Fun Music
★★★★★ 5 · 9 student reviews
Fun Music, based in La Crescenta, CA, is a multi-teacher music school offering private instruction on 19 instruments — from accordion and bassoon to ukulele and violin — as well as composition, music theory, and singing. Lessons are available in English, Spanish, and Armenian, and the school's student roster spans ages 3 to 93. That range is not a rounding error: one reviewer returned to piano after a 30-year gap, while another student started lessons at age 4 and was still going strong at 8.
“She knows that I love to perform so she is always encouraging me to do the recitals and suggesting ones to do, and during the shows we always have something special and somewhat of a theme to my performances, such as singing, or costumes, things like that. One recent game we had was who had the longest practice time over the summer. That made me extend my practice times, and I actually won, which was very exciting! And the prizes are out of this world. Not only are the prizes amazing, but usually they incorporate the personality of the student.”
— Monique G., Burbank — piano student of Nico
The school's teaching staff brings significant formal training to each lesson. Most hold at least a Bachelor of Music, several have master's degrees, and one is currently pursuing a doctorate. The faculty's average teaching tenure is 16 years, and their combined experience exceeds 300 years. Teachers also perform regularly at local venues and have received awards for their work — meaning students are learning from instructors who still live inside music professionally, not just academically.
Three instructors come up by name across the reviews: Nico, Justin, and Marija. Each has earned repeated, specific praise. Nico draws particular attention for the way she customizes lessons around a student's personality — incorporating themed recital performances, summer practice contests with personalized prizes, and a repertoire that students help choose. One student, working toward an audition at Juilliard, credited Nico with giving her 'all the tools to succeed.' Justin is praised by multiple Northridge families for blending proper technique — correct hand placement, music reading — with what one parent called a 'jam session' energy that keeps kids engaged. Marija's impact shows up in a letter from a parent whose daughter, Shelby, was later pulled onstage at the Wiltern to sing a duet with the headlining band.
“While sitting watching my son have his lesson, he turned his head back to me and mouthed the words.... 'Mom this is SO much FUN'. Can you imagine, what this moment was like? No ice cream, carnivals or video games, just a genuine moment of a young boy experiencing the thrill of self expression!”
— Elliott, Pasadena — parent of a Fun Music student
The school teaches across styles — classical, pop, rock, jazz, Latin, and blues — from beginner through advanced levels. Students can learn to read music from their first lesson, or take a different route through ear training, improvisation, arranging, and recording. That flexibility is deliberate: the school's approach is explicitly built around each student's 'personality, attitude, interests and talent,' with no fixed pace imposed from the outside.
What the reviews keep returning to is not just enjoyment but measurable progress tied directly to that enjoyment. A self-described novice reported playing recognizable songs after two lessons with Justin. An 8-year-old noted she practices five or six songs at a time — not the one or two pieces common in more regimented programs. And one parent described watching her son turn around mid-lesson to mouth 'Mom this is SO much FUN' — unprompted, in the middle of what was, by all accounts, a serious music lesson.
“I courageously went back to playing the piano after thirty long years. This miracle could not have happened but for Nico's immense patience and encouragement. I greatly appreciate her continued support.”
— Sunita S., La Crescenta — adult returning piano student
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