Fan Mail

The boys all talk about how much they love piano - what a gift. Thank you! Their teachers even mentioned it at conferences. —Catherine D.

Everything a teacher should be. Encouraging, attentive, positive, constructive. —Samantha R.

My six-year-old loves to perform. Randy has been helping her with her intonation, piano playing, performing, and general ear for music in a manner that is fun and successful. My daughter is excited all week to go to her class. —Erika S.

Randy, I like your "Semper Method of Music” teaching method. It's applying knowledge with fun, and common sense... the best combination. Good luck. You’re a great musician. —Joe Messina, Motown recording guitarist & Funk Brother (P.S. and I mean it! Joe)

I have been taking lessons with Randy for roughly a year and a half, and I still look forward to his class every week. I came to Randy simply wanting to accompany my own vocals with some basic piano. Since that first day, he has inspired me to write my own songs, arrange them, record them, and learn to accompany myself on my own work. Randy is not simply a piano instructor, his ear training method focuses on turning the student of music into an actual musician, not just a more proficient student of music. I recommend Randy to anyone interested in finding a voice for the music inside of themselves. — E. P.

Randy has been fantastic at helping this very classically trained pianist break through the traditional structure of playing. Although I still have a long way to go, I am enjoying the adventure and learning process. He is incredibly patient and encouraging. Thank you, Randy...you're terrific! — Linda

My biggest thanks goes to you for mentoring, caring for and guiding my son during his young adult days. You are a very powerful figure in his life, and for this I am most grateful. —Lynn M.

Randy not only teaches me piano, he is able to teach me ways to enhance my personal musical style and create a musical style that is unique to me. He teaches me songwriting, vocal enhancement, piano, and how to be an overall amazing musician. He has accumulated so much knowledge over the years and truly wants to be a positive influence in your musical career. I have never met a more genuine teacher or person in my life. —Sydney

Randy currently teaches piano to our three school-aged boys. He makes lessons fun - so much so that he and my boys inspired me to take lessons myself. I took over ten years of classical piano lessons as a child and earned a college scholarship to study piano performance. I walked away from it in part because I didn't want to endure the pursuit of perfection while playing someone else's music. I wanted to play my own songs but had no idea how. I could master complex classical pieces but was lost without sheet music. I stopped playing piano entirely for a while. Twenty years later, I am now a recovering classical pianist. I have the time and interest to learn a whole new form of music - jazz piano. Randy's guidance is supportive, intuitive, and collaborative. I enjoy lessons as much as my kids - and am playing again! Randy's classical training combined with the depth of his impressive professional experiences permit him to teach everyone just about anything - from our youngest son who is just learning the basics, to someone like me with a background in classical music theory. Thank you! —Catherine

Updating my previous review. After 5 sessions, Randy has been able to give me the exact kind of tips and techniques I was hoping for from a teacher; with much more to come I'm sure. For several decades I had neglected any music skills I may have had as a child - even steering clear of a piano or keyboard for fear of someone asking me to sit down and play. I'm confident those fears are waning and will be gone in short order under Randy's lead. — Dennis H.

I was able to start to relax with singing in front of someone with coaching from Randy. He normalized singing to assist me in starting to find my voice. I think singing is sharing a part of yourself that is very personal and people pass judgement quickly on whether or not your voice is good. Randy helped me adjust to continue finding my voice and not worry so much about what others think. I learned a lot about experimenting with my voice and trying to find the best key for my voice. —Mary T.

I have learned a lot in just a short time. You really got me excited about working on singing without the frustration I usually feel. I will tell you this, I am old, been to a lot of school through college. I am a coach, so I know you are an incredible teacher. I have learned more in a few lessons with you than in a lifetime of reading, or online or in lessons. Thanks for all of that. —Marshall W.

Randy's passion for all facets of music has been an inspiration to my son for over a year now. His lessons encompass a variety of approaches to music education, including improvisation, ear and vocal development, and theory. Randy helps his students develop into well-rounded musicians, as opposed to just people who can read sheet music and play it on the piano. Not to mention that fact that Randy is wildly entertaining. We couldn't be happier! —Michelle V.

I've known Randy for about 10 years, and I’ve been taking lessons with him for about three years now, and I can honestly say that I've learned more from him about everything in music than anyone else. Words cannot explain how thankful I am for him, and all that he's taught me about music, and life in general. His lessons go so much deeper than just one subject, he has opened my mind to learning all the parts of music; composition, singing, production, theory, film score, you name it. Randy has been such an amazing influence in my life, and he truly cares about his student’s future, and simply how they are doing in life. It's hard to express how amazing an instructor and mentor Randy is through words. If anyone ever asked me who I would recommend for any type of music lessons, I wouldn't hesitate a second before saying Randy. —Austin M.

As an "older" student, I wanted to learn how to play the piano. In addition to playing, I am learning about music. I don't tell people I'm taking piano, I say I'm taking music lessons. Randy's method(s) is so much more than just playing piano. I'm having a great time. I believe he is too. —Marilyn C.

From the first contact, it was clear to me that Randy does not push his agenda for what you need to learn, he goes with your agenda. This makes him the ideal teacher for any level as he makes you feel good about your abilities, encourages you to make progress and strive for your goal, whatever that may be. I am fortunate to have found an excellent teacher whose his deep love of music is inspiring. —Emma G.

Randy is my piano teacher. But to say that I merely take piano lessons with him would be an understatement. His title should probably also include inspiring mentor and compassionate friend. His positive energy and hilarious, kind spirit are contagious. He will forever change the way you listen to and feel sounds. He not only helped me creatively express the music inside of me in a way no teacher has before, but even more importantly, he's helped me find my voice and welcome joy and gratitude back into my life. So if you're ready to let go of your nerves and your ego and step into his studio to explore the music that is within you, then this unforgettable experience awaits. :) —Diana J.

This past year, I have been brought back to piano music through the excellent teaching of Randy Leipnik. His approach is one of a kind. He helped this student to hear the music within me, the sounds around me and to play what I hear. He is truly amazing, encouraging, supportive and highly skilled, a true professional. I am always happy to recommend him to anyone who is seeking the very best instruction, by the very best instructor. —Elaine L.

I do not want to rehash all the good that has been said about Randy, although it is all true. As a student for the better part of two years I'd like to touch on a couple things. I really enjoy Randy's use of technology in music. Simply put, he uses computer programs / phone apps to help further train, educate, and bring more musical meaning to students and no, you do not need to be very computer savvy. Working with technology in music is a complete game changer. At the very least it breaks away from traditional at-the-instrument-rote-practice. Sure, the simple drum patterns that comes built-in the digital piano keeps time and gets the job done, but you haven't really *created* anything. When you make your own patterns (and more) your musical creation becomes so much more meaningful and you start to find yourself wanting more after every session. A recent job change meant I would have to stop lessons. Randy inquired if I would entertain lessons online. Being old-school to what I thought music lessons should be (face-to-face, rote-practice) I was apprehensive, but I could not deny the progress I made. I decided to give online lessons a shot and happy to report it is working with a great deal of accuracy. I'm able continue my lessons from over 675 miles away. The last thing I'd like to mention as with any hobby or craft, you should expect/ be prepared to invest in it. No, the investment won't break the bank or leave you out in the street, but if you are genuinely serious about breaking into a new world full of excitement and everlastingness, you'll need the right tools for the job. Randy can put you in contact with the right people to get you the tools you'll need. He also does a pretty darn good job of finding the best bang for your buck on music peripherals (always good to have a bargain shopper in your corner.) He won't force you to buy anything, but if you notice him making mention of certain peripheral(s) you may want to consider the investment - it's only going to help you in the long run. I believe Randy posses the tools, skills and knowledge to get you to where you need to be and more importantly, where you want to be. I fully recommended him as a piano teacher.—Renique

Randy is totally a 5 Star General!!! He is fun and mega talented. What I appreciate is his patience and natural ability to make me feel like his best friend. I am about to step into a new world! —Regina J

He's not only a great vocal teacher, but a great friend. Honestly the best teacher I've had and I'm very thankful for him. He's been a lot of help and I've learned so much. Thanks so much Randy! —Junior H.

I don't ever write reviews for anything, normally because I'm just too lazy :) This guy deserves a good review. He's passionate, extremely knowledgeable, and exactly what you would want in an instructor. I'm still learning and very new to piano, but I'm glad I chose Randy over the many other options. No instructor is going to do the hard work for you, that's your job. A good instructor will motivate you and keep you on the right path, this is the guy. —Mario M

One night I sat in with a friend's band for a song & had a blast. As a mid-life crisis kinda thing I decided to pursue vocal lessons to learn the correct way to sing. I've never had any kind of musical training so I did a google search to find the perfect instructor in my area and found Randy (lucky him). I emailed him and received a prompt phone call. During that conversation he asked what I was looking for & what my goals were. After that we set up some lessons, no pressure either way. Randy is an excellent instructor with a lot of patience ( Lord knows he needs it with me) often going over things umpteen times until it's right. Randy is very knowledgeable in the recording studio as he records most sessions and includes them in emails with what went right / wrong & what to work on. I have heard several of his students and they are incredible. He will not coddle & tell you what you want to hear, he'll tell you what you need to hear. If you are looking for an instructor that'll push you & teach you in a way that will make you want to learn, this is your guy. —Dave C.

Randy is an amazing piano teacher. He understands how to keep an energy filled 9-year-old boy interested and excited to learn! Randy is on top of all the technology trends and helps incorporate them into his students’ lessons. I am impressed with how quickly my son picks up on playing by ear with the methods that Randy has taught. My son's love for music has come from Randy. Randy's passion for music shines every time we see him. Randy has helped my son to be more confident not only playing piano but also in life. Randy's positive attitude and friendly personality makes him not only a wonderful piano teacher, but also a great mentor. I am happy that my son is being influenced by such a talented, sincere, and genuine person. We look forward to our lesson every week! Thank you Randy for being the best teacher! — Kristen P

Randy's classes are a lot of fun, I have learned a lot and improved my piano playing while enjoying the learning process. This method has taught me to appreciate music in new ways and keeps it interesting. —Ken H.

My son has been taking lessons with Randy for two years. Randy’s approach has been holistic not just focusing the technical aspect of reading notes and learning scales. Early on he had my six-year-old son working on figuring out songs by ear. Randy had adapted the speed and content based on my son’s interest. At first we weren’t sure how this would translate to learning to play piano but now when he is playing sheet music, the transition is easier because he knows what the note should sound like. It was like Hoosiers when the basketball team practiced without a ball. Learning the basics first. My son has grown so much all around musically with Randy as his teacher.—Jason H.

My sister and I have been taking piano lesson with Randy for about two and a half years. No words can describe how grateful we are to have found Randy. He has taken our piano experience into a whole new level. His method of teaching is great and most importantly fun. He is not only our music teacher but he is now our life mentor and a family. He is always so patience with us even when we make him work too hard. THE BEST PERSON IN THE UNIVERSE!!!—Sophia N.

I'm so happy and feel so blessed to have met you. This is such a huge step for me and you are making it such a wonderful experience! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! —A. C.

I got a lot of inspiration and encouragement from Randy to express myself and create my own music. In fact, I am now a film composer.—Ryan S.

I have been singing a longtime but Randy made me look at both my playing and my voice in a whole different way. We made a great record together. —Trevor N.

Thanks for believing and having much patience with our son, we truly love you and know that God has sent you in our lives for a purpose. Thanks for the many gifts that you give us each week teaching our son. —Keila C.

Thanks so much Randy! You are a wonderful instructor & my son is lucky to have you! :) —Michelle K.

Randy makes playing and learning music so much FUN! Thanks for helping me advance my bass playing abilities. —Carolyn S.

I want to thank you for the beautiful work you've been doing with my daughter. I haven't words to thank you enough! I am thrilled with what you are doing. I feel that she is finding her authentic voice with you. I love the results. Again, a million thanks!—M. P.

I have worked with Randy on many different musical projects over the past 15 years. He took our melodies, arranged them, and turned them into songs that were actually singable. Watching him run a rehearsal and teach people songs is a sight to behold. He makes it happen quickly and efficiently, and we have fun. In all sincerity, I consider Randy to be the most talented musician I've ever known. He is a great teacher, even of inexperienced adults, and fun to work with. A winning combination all the way around. —John B.

Randy taught me how to play better from the first day we met. We are getting deeper into theory and I write my own charts now. It has been a blast the whole time. He brings a unique combination of strengths to music instruction. He's a classically trained musician with a talent for improvisation, and has spent years arranging jazz and pop charts. Besides teaching kids and adults in both formal and informal settings, he has decades of experience in studio engineering and production, which has allowed him to hone his skills at "real-world" musical instruction -- giving musicians and singers in-the-booth skills which they can immediately translate into successful recordings, and which they can then go home and practice. Randy understands both the theory behind the instruction and how students can quickly integrate these theories to become better musicians. Plus, he makes the whole process fun to learn. I wholeheartedly recommend him as a music instructor on any level -- beginner through graduate.—Steve K.

Thanks Randy. I appreciate you taking interest in teaching my son. I know he is in good hands and I know he will learn a lot from you. He really liked you very much and is looking forward to learning things from you. Thanks & regards—Neeraj R.

I have had several piano tutors but Randy Leipnik is superior to all of them. He is dedicated, compassionate, knowledgeable, and most important, he cares whether his students learn or not. It actually "pains" him when his students (in this case, me), do not do well. But, even in the face of a student's difficulties (again, mine), he is understanding and patient. I am also impressed by his intellectualism as it relates to music and the learning process. For those looking for a tutor, I recommend him highly, and would be pleased to answer any questions.—Berl F.

When my Dad Lou turned 100 years old, and since he always liked to sing, we contacted Randy to make a record for the occasion. My dad had a good voice, but with Randy at the piano (and adding an orchestra to the mix!!) my dad could easily have given Frank Sinatra a run for his money!! Randy was gracious, considerate and attentive to Lou’s every thought and his every tone. Lou is almost 102 now, and is quickly changing. I keep the record in my car and play it often, remembering and cherishing and tearing up for the good times it brings to mind.— Charlene F.

Busy Life! I learned a long time ago that unless you schedule it – it’ll never happen! One of my goals this year was to learn to sing, I’ve always wanted to be able to sing and finally decided I’m tired of waiting, I’m going to just do it! When searching for a vocal coach online, I came across Randy’s profile. With so many good reviews, I felt pretty confident that I found a great instructor. I was totally right! Randy is AWESOME to work with! For me, It’s so important to have something like this scheduled because otherwise, I’d simply never do it. I know I have my standing appointment every week so it forces me to do my homework and continually improve my skill level. It’s amazing how much progress you can make when you make time for yourself each week. YES! There have been times when my week was cRaZy busy and I didn’t get to my homework, but Randy is easy going, understanding and extremely supportive regardless. Even if it’s just 20 minutes of practice right before I connect with him on Skype, It’s 20 minutes closer to reaching my goals – which would NEVER happen if it wasn’t scheduled. You want a GREAT instructor to help you with your music goals – TRUST ME –Randy is your guy! #TotalAwesomeness— Brad R.

Great lesson! Fun!—Greg S.

I had always wanted to learn how to play the piano. I wanted an instructor who was fun, loved playing and teaching, and patient. Randy is all of those things and more. I have learned so much about music and the piano in the four months I’ve been working with him. He makes me feel confident that I can learn to play almost anything! All I can say is I picked the right guy. I’m looking forward to many more lessons and with his help reaching some of the many musical goals I have set for myself.—Dawn H.

Fantastic. not only does randy focus on proper vocal technique ,he brings to light the overall picture of a performance and the importance of confidence. never demeaning or arrogant. The perfect coach —Adam W.

I have worked with Randy directly for over 10 years professionally and there aren't enough good things I can say about him. First I must address our ease of communication. To speak to Randy for 5 minutes is to feel like you've known him your entire life. He instantly puts you at ease by giving off the vibe of your favorite relative. He truly has interest and concern for his students and wants only the best for them. Speaking to his abilities, he has been a knowledgeable member of the creative and musical communities for his entire life. His talents are wide reaching and numerous. He also teaches with worldly experience. Randy gives room for the student to figure things out for themselves while still providing the desired support needed for progress and growth. Randy is a mentor of mine. After spending only a short amount of time learning from him, I knew that I was not only gaining superior knowledge and training but a lifelong friend. I was lucky enough to grow up right down the street from his home, but we've also worked in studio and online. Anyway you slice it: You hit the jackpot by hiring this guy.— Steve

Mister Randy L. has comprehensive knowledge of musicianship, recording, and above all teaching. Our lesson was jam packed full of technique, good practices, and active listening skills complete with a personalized approach to make the lesson completely engaging.—Brian T.

It was fun and exciting—Karen J.

I brought my son to Randy two years ago to see if he would be a good fit as an instructor. I had always wanted to learn to play the piano myself, but thought that because I never learned (and probably never would), I would make sure my son learned how! My son is not only well on his way to learning to play the piano by by ear, he is also having a blast recording his own music! Randy always emails out a recap of the lesson along with things to work on for the upcoming week. I love these recaps because I can listen to the music they recorded and know what my son should be working on. It's great! I always remembered hearing about what learning to play an instrument was like when I was younger (probably why I never tried to learn), an old blue hair wapping your hand with a ruler when you did not practice enough. This is not what it is like at all with Randy. Lessons can be as engaging as you want them to be. Randy has a special talent to know what to focus on every week based on how his student is feeling. I know this because I have witnessed several lessons where my son has been a real bundle of energy bouncing off the walls and Randy was able to reel him in and make progress for the day! I have enjoyed watching my son grow as a musician so much , that I started taking lessons from Randy about a year ago. My favorite part about the process is I told Randy up front that I wanted to play November Rain by Guns -n- Roses, (no easy task). He did not tell me that it was an impossible, or that it was a bad idea... He just drew the sheet music and we got after it. It has been awesome learning my favorite song along and at the same time learning how to play the piano by ear. You will begin to listen to all music differently after spending time with Randy, that is a fact. I have always been a lover of music, but it goes to the next level when you start to gain an understanding and a feeling of how the music is put together. I know that Randy is able to look down the road with each student and know how exactly how to teach each individual because everyone responds differently. Randy really does a terrific job making sure you know that it is not IF you will reach your goals, but WHEN. I am confident that we will be his students as long as he will have us, and I highly recommend you give him a try! You won't be disappointed! —Rob H.

Randy is an excellent teacher of both piano and voice. I really enjoyed each lesson and learned a lot from him. I would highly recommend Randy to those wanting to learn, really learn, to play.—Rick N.

My teacher is the best - simply put.—Sabrina M

Randy currently teaches piano to our three school-aged boys. He makes lessons fun - so much so that he and my boys inspired me to take lessons myself. I took over ten years of classical piano lessons as a child, and earned a college scholarship to study piano performance. I walked away from it in part because I didn't want to endure the pursuit of perfection while playing someone else's music. I wanted to play my own songs, but had no idea how. I could master complex classical pieces, but was lost without sheet music. I stopped playing piano entirely for a while. Twenty years later, I am now a recovering classical pianist. I have the time and interest to learn a whole new form of music - jazz piano. Randy's guidance is supportive, intuitive, and collaborative. I enjoy lessons as much as my kids - and am playing again! Randy's classical training combined with the depth of his impressive professional experiences permit him to teach everyone just about anything - from our youngest son who is just learning the basics, to someone like me with a background in classical music theory. Thank you!—Catherine D.

I am very pleased with the results. As I read and we spoke Randy detected habits or mispronunciations in my speech. Just having him draw my attention to them I began hearing them in everyday conversation. He is an excellent and fun coach and I highly recommend him for anyone wanting to improve and polish their speaking whether business or giving presentations. I plan to use him for some on camera and public speaking pointers. Thanks Randy!—Stacie

I have been working with Randy for a few months and just after the first hour I knew he was the teacher for me. He really gets to know you and what kind of music interest you. I've also noticed he has many different teaching strategies to go to your own pace, and really makes learning fun!! Even the basics! He really does create a personal level of learning and is extremely patient which has always been a problem with me and my teachers because I like to spend a little extra time just to make sure I fully understand. Working with Randy the past few months I can honestly say I am surprised how much I have learned and this is coming from a guy other teachers told me I couldn't sing, and now I'm working on creating my own unique voice! Randy creates a fun positive learning environment and for me unlocked doors in music I never thought I could achieve. I look forward to every lesson I have with him, he is helping me turn the gears of making a dream into a reality.— Art R.

Knowledgeable guy! Down to earth -- Great communicator. Knows how to help.—Bill M

When I first went to Randy, I wanted to learn how to sing better. Somehow, he saw that just learning how to sing wouldn't satisfy me, so he started teaching me music theory as well. As I, at the time, was in this bubble of singing and making music with my voice, I had had no interest in music theory and left his studio after two months. A few months later, I finally realized that I did, in fact, want to learn music theory, and so I went back to his studio. Learning about music with Randy has been one of the best experiences of my life- I'm now able to (slowly!) write songs of my own, distinguish different chord types, and I finally understand what the circle of fifths was that everybody talked about in my school choir. Without him, I never would have gotten to where I am now with music, and never developed a greater love and appreciation for it, and I thank him for that.—Jade Kim

I worked with Randy on my speaking voice. In just 5 weeks my voice for videos and presentations was much better and I had a plan for further improvements. He's easy to talk to, non-judgemental and provides sage advice. Randy was good at prioritizing things for me to work on, which made it easy to make progress quickly. He split tasks into those that required class time and those that I could teach myself. I'm leaving with specific exercises and books to read for self-improvement.—Allan

Randy is an amazing music teacher! I have worked in the music industry for some pretty big names as a record producer and songwriter. But I have always wanted to become a live musician. Randy is showing me how to become a true professional Musician. He teaches in a way that is clear and easy to understand. He is very well organized and creates a plan for me each lesson and sends it to me. This really has helped me to stay on track and focused until our next lesson. Randy has not only taught me how to play piano and sing much better than I ever thought I could, but he has also helped me to realize...WHY I play music. Discovering why I create music has been Powerful to my musical growth! Thanks Randy for the pathway of learning you have showed me!—Lance B.

Randy is an exemplary Music as well as Life instructor. I signed up for singing lessons and play several instruments. But as the lessons began Randy interweaved all music styles and instrumentation into each lesson. Teaching how they are all intertwined.He is kind,Humorous, extremely experienced, talented and never condescending. Im am looking forward to further lessons in the coming year.— Kip W.

I was tasked with singing in a community theater production; I had never sung before any audience, nor had I ever received any musical training. I sought Randy's help. In our first lesson he gave me half of what I needed -- confidence. In subsequent lessons he taught me some theory, blues form, how to sing with accompaniment, and how to believe in myself as a singer. His congenial, helpful, FUN approach to teaching is delightful. I would recommend him highly.—Bill

I have always loved to sing but other than some choir classes in middle and high school, I never had any formal training. I always said "someday I would love to take singing lessons". Last May, my husband bought me singing lessons with Randy as a Mother's Day gift. It's November and I am still doing it. I briefly looked over the other reviews and would absolutely agree with all the other comments about Randy's patience, humor and flexibility. He is very understanding about my limited time to practice outside of lessons and has a great balance of knowing when to push a little more and when to let me find my own way. Ultimately, though, I keep going because even though I may come into a session with the weight of the world on my shoulders, I always leave feeling lighter. And that has been a true gift for me both from my husband and from Randy.—Erin C.

I've loved and played music (accordion and piano) my entire life, but have always been a very technical player. Learn the notes, measure by measure, play the song. Randy has taught me how to actually "play" and "understand" music in a way I never have before. He teaches the fundamentals, but in a way that is inspiring and fun. I wish I would have met Randy years ago. I might have been a musician instead of a sales guy! —Lou M.