UNISON Music Academy
“I have studied piano on and off for many years. About 6 years ago (2015), I decided to start playing again and realized I needed some lessons. I found Maria Centola and it turned out to be a wonderful experience. I am not a beginner, as, over the years, I have performed several recitals and accompanied perhaps a dozen or so vocalists and instrumentalists (including a student of the Kronos Quartet's violist). While Maria is great with young beginners, she can also coach at a very high level. I was not looking for basic technique, although when she sensed deficiencies in that area she did not hesitate to point them out and give ways of overcoming them. Rather, we mostly focused on overarching qualities like expression and intention in the music. Probing this often included digressions into literature, philosophy, or spirituality. Moreover, she pushed my far beyond what I thought I was capable of. Indeed, she gave me the Bach-Busoni Chaconne to study, not knowing I already had the music and dreamed of playing it, but never had the courage to face it. Mastering that piece was one of my most rewarding experiences, musically or otherwise. I will always be indebted to her for her patience and skill in pushing me to this level of expression.”
