---

My feedback: When our son was born, the neonatologist showed us a chart that said 95% of the babies born at 24 weeks are severely disabled. Looking back I think he should have showed us a movie to prepare us for the years that followed that day. Each visit to the doctor’s office or hospital shattered us with some more new diagnosis and some more of the worst prognosis a parent can hear about their child’s future. Our days were filled with therapies after therapies and visits after visits to some medical specialist. In the therapy sessions, we could keep him engaged for five to ten minutes. That is the level of attention he had on independent work. We had lost our ability to dream about our son's future. We learned to react, rather than to pro-act. We just looked for solutions to the easiest problems and tried to solve them and literally took "Live one day at a time" as a mantra. My son’s OT was working on his finger isolation for about three months without much success. I thought playing piano might help with his finger isolation skills. No one in my family had any knowledge about music. That is the extent that I thought about Piano before I took him to Ms. Andrea. I had no idea that music would have this much impact on him.

When I took him to Ms. Andrea and prepared myself to hear that he is not ready for Piano class. To my surprise, she said she would try. It was within a couple of months that he would insist on coming home directly from the piano class to practice the songs that she had taught him. It was the constant encouragement and positive feedback from her that kept his motivation at its highest level. Even her correction starts with lots of praise. She built not only his confidence but also our confidence in him. All I heard from her was the wonderful job he is doing and nothing else. He opened up to her and started to have back and forth conversation for the first time outside of his therapy session. With her, I don’t see a child with special needs, but a child with unlimited potential. I am positive that Ms. Andrea saw him that way, right from the beginning. I think God sent some Angels to help my son before he was born. I am sure Ms. Andrea is one of them. - PARENT: 469-252-7675

To Whom It May Concern, Please Share: A Message from Andrea Marsavonian in Frisco, Texas 75035

There are numerous studies that established the relationship between music and improved cognitive abilities in children. Structured music curriculum has improved the scores in the Binet Intelligence Scale (Bilhartz, Bruhn, Olson, 1999) in the study that was conducted with 71 children. The researchers also suggested a link between music and spatial-temporal reasoning. Music also improves the memory and listening skills. I realized that these are the exact skills that can play a significant role in the development of children with special needs.

I have the privilege to work with a 6 year old child with special needs, whose prognosis was not optimistic. When everyone looked at the things he couldn’t do, as a teacher and a concert pianist with over fifty years of experience, I looked at the things he CAN do. The effect of positive feedback improved his confidence, his language and social skills. I witnessed the transformation of a kid who wouldn’t say his name when asked, to a child who could carry on a conversation for half an hour, in a short 12 months of time. I couldn’t have been happier when his parents mentioned that his skills are carried over into academic and other social environments, too. It always delights me when children progress and eagerly show an interest in learning.

Let me work with your child to bring out the hidden potential in him/her. I know that children are not defined by their label, but by their abilities. Call to schedule your free assessment or first lesson. Thank you! – Andrea Marsavonian

UPDATE: After a year’s work, the child I described above, has finished 2 Instruction books, is now into his 3rd book, is reading his music and entered the National Piano Playing Auditions with 10 (ten) memorized pieces. He received a Superior rating. (This competition places each entrant in competition only with himself, on a yearly basis with benefit of an impartial, highly experienced judge.) Play notes on the piano and he can tell you which notes you played. He has also learned how to sing on pitch..

Phone number: (214) 387-7703 Best time to Call: 9AM - 9PM (If I am with a student, please leave a message.)

Website: www.marsavonian.com Address: 1999 Rio Blanco Drive Frisco, TX 75033