kids are home from school with many activities cancelled, now is the time to start learning to play piano! Contact us today for more information.
Dr. Monique Arar is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music in Piano and has twenty years of experience teaching piano and music theory to students of all ages. She holds a Doctorate in Musical Arts specializing in Piano Performance and has been playing piano since the age of three. She is also a certified Elementary Teaching Specialist through the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Dedicated to enabling students to reach their musical goals, she is a caring, patient teacher who tailors each lesson to meet individual student's needs. From private piano lessons to group workshops, Dr. Monique uses her diversified pedagogy and performance experience to instill a love, confidence, and understanding of the fundamental basics of Western music, particularly through the use of the keyboard instrument.
Whether you want to learn how to play the piano or simply learn to read music, Dr. Monique is here to help.
She is also available to perform at your next private or corporate function, and to accompany and coach other musicians. For more information, call or email us today.
"As much as I'm looking forward to [college abroad], I'm already missing our lessons together. I've Improved so much as a pianist over the past few years. You did such a great job of encouraging me to work on my technical skill and improve my repertoire while still allowing me to incorporate my own music, and that's the kind of balance I hope to maintain in my practice even years down the road. Thank you so much for everything." - Lina (graduating High School senior).
"Anna and I would like to extend many, may thanks to you for the years of tutelage you have provided Lina. We are, of course, aware of how her skill as advanced, and how she was encouraged to seek out challenging new pieces to play. But, your patience and ability to listen has been invaluable as well. You seem to have a unique ability to listen to and gently encourage your students as the advance their skills. We hope you and Lina are able to continue working together." - John & Anna, parents of Lina (graduating High School senior).
"I have been very happy with my lessons. Dr. Monique has been willing to teach me the way I want to learn. She is very qualified to teach any level of music that one could want to learn." - Jacques
"My son started with Dr. Monique at age six. My son is now eight and plays with such joy and confidence. Music theory can be challenging for young children, but Dr. Monique makes music accessible and fun. She is positive, engaging, and always professional. Watching my son learn from such an experienced and skilled pianist and seeing his love for music flourish has been a privilege. I cannot recommend Dr. Monique enough." - Grace C.
"Dr. Monique has been phenomenal towards my progress with learning piano. Not only does she have a wealth of knowledge in both music theory and technique, she pays critical attention to how the student learns and develops in their own respective way. For me, I find learning music theory while playing more effective in retaining what I learn. Accounting for this, she is able to block certain parts of the lesson to explain theoretical concepts I may at first find confusing. She can effectively simplify nuanced concepts while connecting it to what I play during lessons.
When I first began lessons with Dr. Monique, she took the time to understand and discuss how I learn best. I was struggling to break old habits that I had picked up from self-teaching; we would play a piece and identify the problem areas within the phrases to work on so she could understand the root of the habit. Once we understood my opportunities, she selected specific exercises that swiftly replaced old habits with the correct ones. She was able to factor my feedback, my current understanding and skill with piano, and the rate of personal skill progression over time all into account when developing a personal teaching style that worked best for me.
Dr. Monique has been very flexible with my busy schedule and has taken the extra time out of hers to allow makeup lessons should something conflict with the date. She proactively communicates with her students and encourages them to learn by either bonus group lessons or external resources.
I am so fortunate to have found a teacher that not only is a wonderful musician, but also an incredible teacher. I recommend her courses to anyone who has an interest or passion for piano - no matter the skill level!" - Bobby G.
"I have been with Dr. Monique for a few months now. I am 73 yrs old and play at an early advanced level. I have had a lot of teachers and I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoy working with Dr. Monique. The offsite lessons (Zoom) are terrific. I have attended a recital and was very impressed with the musicality of her students. I highly recommend Dr. Monique. " - Gerald L.
"To celebrate 2021, I made a New Years Resolution to take piano lessons again after a hiatus of about 15 years. Monique matched every quality I was looking for: a flexible instructor with a great sense of humor who didn’t mind that I wanted to pick my own music. As an added bonus, her piano lessons are fun! She is wonderfully patient and has great advice for helping you make a piece sound fabulous. I’m very impressed with how much I’ve accomplished in a short time! I highly recommend Monique if you’re an adult thinking about taking lessons – it’s a great experience." - Phoebe
"I have been taking lessons with Monique for over 3 months. I sought her out because of a New Years resolution, I wanted to learn to play piano. As a 26 year old. With very limited musical experience. To say lessons with her have changed my life would be an understatement. She matched me with the right music book, the right schedule, and the right teaching. I have never felt more confident in my life. Learning something new in a structured way has brought a newfound sense of accomplishment and I owe it all to Monique. Her lessons are affordable and she holds you acocuntable while still making it an extremely fun and rewarding experience. Would recommend her to any adult who wishes to take on something new for themselves." - Maggie C., Atlanta.
"We would like to thank Monique for her professionalism and her patience and kindness with our child. She's the perfect match to teach piano to young kids" - Diane, mother of 4-yr-old Katelyn.
Testimonials from piano student parents upon moving to Atlanta:
"Monique has done a wonderful job with our eight year old son Adam. She kept him engaged, and interested throughout the lessons, and positive reinforcement was used to help him improve. We were fortunate to have Monique as Adam's music teacher, and the lessons learned will last a lifetime! Our greatest joy was to see Adam perform at a recital which Monique organized. This was a great achievement and it greatly helped improve our son's confidence with his art and with performing in front of an audience. We will miss you Monique!"
--Jason & Olga L. (Las Vegas)
"Monique Arar is a very gifted teacher! She has both musicality and technical knowledge, and she is able to encourage her students to develop these skills. My daughter took lessons from Monique for a year and her skill level increased significantly. She not only learned theory and practice skills, she also learned performance skills. Monique's requirements for her students greatly assisted us as parents. She is caring and truly invested in helping her students progress. " - Melanie E., 2016
"My daughter Salina absolutely loved going to piano lessons each week. Monique sparked a passion in Salina I never knew existed. She taught her at a level Salina could understand and before we knew it, she was playing the entire book cover to cover. Monique is patient, kind and truly loves what she teaches; it is evident in her work. I would recommended Monique time and time again and Atlanta is lucky to have her. We miss her in Las Vegas , but wish her the best." -Andrea C., 2016
Testimonies from "Introduction to Keyboard - MUS 111" at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas 2007-2009:
"We will miss you. I like your spirit and your professionalism. You have been a great asset to UNLV and we need to look for more students like you. " - Jonathan Good, Chair, Department of Music
"Monique was an amazing instructor, and didn't let me get in my own way especially when I didn't want to count out the music. She took the time, and had the patience to see me through some of the more tedious aspects of learning to play the piano. I benefitted greatly from that! Thank you! " - Juliet M.
"You were an awesome teacher and a better friend! It was great surprising my family with "Jingle Bells" at our home piano when the semester was over - they couldn't believe how much I learned!" - Alex M.
"It was fun having you as a teacher. After talking about it so much, my sister will be taking your class next semester!" - Pauline F.
Anonymous course evaluation comments:
- "Monique was amazing!"
- "Monique made the piano fun"
- "Great instructor and very patient"
- "Fun and informing"
- "Very informative teacher. She is truly passionate about piano and that shines through her work."
Private Instruction:
"From the very first lesson I took with Music With Monique I knew I would be getting a great education. I started learning from the very first lesson. After only a couple months of lessons with Monique I learned very quickly how to read music and play the things I wanted to play. I also gained a wonderful appreciation for classical music and the thoery that goes with it. Thanks Monique for helping me achieve my dream of being a great piano player! Now I play keyboard in a local band in the bay area and love collaborating with Monique to learn more about myself and the music I love!"
-Abigail D., San Francisco
" I just started Music With Monique a couple weeks ago, and wow, what an improvement in my music reading skills! Thank's Monique!"
-Sandra H., San Francisco
"I have been taking lessons for two years and never even learned to read music, I only memorized and regurgitated. After only a few lessons, not only did I find myself practicing more, and having more fun with what i was playing, but I'm not memorizing anymore. With the easy practice carriculum monique set for my personal needs, im finding myself not only playing music, but reading it myself! Monique is the best if you want to really excell in you piano skills. See for yourself!"
-Steven G., Las Vegas
"Monique, you are the best teacher, thanks for helping me with my piano recital for school. I would have never been able to learn this without you. You made my family and friends so proud of me. The recital went great! Thanks for being the best!"
-Molly B., Las Vegas
"I have taken other piano lessons with other teachers in person and I’ve learned more with “Music with Monique” via zoom that I have in any of my other lessons! Monique is very dedicated and passionate about getting her students to exactly where they want to be. She is so talented that even over zoom you will learn more than you would anywhere is else in my opinion. I highly recommend “Music with Monique” to anyone that is interested in learning the piano at any level! She’s the best" -Denzel C., Atlanta
"I took a FaceTime lesson last week and it was a great, convenient, and safe solution to taking lessons during this time. It truly was no different than being in the studio, Monique was able to still see my finger placements and help teach me about my ergonomics. I would highly recommend this alternative to anyone!" - Jordan K., Atlanta
If you are suddenly finding yourself working from home or your kids are home from school with many activities cancelled, now is the time to start learning to play piano! Contact us today for more information.
Dr. Monique Arar is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music in Piano and has twenty years of experience teaching piano and music theory to students of all ages. She holds a Doctorate in Musical Arts specializing in Piano Performance and has been playing piano since the age of three. She is also a certified Elementary Teaching Specialist through the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Dedicated to enabling students to reach their musical goals, she is a caring, patient teacher who tailors each lesson to meet individual student's needs. From private piano lessons to group workshops, Dr. Monique uses her diversified pedagogy and performance experience to instill a love, confidence, and understanding of the fundamental basics of Western music, particularly through the use of the keyboard instrument.
Whether you want to learn how to play the piano or simply learn to read music, Dr. Monique is here to help.
She is also available to perform at your next private or corporate function, and to accompany and coach other musicians. For more information, call or email us today.
