Paola Pierce

I am a pianist, composer, and synthesizer enthusiast. I graduated with a dual degree in Jazz composition and piano performance from Berklee College of Music in 2019. While in Boston, and prior to graduating, I had over 30 piano students, ages 4-18.  During that time I released my first jazz album, self titled 'PAOLA'. The album was an exploration of Latin American music and original compositions. I was born in Colombia, and raised in the Caribbean region, in the city of Cartagena,  where I learned to play the piano and gathered a lot of my early music influences. Immediately after graduating high school, I went to the University of Memphis in Tennessee to study jazz arranging and performance for a year, before entering Berklee.
A new desire to learn synthesis and production led me to spend the summer of 2019 exploring synthesis in Berlin, Germany, where I attended a short electronic music production course.
I have spent the last year and a half teaching piano at Merchiston Castle School, a boarding school in the UK, in addition to studying music production.  My current creative projects include a solo project using semi-modular synthesizers and keyboards and an electronic music duo.

I enjoy teaching students from all ages and backgrounds. Everyone has a different goal; enjoyment, going to college, trying something new, piano grades.
My job is to help the student find a way to learn and enjoy the process the most. Your dedication will always be directly proportional to your success learning the instrument. I am here to guide my students' learning with strategies that are appropriate to their goals and personalities. 
I love teaching young beginners, it's a great time to pick up good habits, techniques, and develop the ear. Nonetheless, age is never a reason to stop anyone learning the piano. The piano is a challenging, yet rewarding instrument.
I also take pride in teaching the serious student. This year brought a great success. During my time in the UK I started working with a student to help him enter the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester auditioning with Jazz Piano. He got an offer in December!