Piano for Hire

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Nothing Short Of Spectacular!

We were incredibly blessed to have John Nielsen as our wedding pianist. His performance was nothing short of spectacular, creating an elegant, vibrant, and heartfelt atmosphere that we and our guests still rave about. John skillfully blended classical, gospel, jazz, and pop, perfectly setting the mood for both our ceremony and reception. He also provided exceptional accompaniment for our vocalist. Not only is he immensely talented, but he is also a joy to work with—professional, friendly, and accommodating. We couldn’t have asked for a better musician, and we wholeheartedly recommend him for any special event!

— Jackie S.

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Easy And Enjoyable!

I’m very pleased with John as our piano teacher now for 5 years.  We have 3 students taking lessons – John appeals to their interests and builds strong relationships by checking in with them each lesson on weekly happenings. The students are part of all music selection and piano pieces pertain to their interests. John has a good sense of humor and always keeps a positive mood in lessons even when things get challenging .  I thought my youngest would never stick with piano,  but John made it so easy and enjoyable. We are both so thankful for John.

— Sara J.

 

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Exceptional!

Mr. John is an amazing teacher who is always finding new pieces for you to play so that you are never bored. He’s also very encouraging and the best piano player I’ve ever met.

— Noah B., 12

John Nielsen is an exceptional piano teacher. He taught both my sons and adapted seamlessly to their distinct personalities and learning styles. Whether your child is interested in playing classically and reading notes or improvising with chords, John is an expert at teaching both. With John as a teacher, my son enjoys playing the piano!

— Anna B., mom

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Rekindling A Love Of Music

John is a positive person.  I needed that quality when I started playing piano again after many, many years. He can play any genre of music. I choose songs from my youth, and he is familiar with all those tunes. John also reminds me of the basics, like timing and expression. I would recommend him to anyone who wants to learn how to play piano. He also teaches voice with piano accompaniment (I don’t sing) so take note, future performers! Everyone loves music. John can help you appreciate it even more.

— Anne M.

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Grateful Mom!

Our boys have been taking piano lessons from Mr. John for the past 9 years. I think one of the main reasons they’ve continued with piano well into their teen years is because of Mr. John. He has always made it fun, he encourages them and allows them to play music they enjoy. Keeping our kids involved in music has been our goal and we’ve been able to do this with Mr. John. He is truly the best and we are so grateful for him and the experience our kids have had with him!

— Linsey K.

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Great For The Adult Beginner!

John’s teaching style made starting piano lessons for the first time as an adult an enjoyable challenge.  Starting with the Simply Music method was a joy as I was playing melodies right away while beginning to learn the basics.  John worked with me at my pace to progress while continuing to enjoy playing and to understand and work on a variety of music styles.  John is very encouraging, patient, positive and adapted to the level of playing I was interested in achieving for my own enjoyment. 

— Wanda T.

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Great for All Ages!

I’m 77 years old and have been taking piano lessons with John since the beginning of 2016. He has helped me with whatever I want to learn and is always patient with me when everyday busy life gets in the way of my progress at the piano.  I intend to take lessons with John until I am just unable to do so any more. He’s also given my 12 year old grandson a wonderful start experiencing music. John has a wonderful rapport with the kids and they all seem to enjoy working with him. My grandson has really enjoyed his lessons with John and has learned so much. He has added singing and playing the cello to his music thanks to the love of music John has helped him develop.

— Trish P.

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Part Of The Family

For 16 years, John has been a central figure in the development of our family’s musical journey.  What began with “in-person” lessons in Kansas City are now “remote lessons” in Indiana.  John’s love, knowledge, and enthusiasm for his instrument is readily passed down to his students.  With a wide variety of learning and interest levels, John has always worked incredibly well with my twelve kids in connecting and finding their best way of learning the piano.  I have also found the transition to remote lessons quite doable. We are so grateful that we have been able to remain under John’s instruction even with a move 500 miles away!

— Stephanie L.

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Mom And Daughter Agree!

I like doing piano lessons with Mr. John because he is very patient, nice, and funny! He is also a very good piano player.
— Julia H., age 11

I’ve hired at least 5 piano teachers over the years, and John is my absolute favorite. He teaches my daughter not only to make music well, but to enjoy doing it.
— Charlotte H., parent

 

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Great Teacher, Family Friend!

John always brings fun and enthusiasm to lessons and engages with students on a personal level. It’s easy to see his love of music and desire to help students meet their goals. In our experience, John offers clear communication, fair pricing and goes above and beyond to help with occasional schedule conflicts. He is a great piano teacher who has become a family friend!

— Tara F.

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The Results Speak For Themselves!

I don’t know how John teaches piano by Zoom, but the results speak for themselves! My son thoroughly enjoyed his lessons and learned a skill that he is very proud of. From my perspective as a parent, John is very professional and seems to have a lot of fun while teaching. He is organized and has a great system for billing and communicating. I wholeheartedly give my recommendation.

— April D.

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Online Lessons Can Still Be Fun!

We met John after starting lessons in another state and originally did in person lessons and then switched to online lessons when we moved away. John was at the time what my 9 year old said “way more fun than my last teacher.” He has always made sure to make the lessons as fun as possible since we are strictly online now and my daughter continues to learn and love her time with Mr. John!

— Micha O.

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No Barriers To Learning

John is a compassionate, talented person and a gifted teacher. He has been very accommodating and responsive to our son and the special ways that he learns. Our son has grown in his love of music and now enjoys playing Chopin, Beethoven and Rachmaninov. He’s considering how to pursue a career in music. Thank you, John!

— Joy W.

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Instilling A Lifelong Love Of Music

John has been teaching our kids piano for many years. He has always had a great balance of teaching skills while also making it fun for our kids. Our kids have a love for piano now that they are teenagers and so much of this is because of how John has taught them. 

— Andrea D.

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Plotting The Course

I am a (very) adult student, beginning my lessons when I retired, some five years ago. My experience with John has been nothing but good. Not only is he an extremely talented musician in his own right, but he is also a great teacher. He is patient and positive in his approach to teaching. He also understands the unique needs of adult students. It doesn’t matter if you’re a past piano student, with some musical knowledge, or if you are starting from scratch; John can work with you to “start where you are,” wherever that is in your musical journey. What I particularly appreciate about John is the encouragement he gives me to work on the music style that appeals to me. If it’s your dream to play classical music, or pop, or jazz, or whatever, John can help you. You decide the destination, and John will help you plot the course—and get there.

— Jim C.

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I Was Amazed!

I was shocked to discover that, upon enrolling at college, that I needed to take a music theory class before my guitar lessons. Eager to dive in, I enrolled in John’s “Fundamentals of Music Theory” class, despite having no prior experience with music theory. Our class of about 20 students met three times a week, and I was amazed to be playing worship songs by the end of the first week! John’s teaching method made everything so accessible. We learned about inversions, reading music, sight-singing, and so much more. I continue taking lessons with John because his teaching style is both serious and incredibly fun. I highly recommend him to anyone, young or old! I’ve even found that I prefer piano over guitar now, something I never expected since I always wanted to learn piano but thought I couldn’t. Thanks to John, I can now play both instruments! If only he offered voice lessons too!

— Melody S.

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Forever Grateful

In our first lesson with John, neither of our sons had ever touched a piano. By the time the lesson was over, the boys were playing recognizable tunes with both hands. In 30 minutes, they were making music. We were blown away. John’s approach to teaching the fundamentals of piano creates the confidence that students need in order to be self-motivated enough to practice and improve. It’s also really fun! Lessons are a stress-free joy.  Within a year, our sons were accompanying sing-alongs with the family. Within two years, they were leading worship services at church. The boys are in college now, and they have both played piano in musicals in front of hundreds of people with total confidence. It’s been incredible to see! John gave them a gift that neither our boys nor we can ever repay. It amazes us to see our sons sitting at home playing a classical piano piece, then show tunes, then rock, then making up their own songs on the fly. John gave them a hobby they will be able to enjoy for the rest of their lives, and we are forever grateful.

— Nate H.

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A Huge Encouragement!

I quit playing piano when I was 5. Even then I played by ear and all my music was staying in my head or coming out thru voice or another instrument. I’ve been promising myself I’d learn piano for at least 30 years. Then I met John. He took the time to find out what my goals were and tailored his teaching methods to what I wanted and then quickly and easily modified them as my understanding and my enthusiasm changed. We’ve covered traditional music theory, learning the number system, song structure, genre differences, the importance of setting the tone with touch and feel, working on integrating the hands, soloing or “comping”  how to add fill and embellishment and where to add it and make it tasteful. When I push him for more, he is more than capable of exceeding my expectations, helping me feel comfortable with that process and integrating it into my way of seeing things. His gentleness and understanding blend well with my busy life and my ability to find time to really work on the lessons each week. But enough can’t be said about how encouraged I feel! He does not intimidate or overwhelm me at any point but seems to naturally know what I can take in and how to adjust what he has to teach to meet me exactly where I am. Thanks John, you’re a blessing!

— Jeff V.