Meet Wendy Fachini Banfalvi of Thousand Oaks, California

Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy Fachini Banfalvi.

Hi Wendy Fachini, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Wendy Fachini Piano Studio was established in 1994 after I moved to Thousand Oaks and began to teach piano. I began teaching through a piano store to gain experience and clientele. I joined MTAC (Music Teachers Association of California) in 1994 and still have an active membership today. When the piano store closed in 1998, I opened a fully independent piano studio from my home. With 54 years of piano experience including a Bachelor of Music degree from Heidelberg University in Ohio and graduate studies in Musicology at UCLA, Los Angeles, I bring a high quality of music education to every lesson taught. I have published three music books teaching Scales and Chords and belong to NAMM, (North American Music Merchants Association). An upgrade to my home studio includes a Grand piano and an electric piano to enhance the teaching of ensemble pieces. Covid-19 shutdown taught me how important online teaching can be, and I also offer Zoom lessons at my studio. I teach students of all ages and abilities in person and online. Presently, my youngest student is 5 and there are about 38 school age students. I also teach adults and have had retired seniors over 80 years old. Each lesson is tailored to the individual student’s musical journey.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The first struggle for my studio came when my son was born in 2000. I stopped going out to students’ houses to teach and cut my teaching load in half in order to not need daycare. It worked well until my divorce in 2013. The studio became the primary source of income for my household. By publishing books, creating a website, and becoming present on Linked In, Yelp, and Google, I began a marketing blitz that yields success to this day. The next struggle was the arrival of Covid-19. When the world shut down, everyone had to work online or lose their businesses. I chose to learn Zoom and online teaching skills. Many piano studios closed because teachers could not learn or accept the online format. Since Covid, my little studio has over 50 students weekly and has become relatively well known in the community.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Wendy Fachini Piano Studio is a small home-based studio that provides private piano instruction for any age, musical ability or background. I teach all the lessons individually and tailor each one to the specific student’s musical interests. I specialize in piano performance, composition, theory, and scale work. I am known as the author of Scales and Chords I, II, and a Complete Scales and Chords edition published in 2023. What sets me apart from other piano studios is the extensive music background I have. I am not locked into a state curriculum and can provide opportunities for students to perform if they desire it. When you take lessons at my studio, you learn scales from a published author and also benefit from over 50 years of piano experience. I am most proud of being able to create a small, high quality education environment for piano instruction.

What makes you happy?
Not everyone has a job they can say makes them happy. I am happy to be a mentor, teacher, and friend to all of my students. They are my extended family. When a student struggles with a concept or a piece of music, I am happy when they put the practice in and play the piece with confidence. Their success makes me happy to be their teacher. If you enjoy your job, you never work a day in your life.

Pricing:

• $40 for a weekly 30 minute lesson
• $55 for a weekly 45 minute lesson
• Family discounts available

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wendyspianostudiothousandoaks.com
• Facebook: Wendy Fachini Piano Studio