Kristen has been teaching both piano and voice full-time since graduating college in 2015. She holds an AA in Music from Modesto Junior College as well as a Bachelor's of Music in Music Composition from California State University Stanislaus.

As a child, Kristen continuously gravitated toward music. She especially loved her grandparents' old, acoustic piano where she taught herself how to play by reading the many lesson books they kept. Due to limited funding, however, she was largely self-taught until college. While in college she spent 6 years in both private voice and private piano lesson studios. Beyond college she has pursued various styles/instruments and found a blossoming love for both jazz bass and classical saxophone.

As a teacher, Kristen has a deep passion for providing high quality lessons that are fun and engaging. She believes that music is just as much for enjoyment as it is for self-development. She also believes that the most important piece of the studio puzzle is the relationship between teacher and student. In her studio, every student is welcome, every attempt is encouraged, and every victory celebrated. Mistakes are just the path we all take toward mastery.

In 2021, Kristen opened Piano Hearts with the goal of bringing back the heart of the lesson studio--happy students, happy parents, and happy teachers. She works hard to keep her small business alive so that her clients' hard-earned money goes back into the local community. This means that local musicians receive a larger share of their profits, students and teachers are allowed creative freedom, community is given a space to grow, and clientele are offered an alternative to the bland, soulless, corporate alternatives.

Ms. Sophia Lily is a Ct-based creative artist, teacher, and performer with an extensive background in the performing arts. Her musical training started at The Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts and continued through the pursuit of a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in Music and Vocal Performance. Sophia has over ten years of experience teaching voice and piano lessons to students of all ages, ranging from pre-school to 60+.

For the aspiring pianist, lessons with Sophia focus on note reading, ear training, musical theory, technical artistry, and playing with accompaniment. In addition to classical music, song repertoire can include additional genres such as Disney favorites, jazz & blues, rock & roll, popular hits, and holiday repertoire.

For vocal students, lessons with Sophia are interest-based, focusing on material the student finds exciting. This can include musical theater, jazz and blues, rock and roll, classical, contemporary pop, or even songwriting. Among learning proper vocal technique, increasing vocal strength, and developing greater agility, students are also given the opportunity to learn how to accompany themselves on piano and guitar.

Students can anticipate a very warm and welcoming environment with Sophia, where music education meets a friendly and encouraging atmosphere of focus, fun, and friendship.