Berryessa Music School

★★★★★Xiaoye Jin

We found Berryessa Music School through recommendations from other parents on RedNote, and it has been an amazing experience. Our daughter started with group singing classes and later recorder classes with Ms. Yaoyao. Learning music can be both fun and challenging for little kids, but Ms. Yaoyao balances it perfectly. She knows exactly how to push our daughter outside her comfort zone while keeping the whole process enjoyable. Thanks to her, our daughter has developed a great habit of practicing consistently every single day. The school itself is wonderful - the classrooms are well-equipped with great instruments. On top of their weekly lessons, they also offer occasional summer camps which are a great bonus and kids get to experience a good variety of other instruments like piano, violin and more. What I love most is the variety of performance opportunities they offer year-round - from formal recitals in a beautiful hall to elementary school music festivals and even fun pop-up street concerts. Seeing her perform in all these different settings, I’ve watched her gradually build her confidence and become truly comfortable on stage in front of large crowds. We highly recommend this place!

★★Emily Parker

Very disappointed with Berryessa Music School. The teaching from Ms Yaoyao was disorganized, not even professional and she often forgot what my child had already learned from previous lessons. It felt like there was very little consistency or preparation. She has zero piano technique. In addition, she is rude some of the language and comments used during class were not appropriate for children. If you want your child to have a strong and positive start in music education, I would not recommend wasting your time here. Giving 2 stars only because I’m worried a lower rating might get filtered out. I would give it ZERO

★★★★★Harsh Kumar

My toddler attends the music play group at Berryessa Music School, and she's absolutely thriving! She's fallen in love with music and rhythm, and is off to a great start with her beginner music lessons. Recently, she had a performance in Mountain View, and I was blown away by how much she'd learned in such a short time! 😊 I highly recommend Mrs. Yaoyao - she's an incredibly patient and experienced teacher who genuinely cares about her students. This could be the foundation of her musical growth. Would definitely recommend Berryessa Music School to others!

★★★★★Chen Zhang

We’ve been at Berryessa Music School for a year now, and I have to give a huge shout-out to Mrs. Yaoyao! My 6-year-old, started off just wanting to "play" and definitely wasn’t a fan of the word "practice." But Mrs. Yaoyao has this magic touch—she’s shown him that a little hard work actually makes playing more fun. He’s become so much more patient, and he’s already rocked two recitals with the other kids! 🎹✨ What’s really cool is how she runs the group classes. She keeps them super engaging and fun for the kids, but they’re actually learning the "real" stuff too, like solid technique and music theory, which I also refreshed my music knowledge every time. The school is also a total lifesaver for busy schedules. They have tons of afternoon and weekend slots, and if we ever can’t make it, Mrs. Yaoyao is awesome enough to send over a recording so he doesn't miss a beat. They also have everything there—1-on-1 piano, drums, violin, you name it. If you're looking for a spot where your kid will actually want to learn in the North San Jose area, this is it!

★★★★★Xiaobin Yu (余骁彬)

Update from June 2025: My six-year-old daughter had a fantastic week at Berryessa Music School's summer camp. It was a wonderful experience that completely immersed her in music in a fun and nurturing environment. When I picked up my daughter in the afternoon, she was always excited to tell me about learning to play songs on the piano or trying the violin for the first time. The camp provided an amazing introduction to a wide variety of instruments—including the flute, drums, and xylophone—all in a fun, low-pressure setting. The fun extended beyond just the instruments. The kids enjoyed creative, music-themed crafts, like making guitars from tissue boxes, and played active games like "grizzly bear." The week ended with a delightful mini-concert where the children proudly performed what they had learned. The teachers are what truly make this camp special. Ms. Yaoyao is a fantastic instrument instructor, and Mr. Stanley made the games a huge hit with his fun personality. We were also so appreciative of Ms. Rose, who was incredibly caring and even gave my daughter French braids—such a sweet, personal touch. We highly recommend this camp! ========================================= Yaoyao at Berryessa Music School is amazing! My daughter started with group singing and then got interested in the recorder after seeing other kids perform. Yaoyao is so patient and makes learning fun with games and activities. My daughter even played in the school concert a few weeks ago! She's grown to love music and loves showing off what she's learned. They have lots of instruments to choose from - highly recommend!