Downtown Encinitas
Piano, Voice & Songwriting Lessons
Lessons with a working performer, in a private studio two blocks off Coast Highway 101. All ages and levels, one student at a time.
Inquire About Lessons
Downtown Encinitas
Lessons with a working performer, in a private studio two blocks off Coast Highway 101. All ages and levels, one student at a time.
Inquire About Lessons
Conservatory trained, performing weekly
Brian Wahlstrom holds a Master of Music from the Manhattan School of Music and a BA in Music from UC San Diego.
He performs for a living, from Carnegie Hall to a weekend residency at Cicciotti's in Cardiff. Lessons draw on both sides of that life: disciplined classical training, and the instincts that only come from the stage.
Particular attention goes to the part method books leave out: performing. Parents are welcome to stay and listen, because progress here is something you can hear.
Private instruction, shaped to each student
A grounded classical foundation through the first years of study, and the part most lessons skip: chords, playing by ear, and improvisation, taught through an advanced level. For anyone who wants to sit down at any piano and play.
Technique from the first lesson through advanced classical study, built on healthy breath and tone, with audition preparation for students pursuing roles, programs, and competitions. Friends can also learn together; group rates are below.
Melody, harmony, lyric, and song form, developed one song at a time. Finished songs are recorded in the studio, and students keep the tracks.
Stage presence, treated as seriously as scales: preparation, nerves, reading a room, and recovering cleanly when something slips. Students learn to walk into an audition, a recital, or a crowded party with composure.
A musician's room in downtown Encinitas
Downtown Encinitas, CA 92024
One room built around a baby grand, with good light and few distractions. The studio sits two blocks off Coast Highway 101, an easy drive from Cardiff, Leucadia, Carlsbad, and Rancho Santa Fe, with parking nearby.
Parents are welcome at every lesson. Stay and listen, or take a coffee out to the private balcony while your student works. The half hour passes easily.
Open in Google MapsWeekly lessons, billed monthly
The usual starting point for young beginners.
The most common choice, with time for technique and repertoire both.
For advancing students, adults, and songwriting or recording sessions.
The first lesson is $25, credited toward the first month if you continue. Lessons are weekly and billed monthly, and any lesson can be rescheduled at no charge with 24 hours' notice.
Voice lessons for two to five friends in one 60-minute session. Shared coaching, harmonies from the start, and a lower rate per singer.
On readiness, practice, and how lessons work
Most children are ready for piano around six, and for voice a little later. Readiness matters more than birthdays, and the $25 first lesson is the simplest way to find out. If it's too early, Brian will say so and suggest what to do in the meantime.
Always. The studio seats a parent comfortably, and younger students often settle faster knowing you're close. The balcony is there when you'd rather give them the room.
Short and daily beats long and rare. Fifteen focused minutes is plenty for a beginner, and every lesson ends with a clear plan for the week, so nothing at home is guesswork.
A full-size keyboard with weighted keys is enough for the first years. Before buying anything, ask; Brian will point you to specific models at any budget.
Through roughly the first five years of classical study, and as far as a student wants to take improvisation, chords, and playing by ear. Students bound for advanced classical repertoire eventually need a specialist, and when that day comes they'll get a straight answer and a referral.
Yes. Studying with a working performer means performance is part of the curriculum, not a year-end add-on. When a student is ready, the studio finds the right moment.
Yes: returning players, first-timers, singers, and songwriters. Some of the studio's most rewarding work is with adults finally making the time.
Group singing sessions take two to five friends at once: shared coaching, harmonies, and a lower rate per singer. An easy way in for anyone who'd rather not start alone.
A note about the student is plenty. Brian replies personally within a day.
Your inquiry is in. Brian reads each one himself and will reply within a day.