Diana and Joel Peterson School of Music

★★★catherine jeppsen

We're heading into our second year with two students taking private lessons with a GMS teacher. Our teacher deserves 10 stars and is worth dealing with GMS for, but GMS itself is a bit of a mess. It's incredibly difficult to get any insight into what specifically the significant tuition increases are going toward (after multiple emails there is zero transparency, and the services provided are exactly the same as before the increase), and the administration seems to be top-heavy (i.e. the vibe is that someone's getting paid a lot and it's not the teachers). I've also heard directly from three private music teachers that GMS is not teacher friendly and that there is nearly 100% turnover from year to year in the strings area. We're staying for another year because we really do love our teacher, but for us GMS doesn't provide much value-add over private studios (every good private teacher includes group lessons and recitals, etc., and there are multiple high-quality ensemble opportunities in the valley).

★★★★★Janice Varnagatas

The Gifted Music School has been such an amazing experience for my children. This will be our 2nd semester there and their growth in just one semester has been astounding. You can tell that all of the teachers their truly love to teach and give each child one-on-one instruction that works for each individual and their learning style. I love that a weekly group lesson is included with their private lesson. It makes a huge difference in their ability to play with others and the teachers always try to make it as fun as they can. I also appreciate the fact that if you cannot make it in person the teachers will do a virtual lesson. We live pretty far from the school, and when the weather has been nasty or if we have been sick, we’ve been able to just go virtual that day. I highly recommend this school 😃.

★★★★★andre bueno

The GMS program curriculum is strong, the teachers are amazing - but to us the secret sauce is the overall community! I am so proud that my daughter can work, practice, study, and socialize with an amazing group of people that are so supportive. GMS is a truly blessing in our lives. It does not only build musicians, but also people and leaders with strong character, work ethic, and values.

★★★★★yoon kb

My older son has been receiving clarinet lessons with teacher Erin at GMS. He has had multiple music teachers prior to her and we feel like we hit the jackpot with her. She is kind, patient, but also holds high expectations of her students. She is awesome! The school staff is super organized and friendly. They do an awesome job of pairing students with teachers. My younger son will start piano lessons next month with teacher Yelena. We are super excited!

★★★★★Ann Lambert

The GMS preparatory program is the highest quality extra curricular our daughter has ever participated in. Beyond that, the skills and experiences she has gained through GMS had a major influence on other areas of her life. Since she started taking violin lessons, we have seen improvements in her persistence, goal attainment, and work ethic in school and sports as well. I wish every child had the opportunity to be part of this program.