Piano Lessons Houston, Texas

Irena Mitova began studying piano at the age of five in her native country of Bulgaria. In 2001 she was accepted to the Leipzig Conservatory in Germany, where she studied Music Theory and Piano for six years. She later continued her musical studies in the United States and earned a degree in Composition from the University of Houston in 2018, studying under Dr. David Ashley White, Rob Smith, and Marcus Maroney.

During her time at the University of Houston, Irena composed works for various ensembles, prepared recitals, and participated in numerous competitions. In 2017 she won second place in the Sarofim Composition Contest with one of her string quartets. While studying at the Moores School of Music, she also worked with several distinguished piano professors in their studios.

With more than ten years of teaching experience, Irena teaches piano technique, classical repertoire, composition, and music theory. She is dedicated to helping students develop strong performance skills while also building an appreciation for music history, form, and classical piano literature. Irena enjoys working with students of all ages and backgrounds and encourages a well rounded and thoughtful approach to learning the piano.

J. Felix Melo is a professional pianist, musical director, composer, producer, and arranger from Havana, Cuba. As a pianist, he has performed with famous orchestras on various stages in countries such as Cuba, Portugal, Mexico, Kazakhstan, and the United States.

He began his piano studies at the age of 6 at the A. G. Caturla conservatory. He continued to study Piano and Music Theory at the National School of Music (ENA), and later, at the University of the Arts (ISA), he studied music composition with the distinguished Cuban composer Juan Piñera.

J. Felix Melo has been teaching piano, solfège, and harmony since 2005, and since 2016, he teaches orchestration, composition, and modern piano lessons. He also created a course called “Multitask Keyboard Performance” for students interested in production, composition, and live performance of different instruments, genres, and styles through a synthesizer.

He specializes in Jazz and Latin music performance. Within music production and composition, he has composed music for different musical pieces ranging from symphonic and chamber music to music for shows, short films, and musical theater plays, as well as his own and commissioned songs of different genres.

He values understanding the dreams and aspirations of his students to learn together and guide them toward the realization of their goals. Additionally, his teaching style is highly adaptable to the needs of each student, with a focus on making classes more fun, particularly for young children, to ensure their introduction to the piano and music is an engaging experience of both knowledge and enjoyment.

Karenia Garrido is a professional clarinetist and bass clarinetist with extensive orchestral experience in both Cuba and the United States. She is an honor graduate of the Higher Institute of Arts in Havana, Cuba. Early in her career she joined the Holguin Symphony Orchestra, where she was appointed Principal Clarinet in 2004 and performed as a featured soloist during the 2005–2006 seasons, presenting Carl María von Weber’s Clarinet Concertos No. 1 and No. 2.

From 2010 to 2012, Karenia performed with the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba, participating in major international events including the World Symphony Festival in Moscow and the International Ballet Festival of Havana. During this period she also took part in the orchestra’s first United States tour, performing more than 22 concerts at universities and major venues including the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, Symphony Hall in Allentown, Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Lehman Center for the Performing Arts in the Bronx, and the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg.

After moving to Houston, she performed with the Houston Latin-American Philharmonic from 2013 to 2017 and is currently a member of the Houston Repertoire Ballet Orchestra. Her international performance experience informs her teaching and allows her to bring a deep understanding of orchestral performance and musicianship to her students.

Lendys Diaz is a music educator who began her musical studies at the age of seven in vocational schools of the arts in Cuba. She studied for 15 years in the areas of piano, voice, and music theory before earning both a degree in Music Education and a Bachelor’s Degree in Musicology from the University of the Arts in Cuba.

Her passion for teaching began early when she started helping neighborhood children learn music, which eventually led to her becoming a professor of piano and music theory at the Nola Saigh Sainz School of Music in Ciego de Ávila, Cuba. Since 2010, Lendys has been teaching music lessons and has worked with students in both Cuba and the United States.

In Houston, she teaches piano, voice, and music theory to children, teenagers, and adults in both public and private settings. Her teaching approach focuses on making lessons engaging and personalized by adapting instruction to each student’s interests, skill level, personality, and learning style. Lendys is fluent in both English and Spanish and enjoys helping students of all backgrounds explore and grow through music.

Onis Yissel Ruiz Hernandez is a singer, pianist, and music educator with an extensive background in both performance and music scholarship. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Musicology with honors from the University of the Arts (ISA) in Havana, Cuba. Since 2009, she has worked as a professional music teacher, teaching subjects such as Musical Analysis, Harmony, and Music Theory at the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory of Music in Havana, as well as teaching at the University of the Arts while pursuing graduate studies. She has also taught music in schools across Cuba, Mexico, and the United States.

Onis began studying music at the age of seven and has performed a wide range of international musical styles including salsa, cumbia, merengue, Cuban son, chachacha, bachata, bolero, jazz, bossa nova, samba, reggae, pop, country, blues, and more. Her musical influences include renowned artists such as Elena Burke, Elis Regina, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, Freddie Mercury, Diana Krall, Christina Aguilera, and Beyoncé. As a teacher, she emphasizes personalized instruction that reflects the interests and goals of each student. Her approach encourages students to develop their unique voice and musical identity, helping them grow as confident performers both on stage and in their personal musical journeys.

Steffany Johnston is a vocal coach and piano instructor, as well as a graduate of the University of Houston and a signed performing artist. Proficient in many styles of music, she brings a wide range of musical experience to her teaching and performing. Steffany has spent 25 years working as a choral conductor at the high school, middle school, elementary, and junior college levels, where she has participated in and overseen UIL and Solo and Ensemble contests while directing and preparing students for musical theater auditions and performances.

In addition to her work as an educator, Steffany is an active performer. She is a Houston jazz vocalist and the international lead singer for the symphonic metal rock band Masqued. As a songwriter and composer, she enjoys sharing the full spectrum of music with her students, from classical traditions to contemporary styles. Her teaching focuses on helping students learn to read music, perform confidently, understand theory, and when interested, develop their own songwriting and composition skills while encouraging them to become the best musicians they can be.

Violinist Thien-Truc Nguyen is recognized as both a dynamic performer and a passionate teacher. She earned her Master of Music degree in Violin Performance from the University of Houston under the guidance of Kirsten Yon. She also holds a Bachelor of Music and a Certificate in Music Performance from the University of South Florida, as well as a Violin Performance degree from the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music.

As a performer, Thien-Truc has appeared internationally in Italy, Korea, Vietnam, and throughout the United States, presenting solo recitals and chamber music concerts. She represented Vietnam as a solo performer at the 14th International Youth Fellowship World Culture Camp in Korea. In 2016, she served as first violinist for the string quartet featured on the recording “Light of the Midnight Sun” by the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. She has also collaborated with composers to record music for film soundtracks produced in both Vietnam and the United States.

An active orchestral musician, Thien-Truc has performed with numerous orchestras including the Ho Chi Minh City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera, Ocala Symphony Orchestra, Imperial Symphony Orchestra, South Shore Symphony Orchestra, and Brazosport Symphony Orchestra. While at the University of Houston, she served as concertmaster of the Moores Opera Orchestra and principal second violin of the Moores Symphony Orchestra.

Thien-Truc maintains an active teaching studio working with violin and piano students of all ages and skill levels. Her teaching focuses on developing strong musical foundations while nurturing confidence, concentration, patience, and dedication. Through individualized instruction, she prepares students for recitals, orchestral seating auditions, and competitions, while encouraging expressive and joyful music making.

Zane Armstrong began playing music at the age of 10 in his school band program, starting on the trombone before expanding to other instruments. His early interest in jazz band and keyboards soon led him to begin writing music and performing with friends outside of school.

Zane later studied music at Sam Houston State University and returned to Houston to continue performing and sharing his musical knowledge with students. His musical interests span a variety of styles including pop, rock, jazz, and hip hop. Zane currently performs on synth and keyboards with the band Mantra Love.

As an instructor, Zane enjoys working with students of all ages and experience levels, from young beginners to adult learners. He teaches piano, guitar, and several band instruments including trumpet, trombone, baritone, and euphonium, and is comfortable teaching music ranging from classical repertoire to modern popular styles.