ABOUT ELENA
Elena Shemetoff has been teaching music for almost half a century. A graduate of the Moscow Conservatory, Elena immigrated to the US to study with Kyriena Siloti (daughter of Alexander Siloti, Sergei Rachmaninov's teacher). Since then, hundreds of students—from complete beginners, to professional-level musicians—have benefited from her impressive experience, gentle encouragement, and sly sense of humor.
Elena is truly one of the most experienced piano instructors currently taking on new students in Manhattan. She taught the city's elite young musicians at the Special Music School in New York for over a decade, while also serving as the school's Music Director. Since then, she has gone on to give private lessons to several generations of New York's piano pupils, at every level of expertise.
Elena's music studio boasts two gorgeous and historic grand pianos, and is conveniently located in the heart of the Upper West Side (within walking distance of both the 72nd and 79th street subway stations).
TESTIMONIALS
Elena Shemetoff maintains a balance of wisdom, wit, and patience with her youngest students. My son began his piano studies with her when he was just 5 years old. For six years, he met with her twice a week. When he went to middle school, we trimmed it to once a week lessons. Everything he learned from her was invaluable; she is a gem. I can’t praise her enough—she was always there for my son, through thick and thin. He is almost twenty now, an accomplished pianist and college student. His music is and always will be an integral part of who he is, and Elena will always be the angel on his shoulder.
—Lyndie Callan (parent)
Elena with her unprecedented passion, rigor, and patience showed me the way to become a better musician and listener. After six years of studying with her, she became like a second mother and most importantly a close friend, offering me one of the greatest pleasures of my life. She taught me how to play piano, but most importantly how to understand music, to savor the melodies, the silences and appreciate the exquisiteness and emotional power of one note. I don’t believe I could ever separate myself from the wonders of this virtuous instrument, and all this thanks to Elena Shemetoff.
—Theo Le Sourd
Elena changed our son’s life. From the very first session together, Elena taught him not only piano, but also invited him into the world of music itself. She engaged him on every level, and continues to know exactly when and how to challenge him and push him even further. All of this with a great deal of joy, alongside her seriousness of purpose. We could not have asked for a better mentor.
—Randy and Elliott L.
Elena has been teaching my son for 3 years and she has a magical way of getting him to focus and make progress. While she is strict and demanding, she makes things light and fun and has an amazing rapport with him. I’ve had at least 3 friends who have started sending their kids to Elena after they’ve seen my son’s progress. She is the best part of my son’s education.
—Carol P.
I have been studying piano with Elena for 8 years (and counting). When I first started, I did not know how to play a single note, but now I can sit at the piano and play pieces by Bach, Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven, and Debussy (along with many more). I look forward to my lessons each week—Elena is an amazing teacher (and she always cracks me up)!
—Danny
I studied with Elena for 7 years and looked forward to my lessons each week. Elena not only taught me a great deal about classical theory and piano playing, but she also gave me a solid foundation with which to expand into other styles of music and instruments (including guitar, bass, and saxophone). Beyond just teaching me how to play piano, Elena has taught me how to understand music, and I consider myself incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to work with her for so many years.
—Ben S.
Elena Shemetoff has demonstrated herself as a most efficient piano teacher, who is very considerate toward her students and their particular needs and abilities. She was my first piano teacher and, in effect, the person who has opened up the realm of music for me, having taught me the notes of the scale, how to read them and how to play the first piano pieces that I played. She possessed a well thought out methodology in her lessons, possessing the knowledge of when to present the respective new musical material and in what order, so that it would be well assimilated into my overall musical perception. She carried a sense of vigor in her lessons and aroused in me a sense of interest in the music I was studying, its technical aspects, and the substance it was made of. She is able to develop in her students an ample technique of playing the piano, which she instructs in a well-thought out manner. I remember my music lessons with Elena Shemetoff with gratitude.
—Anton
