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about
Biography
Kaori Watanabe is a graduate from the Showa College of Music in Japan and Chapman University as a Piano Performance major. She studied piano under Ms. Karen Knecht and Dr. Joseph Matthews. In the public piano performance, she had a solo recital at Cypress College and Santa Ana College, and she had performed as a soloist with Santa Ana College Chamber Orchestra. Moreover, she performed at Chapman University and was chosen for MTAC Convention performance in Santa Clara, 2017 and 2019.
Her experience of master classes were working with Lydia Boguslansky from New York University, James Bonn, Kevin Fitz-Gerald, and Antoinette Perry from USC Thornton School of Music, Dr. Dmitry Rachmanov, Alison Edwards as well as Rob Watson.
She has been teaching piano for 20 years in OC and is a member of MTAC and JAMC. And, she received Steinway & Sons Top Piano Teacher 2021. Her students come from many different areas for the lessons. They achieve success in some tests and piano competitions. In Particular, they are going to take tests, called CM and RCM.
Students go to college of:
- California State University, Fullerton
- University of California, Irvine
- University of California, Los Angeles
- University of California, Santa Barbara
Student Achievement Experiences
- SYMF Summer Festival Piano Solo 17 Years Old 2nd Place in 2024
- MTAC Theme Festival Under 16 Years Old 1st Place in 2023
- JMAC Piano Festival Competition Section Lighthouse Award in 2023
- MTAC Theme Festival Under 15 Years Old 2nd Place in 2022
- Students Master Classes with Ms. Knecht from Chapman University in 2022
- JMAC Piano Festival Competition Section Program 7, 2nd Place in 2022
- JMAC Piano Festival Competition Section Age Group Winner in 2021
- JMAC Piano Festival Competition Section Age Group Winner in 2019
- JMAC Piano Festival Competition Section Lighthouse Award in 2018
- MTAC Theme Festival Under 17 Years Old 2nd Place in 2021
- MTAC Theme Festival Under 14 Years Old 1st Place in 2021
- MTAC Theme Festival Under 15 Years Old 2nd Place in 2019
- MTAC Convention Performance 2018
My Philosophy
From my teaching experience in 20 years, the happiest moment to me is a new student as a beginner comes to my studio and starts his/her music study and moves progresses. During making the progress and working hard together, some students could try competitions and start to get awards. it is not important whether or not students try competitions. The most valuable thing for me is to see students' big smiles with self-confidence after they achieved success of their annual recitals, passing some tests, and competitions. I believe if students work hard and enjoy the expression of their music making, they will gain excellent results and
develop their self-esteem. In order for the lessons to work, the teamwork of students, parents, and teachers is very important.
In past many years, I have seen students' growth and moved to universities and then graduated from their schools. Moreover, a former student has a career as a piano instructor. I am luckiest person to see it.