Private Lessons

Joy has experience teaching a variety of levels and ages including beginner through advanced K-12 students, adult amateurs, and conservatory students. She served as the assistant to Paul Katz during her M.M. studies at New England Conservatory and has taught for five years for the Naples Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

Joy offers in-person lessons in Rice Military (Houston, TX) or virtual lessons over Zoom.

Studio Rules

By taking lessons with Ms. Yanai, the student and their parents and/or guardians agree to follow each of the studio rules listed below. Do not hesitate to contact Ms. Yanai with any questions.

Cancellations

  • Please provide written notice at least 24 hours in advance if you are unable to attend a scheduled lesson.

  • Lessons missed or canceled without at least 24 hours' notice will be charged in full, and no make-up lesson will be offered.

  • If a student is unwell, please refrain from attending the lesson in person. In such cases, lessons may be conducted online.

  • In the event that Ms. Yanai needs to cancel a lesson, the lesson will be rescheduled at a mutually convenient time.

Practice

  • Students are expected to practice daily, seven days a week. Practice. PRACTICE. PRACTICE!!!

  • Parents are strongly encouraged to actively support and facilitate their child’s practice sessions at home to ensure productivity and consistency.

Scheduling

  • Lessons will be scheduled in advance on a monthly basis. Coordination will take place via email or text message before the start of each month.

  • Regular lessons are held once per week.

  • Lessons will not be extended for late arrivals.

Payment

  • Payment is required in advance, in monthly installments, and is due by the 1st of each month.

  • The number of lessons may vary each month, so please refer to the month’s scheduled lessons to confirm the total amount due.

  • Accepted payment methods include Zelle, Venmo, check, or cash.

Ms. Yanai’s favorite recordings

  • Gregor Piatigorsky

    Gregor Piatigorsky plays his own transcription of Tchaikovsky’s None but the Lonely Heart with pianist Ralph Berkowitz.

    LISTEN

  • Steven Isserlis

    Steven Isserlis plays the Intermezzo from Schumann’s Violin Sonata No. 3 and also the composer’s contribution to the “F-A-E” Sonata. Thomas Adès is the pianist.

    LISTEN

  • Jascha Heifetz

    Jascha Heifetz plays Glazunov’s Meditation with pianist Arpád Sándor.

    LISTEN

  • Pablo Casals

    Pablo Casals plays his arrangement of the Catalan folk song Song of the Birds with the Prades Festival Orchestra.

    LISTEN

  • Borodin String Quartet

    Borodin String Quartet performs Tchaikovsky’s String Quartet No. 3 in E-flat minor

    LISTEN

  • Ferenc Sánta

    Ferenc Sánta and his Gypsy Band’s album of Hungarian Gypsy Music. The title work on the album is this Csárdás.

    LISTEN

  • Masuko Ushioda & Laurence Lesser

    Masuko Ushioda & Laurence Lesser perform Brahms: “Double” Concerto in Victoria, British Columbia (Canada) in February 1975. Conductor and orchestra are unknown.

    LISTEN

  • Heifetz-Piatigorsky

    Jascha Heifetz & Gregor Piatigorsky perform Dvorak’s “Dumky” Piano Trio alongside pianist Jacob Lateiner as a part of the historic Heifetz-Piatigorsky Concerts.

    LISTEN