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Piano Students' Comments

I am writing to express my enthusiastic recommendation for my piano teacher, Yelena Neplok. I came to the piano as an adult, and have had a number of piano teachers over the last ten years. None have been as able as Yelena to break through my technical difficulties and open the world of piano music to me.
I am especially impressed with her diagnostic capabilities and her patience to work to resolve the problems I have built up over a number of years. I have been working with Yelena since 1996 at the Boston Conservatory, and each lesson still brings new revelations. My appreciation of music, analytical understanding and technical capabilities, all have grown with Yelena's insightful teaching. I assure you Yelena is a gem.

~ Bruce Perlmutter,
Student, The Boston Conservatory

I have been a piano student of Yelena Neplok at the Boston Conservatory for two and a half years now. I had taken lessons for ten years during my youth but had not touched a piano for about 20 years when, in need of a creative outlet, I decided to give it another try. I was very anxious but under Yelena's steadfast training I have been able to not only work through my anxiety but also to rid myself of many of the technical difficulties that had frustrated me in the past. I have embraced the piano in a way I never thought possible. Yelena has an invaluable source of knowledge and training as well as a true inspiration to me. I feel very fortunate to have her as my teacher. I would recommend her to anyone who has a serious interest in learning to play and appreciate beautiful piano music.

~ Linda Gordon,
Student, The Boston Conservatory

Our daughter, Evan Joy, has been a piano student of Yelena Neplok at the Boston Conservatory. She was seven years old and had never taken formal music lessons before. Yelena was an excellent teacher and we are particularly grateful for her professionalism and gracious and patient manner. We found Yelena to be extremely gifted and supportive during this very impressionable and formative time of study.

~ Pamela McLaurin
Mother of Student, The Boston Conservatory

Yelena Neplok is quite simply the best music teacher I have ever had. Her extensive experience with both performing and teaching has given her profound insight into piano form and technique. She is also particularly well versed in the subject of tonal harmony, composition, and music history. Beyond this, she genuinely cares for her students and is passionate about passing on the habit and traditions that make for an effective pianist.

~ Brian Bernstein,
Student, Berklee College of Music

I am a student at Northeastern University. I have been extremely satisfied and impressed with Yelena's teaching and playing skills since I met her a year ago. Yelena teaches and plays with a highly sophisticated method, which eliminates unnecessary, inefficient movements and highlights the importance of relaxation, which is often overlooked by other teachers. This scientific approach of hers results in the easy attainment of clear and precise articulation and a unique tone that she instills in all of her students.
Within my past year of study with her, Yelena has exposed me to piano pieces influenced from all over the world, including baroque, classical, and folk. As a result, she has given me a deep appreciation for international music, and I plan on studying with her for many more years, as many of her students do.

~ Mike Fuccillo,
Student, Northeastern University

I am a student at Berklee College of Music. Yelena was assigned to teach me piano at the Boston Conservatory, and I have been extremely happy with the way things have gone. She is a great teacher, and has helped me very much. She explains everything really well, and I appreciate what she has done for me in a relatively short time. I look forward to learning more.

~ Gunter Schroder,
Student, Berklee College of Music

Yelena Neplok has taught me the essentials of the best piano method in the world. She has built my technique from nothing. She has given me great understanding of the history of classical music which brought me to her in the first place as I was seeking answers as to how and why the music evolved the way it has. I am studying classical music and am able to apply what I learned to any style of music I wish to play. Yelena herself is a true and genuine teacher of the highest level and demands only the best from her students to reach their full potential. I am very thankful to have a teacher like Yelena.

~ Atif Zaidi,
Student, Berklee College of Music

I have been a student of Yelena Neplok for two years. Having her as a teacher assures me that what I have learned over the past ten years with other piano teachers is not good enough, and I can do much more. She shows me the appreciation of music and the importance of each note. I technically play better and never look at the music the same way I used to. I not only gain technical capabilities but also gained music history knowledge. I admire Yelena for her way of teaching and wish to continue the lessons with her as long as I can because I believe I would never find any piano teacher who is as good as she is.

~ Manaswee Kijsurachai

I have taken lessons with other piano teachers previously, but in the short time I have studied with Yelena, I gained solid skills in articulation, keyboard orientation, hand coordination, and freedom of movements for the first time. I have enjoyed my lessons immensely and am planning to continue lessons with Ms. Neplok. I recommend her very highly as a teacher for anyone interested at all in learning to play piano and in developing musicality.

~ Sarra Spierer,
Student, Hebrew College

It has been a joy for my daughter Shivani to take piano lessons from Yelena for the past three years. Yelena is a wonderful and very knowledgeable teacher. She developed my daughter's piano skills and understanding of different genres of music. Thanks to Yelena's successful methods of teaching, Shivani made great progress and recently participated in the prestigious Steinway Society of Massachusetts Piano Competition. Yelena shows great passion in teaching piano and is very patient with kids.

~ Bijal Dalal

I've been taking lessons from Yelena for a year. She's a very talented and knowledgeable teacher who offers unique help in developing piano skills and understanding of music. She gives solid knowledge of theory and harmony, which helped me develop my skills in sight reading and piano accompaniment. I'm extremely impressed with her ability to resolve problems with all elements of piano technique and get immediate results. I would definitely recommend studying with Yelena.

~ Yuliya Shulman

I began piano lessons with Yelena Neplok two years ago. Taking me from the beginner's stage, Yelena swiftly built my skills in touch, posture, as well as my classical music repertoire. She has also improved my knowledge of music history. I am particularly appreciative of her ability to help me make music a part of my life.
At a recent recital I met Yelena's other students. All of them seemed to love the music and share a certain commitment to learning with Yelena.
I am taken with her ability to reach deeply into the music and across musical genres with me and find their connections. As I continue my own work in music, I will be indebted to the great boost that Yelena has given me as my teacher and vocal coach.
Any institution, department, or serious music student would be greatly enhanced by her participation. Her greatest contribution would be her ability not only to advance students in their playing and technique but in her ability to make music a part of the life experience, an attribute of the person. It is her support that has boosted my confidence in myself as an artist and an individual. I will be forever grateful.

~ LaMargera Rivers