Testimonials

I have been studying with Ms. Natalya since I was four and a half years old, almost fourteen years. I remember the yellow felt board where I learned to read music by placing colored circles on the lines of between them. Ms. Natalya is as brilliant a teacher as she is a musician, and I have learned more music from her than I believe anyone else could have taught me. I love watching her hands on the keys, meandering up and down the octaves with an elusive touch that manages to draw forth deep, sonorous harmonies, sincere but never ostentatious.
Lessons with Ms. Natalya are more than just music. I remember learning a lullaby where Ms. Natalya drew the most beautiful picture of a girl sleeping and I wanted to play that piece all the time to look at the drawing. Though knowledgeable about all things musical, Ms. Natalya’s love for art is injected into all her lessons. Her lovely, curly drawings at the bottom of a page well played remain one of the greatest pleasures of being a child in her class.
As I have gotten older, Ms. Natalya has taught me more than an appreciation for and a proficiency in music. Ms. Natalya has a capacity for profound gentleness. She will imbue anything she approaches with love and consciousness, confidence, discernment, placidity, culture, and strength. She sanctifies everything she touches, whether a note or a cup of coffee. Her words and gestures, even her possessions, are always deliberate, products of deep thought, things she has hallowed and bestowed with meaning.
I have had the opportunity in Ms. Natalya’s class to perform twice a year in wonderful venues in New York City. Her students take this opportunity to watch each other grow and improve, and to recognize how much effort she has put in and how much everyone has gotten out of it.
I am so thankful for thirteen beautiful years of music, insight, guidance, and brilliance. Each lesson with her is insightful. I am so blessed to have grown up with her knowledge, advice, and talent.

~ Tess Solomon

When I arrived in New-York one year ago I wanted to brush up my piano skills. I use to play when I was younger and stopped when I went to college. As an adult, my expectations are now different: I play the piano to spend a pleasant time and relax after work. When I first met Ms. Natalya I immediately knew she would be the perfect piano teacher for me. Indeed, she started to give me simple pieces so I could rebuild my confidence. Despite their simplicity, she has always picked beautiful pieces so I would enjoy the music. She understands that my goal is not to be a concert pianist. Ms. Natalya introduced me to different styles and developed my knowledge of the different music periods as well as my understanding of the piecesf structure. Most importantly she taught me how to feel the instrument, how to give it my energy so it can give me in return.

~ Marie-Anne Ballot

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced piano student, Natalya Mark will devote all of her talent to teach you. Two of my children have studied piano with Ms. Natalya Mark for several years. She has given them a deep and abiding appreciation for the works of the great composers through out the ages. In addition to this Ms. Mark has trained them skillfully in piano technique and the interpretation of difficult musical compositions. Because of her love for her students, Ms. Mark has created opportunities for her students to learn from lecture series, duet concerts and special recitals. She sponsored a special recital to raise money for firehouse 83, during 911, where the children used their music to fill a need. She is a very special person. We are grateful to Ms. Mark for sponsoring beautiful recitals which have given our children a unique opportunity to share in the musical development of all her students. We highly recommend Natalya Mark as an excellent piano teacher.

~ Philip and Joya Prestamo

When we first found out that the piano teacher who would take our daughter Natasha under her wing was a highly-regarded Russian teacher, we were of course delighted. To begin with, we had always been fascinated by Russians’ dedication to their craft, especially ballet, music and sports.

Our daughter Natasha was the beneficiary of our decision – almost eight years ago – to put her music destiny in the hands of the perfectionist Natalya Mark. Natalya is not only a very talented pianist, but is also an excellent teacher. Having grown up in a musical household, combined with her immense talent, her extensive studies and tremendous experiences abroad, Natalya is indeed a rare find.

Natalya is also wonderful with small children. Our six-year old son, Paul, started taking lessons with Natalya last September and is already learning so much while having fun at the same time. He practices on his own and canft wait to see Natalya every Saturday for his lesson.

Natasha now has the unmistakable pianist’s discipline and focus, and is able to absorb the composer’s and her teacher’s message quickly. Like all seventeen-year-olds, Natasha has many interests, and is immersed in her college applications. Her piano is always there to smooth out the edges of her life. She cannot imagine life without piano and Natalya plays a major role in this.

~ Paulita and Cesar Lumba

I have been a student of Natalya for the past eight years (I am approaching my 16th birthday) and I have learned some of my most valuable lessons under her tutelage. She was never merely my piano teacher; she was and still is so much more than that. She taught me about discipline and respect, not just for my elders but for my peers and myself as well. She did not just teach me to play the piano– she taught me to appreciate what I was playing and learn to perfect each piece according to the dynamics assigned to it. I learned to listen: to listen to my friends and appreciate their efforts, to listen to those more accomplished than I and learn from them and (most importantly) to listen to her. Her years of experience and talent gave me something to strive for; whenever she played a piece, I wanted to play it just like she did. Her commitment to excellence amazed (and sometimes frustrated) me. We would spend some 20 minutes perfecting just one phrase of a piece! Natalya’s creativity is evident in the never- ending flow of ideas that she seems to come up with so easily. A concert or recital could never just be a number of students playing their pieces; it had to have a theme, some common thread to bind it all together and make it not just a series of beautiful pieces but an entire beautiful evening. She always manages to secure an outstanding venue for our performances: by the time I was 10 years old I had performed at Steinway Hall! At that age I could not truly understand the gift Natalya was giving me. Even now I am just beginning to comprehend: she was treating me not as a child but as a young person; celebrating my youth while at the same time holding me to high standards. She is a strict disciplinarian but also a loving, supportive teacher. As I move on to the next stage of my life, away to college from the world I have always known, I know that I will always remember the lessons I have learned from Natalya. I’ll keep my back straight (posture is always very important) and conduct myself with poise. Her combination of discipline and love has helped shape me into the person I am today, and for that I will always be grateful.

~ Margaret

I have studied with Ms. Mark for the past nine years and I can confidently affirm the quality of her unique and effective teaching style. When I met Ms. Natalya, my piano skills reflected a lack of knowledge of technique and hand position. From the very beginning, she emphasized the value of these two essential skills, changing the way I approached the instrument and my studies. Ms. Mark is patient and dedicated to each of her students, encouraging them to succeed and challenge themselves. An expertly trained pianist and performer, Ms. Mark incorporates a sense of professionalism into her lessons. In addition to her devotion, Ms. Mark also shows a sense of compassion for her students, using innovative teaching methods to help them love and enjoy the instrument they are learning to play. I am extremely grateful for the years I have spent as a student of Natalya Mark. She is a compassionate friend and determined teacher, who has taught me to play and perform with confidence.

~ Julia Merrill, 18

About Natalya Mark

We are so pleased that Natalya Mark chose to teach piano in New York. Our two children have studied with her for two years, and we see what a gift she brings us every week. Through Natalyafs teaching skills and dedication to her students, our children have a musical ability they do not even know they possess. Her lessons have also helped both children apply themselves to many other activities needing concentration and coordination. Natalya helps us with so much. Brava!

~ Sarah and Leonard Marsh