How lessons work
Private piano lessons run weekly year-round at our Westfield studios in 30, 45 or 60 minute sessions. Students perform in recitals, festivals and masterclasses throughout the year.
Faculty
Meet our piano teachers
Every NJWA piano student is matched with a teacher by age, level and musical interest — classical, jazz or popular.
Chin-Wen Deng
Piano
- Piano
- Double Bass
- Er-Hu
Chin-Wen Deng earned a B.A. at Soochow University in Taipei, Taiwan and an M.M. at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. Ms. Deng's teaching experience includes a departmental assistantship as a part-time lecturer at the Mason Gross School of the Arts Music Department. Her professional performances include a master's degree recital at Rutgers University and a senior recital at Soochow University. Ms. Deng plays double bass and the Er-Hu (the Chinese violin) in addition to the piano, and has performed at the National Concert Hall in Taipei as well as in Singapore and Hong Kong.
Siu Yue Hung
Piano
- Piano
- Pedagogy
Siu Yue Hung earned a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of the Arts, Philadelphia, and a Master of Music in piano pedagogy from Temple University. She also attended the Central Conservatory of Music in Peking, China. Her teaching experience includes St. Margaret's Girls College in Hong Kong, Academie St. Cecile in Windsor, Canada and Conservatory Without Walls in Moorestown, New Jersey. Many of her students have won top honors and scholarships in the Kiwanis Festival and are on the Academy Directrice Honor list. She is a member of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.
Helen Ryba
Piano · Vocal Coaching
- Piano
- Accompanying
- Theory
Helen Ryba (Yelena Rybalskaya) started studying music at age four at Mykola Lysenko Music School in Kiev, Ukraine, and earned a B.A. in music from Glière Music College in Kiev. She then earned an M.M. with high honors from Kiev State Conservatory with four major specializations — classical piano soloist, teacher, accompanist and chamber orchestra performer. Ms. Ryba has worked as a piano teacher and vocal coach, and among her students are prominent singers and performers. Highlights of her own performing career include the complete Book I of the Well-Tempered Clavier and the Goldberg Variations of J.S. Bach. Her teaching promotes parallel development of ear training, sight reading, and creative and technical piano skills, as well as music history and theory.
Francesca Prihasti
Jazz Piano
- Jazz Piano
- Improvisation
- Composition
Originally from Indonesia and now based in New York City, Francesca Prihasti is an emerging artist on the international jazz scene. She graduated from New York University after completing a master's in music and recorded her third album featuring Drew Gress, Alan Ferber, Mike Rodriguez and Dave Pietro. Prihasti's music draws from a wealth of original material in addition to a deep knowledge of the jazz tradition. In addition to performing, she taught for two years as an adjunct piano instructor at NYU, one year in Indonesia and six years in Australia, with students ranging from five years old to undergraduate seniors.
Not sure who to study with?
Tell our office the student's age, experience and goals and we'll recommend a teacher with matching availability.