Reviews
Clara is awesome! She tutored me over the summer before I began my freshman year at Berklee College of Music, and helped prepare me for the Entering Student Proficiency Assessment. She has excellent jazz theory knowledge and solfege skills, and as a Berklee alum, she was able to help me prepare for college-level work. With her tutoring, I was able to test into Ear Training 3 and Harmony 2X (an intensive course), when I previously had only had limited knowledge of jazz theory. All the work Clara assigned was very helpful - even after 2 semesters at Berklee, I still use some of the methods she taught me! Clara is great if you want a lot of personal focus, flexible class times, and a nurturing learning environment. She is very professional and very patient, which makes her a great teacher. Her extensive knowledge makes her suitable for any music tutoring you might need. I highly recommend Clara!
- Celine N, graduate of Berklee College of Music, singer-songwriter.
Clara is one of the most engaging music teachers I’ve had. She was my high school choir teacher for a few years, and I also had the opportunity to work with her one-on-one for vocal competitions. She helped me prepare for a number of performances over two years (including Carnegie Hall!) Her knowledge of solfege, music theory, and ear training not only made me a better musician, but transformed the abilities of our entire choir. She is great at identifying opportunities for improvement and is flexible in developing strategies that will work best for you to make those changes. I particularly enjoyed learning how to conduct with her - she has pointed me towards a number of resources that I still use and share with others interested in conducting. She’s also got a ton of technical know-how about many areas of music, whether it be vocal health, singing, or piano. I always knew I could ask her any questions I had.
What I enjoyed most about her teaching was the way she helped me take responsibility for my own musical education; her support was a huge factor in the way I pushed myself to find new opportunities, and the experiences she exposed me to helped me become an independent learner. Clara is flexible, focused, and absolutely committed to the success of every one of her students, and I’d highly recommend learning with her!
- Ritika S (Student at Duke University, Secretary of award-winning a capella group Out of the Blue)
Clara is a great teacher who perfectly complements strong knowledge of and passion for music theory and history with a patient and empathetic style of instruction. She is always willing and able to work with you and go above and beyond for your learning. After our IB Music course, I felt very prepared for my music university education at Berklee thanks to her expertise and dedication.
As someone who primarily was taught by Clara in a multiple student class setting, her adaptability as a teacher to express concepts and explain material in a variety of ways was a great asset in ensuring all students succeeded. I highly recommend Clara if you’re looking for a professional, dedicated instructor with the ability to cater to any student.
- Gabriel P (Student at Berklee College of Music)
During my four years knowing Clara she has been a significant help in not only my studies as an aspiring musician but also in instilling lifelong habits that have helped me grow not only as a performer/professional but as a person. My initial experience with Ms. Chan was through piano. Simply put she is a firm but fair instructor and demands a lot from her students. The rest of my time as Ms. Chan’s student was through my experience in IB music. That initial year Ms. Chan helped in filling many of the gaps in my musical knowledge. She was patient yet fair and demanding, which was critical in helping me grow as a performer. Today I still remember and utilize much of what Ms. Chan has taught me, especially music theory and a hard work ethic. She helped not only me but my peers to also gain a fuller understanding of music. Her eagerness to teach was especially clear through her actions. She would reserve time during lunch or after school to help me with whatever gaps I had in my understanding of the material. If anything Ms. Chan deeply cares about her students and wants them all to succeed.
- Gabriel C (Student at University of British Columbia, Music major)
Clara has been teaching me music theory and sight singing for the past four years. She is a very patient, inspiring and organised teacher, making lessons interesting and adapting them to fit my needs. I would recommend her to adults and children as she is able to deal with all age groups and levels.
- Shirley A, performer at Carnegie Hall