By Leen Kawas on September 1, 2026 Verified by Google

Payam School of Music in Santa Monica has been such a wonderful experience for our family. Alexandra is an amazing director, Ira, and Nick are incredibly dedicated teachers who genuinely care about their students, and our kids truly love going to their classes.
What sets this school apart is the method — the children get to enjoy piano rather than feel like it’s work or something they have to do. That mindset makes all the difference, and it’s why our kids stay engaged and excited to learn.
The recitals are thoughtfully put together, and you can tell a lot of care goes into every detail. The overall environment of the school is warm and nurturing, and the community around it is just as wonderful.
Highly recommend Payam School to any family looking for a place where kids can grow to love music.

By Alexander Villa on August 30, 2026 Verified by Google

We have a 10-year-old and a 6-year-old who both started at Payam academy just a few months ago. Neither of them had ever touched a piano before starting, and we are amazed by how much they have already learned!

What really makes this academy special is their unique way of teaching. All of the instructors are wonderful, friendly, and amazing with kids. My son works with Nick, who has been absolutely amazing and incredibly patient with him. We’ve seen such a positive change in his confidence and skills.

The entire staff is so helpful and welcoming, especially Alexandra, the school director. She always greets you with a smile and is genuinely willing to work with you and make you feel comfortable and welcomed.

We are so happy we found this academy! I highly recommend it to any parent looking for a great place for their children to learn piano.

By megan cherry on June 19, 2026 Verified by Google

Our daughter started at Payam when she was four years old and has now been taking lessons for over a year. We have been incredibly impressed with both the program and the teachers. She has worked with several instructors, and every one of them has been wonderful—patient, encouraging, engaging, and clearly invested in her success.

What stands out most is how much she genuinely loves playing piano. She regularly sits down at the piano on her own without any prompting and often spends time playing and even creating her own original music. Seeing a five-year-old develop that kind of enthusiasm and creativity has been amazing.

The progress she has made in just over a year has exceeded all of our expectations. The Payam curriculum has helped her advance much more quickly than we would have expected from a traditional piano program. Her musical understanding, confidence, and technical skills have grown tremendously.

We are so grateful to the entire Payam team for fostering not only strong piano skills, but also a true love of music. The fact that our daughter eagerly goes to the piano on her own and gets excited about practicing says more than we ever could. We highly recommend Payam to any family looking for a high-quality music education program that inspires children to truly love music.

By Alex V on June 9, 2026 Verified by Google

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

We have two children attending Payam Music Piano School—a 6-year-old and a 14-year-old—and both absolutely love it. The school does a wonderful job of making piano lessons engaging and enjoyable for students of different ages and skill levels.

The Payam Method has worked very well for both of our children. We’ve seen steady progress in their playing while they continue to stay motivated and excited about learning music. The lessons strike a great balance between structure and fun.

A special thank you to their teachers, Ira and Daria, who are patient, encouraging, and genuinely invested in their students’ success. They create a positive learning environment that helps children build both skills and confidence.

We highly recommend Payam Music Piano School to any family looking for quality piano instruction in a supportive and enjoyable atmosphere.

By CHARLES XAVIER on March 13, 2026 Verified by Google

One of the most positive and exciting places in Los Angeles for prospective musicians who want to learn how to piano without any stress or overt complexity. In a world where our society is glued to the cell phone screens, this is an environment to escape from the digital world and learn a beautiful skill that is often often undervalued. The Payam method is the Kumon of the music education world. The teachers are amazing and the experience is priceless. Definitely worth investing in whether you are a young student or adult.