Our daughter K. has taken lessons from Raquelle for approximately six years. Each week K. looks forward to piano day. Raquelle's style of teaching brings fun to learning. I say this because she has always been open to teaching the music that K. is interested in learning to play. This has helped K. to stay excited about piano. Every new song that she gets to choose to play is a new goal that she can't wait to conquer. Every week Raquelle opens her lesson with a short prayer. K. loves the time she gets to spend with her joyful, light-hearted piano teacher. Not only is K. doing great in piano, but she is also getting an excellent example and testimony of a teacher who has a heart for her students, her teaching and for Christ.
~W.R., mother of a student
My daughter had shown interest in violin for a couple of years and when I saw some information on Raquelle's teaching methods, I knew we had found the right teacher for her. Raquelle helped us find the right-sized violin without even seeing my daughter, as the violin was a surprise present for Christmas. She is quick to help with any little issue we have had as we learn this new instrument! Raquelle teaches from a place of rest. She makes lessons fun and enjoyable with her encouraging and lighthearted personality and we are so grateful to have found her! In just a few months, she has my daughter transposing, playing by ear, reading music, and generally having a lot of fun with music - all the while learning what all the symbols and musical terms mean, using memory helps or funny voices. We look forward to lesson day, and "float" right out of lessons, with new songs and happy hearts! I love Raquelle's godly attitude, her attention to posture and her way of finding something wonderful about the way the song was played before she corrects the parts that were not so wonderful! She always has something new in her bag of tricks. I have learned a lot myself. My younger daughter is getting quite jealous of her sister seeming to enjoy herself so much, and has made it clear she would like to have lessons with Miss Raquelle too! I am very thankful to have found Raquelle. She is one in a million!
~M.B., mother of elementary-aged student
Raquelle is a great teacher. She's knowledgeable, patient, pleasant, and she makes music fun. She never makes me feel like I'm lacking or not up to par. She has introduced me to several different kinds of music, so the study has never been boring. She plays with me sometimes and makes the music sound so good. It inspires me to try to attain a higher level. I enjoy my lessons very much and they are an important part of my life.
~S.H., senior adult student
Raquelle does an excellent job in teaching our children to enjoy playing the piano. She has very good rapport with them and makes their lessons fun. I appreciate the way she uses a combination of music theory and ear training. She is always available to give me feedback about how our children are doing. We feel very blessed to have her as our piano teacher! So many times, I think about the unresolved issues in my life (like...is this the best math program, how am I going to get art into their homeschooling, how in the world can they learn everything they need to learn and how do I figure all that out...?) Thankfully, my choice of a music teacher is not one of those issues!
~C.H., mother of two students
I have been taking violin from Raquelle for 3 years. I am happy to say that not only is she my music teacher, but she is also my friend. She is always kind and never criticizes harshly, even when I play something wrong. She is a wonderful teacher. I've learned so much in the past few years, and I can't imagine having anyone else as a teacher.
~J.S., teenage student
Raquelle has been an answer to my prayers. She teaches my daughter with the exact proportion of technique, sight-reading, and hymn-playing that I feel will make her a well rounded pianist. I encourage anyone interested in having their child taught by a godly, talented, patient teacher to contact Raquelle!
~C.B., mother of a student
We thank the Lord for our daughter's first year of music lessons with Raquelle Sheen. We could not be more pleased with the content and method of Raquelle's instruction - it is professional and of the highest quality. But what makes Raquelle an outstanding teacher in our minds is her easygoing style and friendly rapport with her students, which motivates and encourages them to do their best. We wholeheartedly recommend Miss Sheen.
~The W. Family
I hated music lessons as a child because, frankly, they were boring. I continued because I had great parents who told me I would use my music some day. Eventually I discovered that there was such a thing as music theory. I actually enjoyed that, because it helped music make sense. Then - my favorite - I discovered that you could train your ear to hear something and play it! Of course, you had to have all that music theory in your head in order to make it sound good.
I wanted my son to learn the same things, but I didn't want him to have the dry old only-learn-to-sight-read teacher. Then the Lord led us to Raquelle Sheen. She explained how she believes in training in all three areas - sight reading, ear training and music theory. She told us about delight-directed training, where you teach a subject as much as possible in areas that will delight the student. Wow, we couldn't ask for more! The past few years we have been using Raquelle as a teacher have been a joy to us and to our son. He loves to play the piano and his love is even wearing off on his 4 year old sister!
~M.H., father of a student
I'm a student of Miss Raquelle and she is the most amazingly awesome teacher there could be. I've had many other teachers, but none understand as fully as to what each student prefers to play and learn. She's very funny, but has a good focus on the music as well. I can't imagine taking from anyone else! :D
~H.C., teenage student
Our family LOVES Raquelle. She has taught my daughters both violin and piano. She is professional in her approach to music lessons and also fun at the same time.
~B.C., mother of three students
My two daughters, ages 10 and 11, have been taking piano lessons from Raquelle Sheen for over a year now. In the past year I have seen two positive changes in my daughters. First, both girls have made progress in their ability to play the piano! Raquelle introduced the girls to the piano in a very positive way. She was not pushy with them and did not make practice hard or "not fun."
Second, and most important, the girls have developed a love for playing the piano! Raquelle had stated from the beginning that this was a goal she had for all her students. Well, the blessing is that I do not have to beg the girls to practice. What I find now is that the girls not only do their daily practice, but they just go to the piano throughout the day to "play" on the piano. They are no longer simply interested in practicing, but they now enjoy exploring the piano on their own as well. I believe this can only be attributed to Raquelle's teaching ability.
Raquelle is very relaxed with the girls during their lessons. She encourages them in such a positive way that both of my girls look forward to meeting with Raquelle each week. Not a single time in the past year have either of them not wanted to attend a lesson!
I feel very fortunate that the girls have such a positive role model in Raquelle. They will not only be blessed to be able to play the piano, but the girls will grow up to enjoy the instrument for many years to come.
~M.P., mother of two students
My daughter expressed a great interest in learning to play the violin and my only reservation was the ability to find a teacher that my daughter would enjoy. My daughter learns better from praise and encouragement than she does from rigid tactics. I searched and found Raquelle. I discussed her learning style with Raquelle, who was not only willing to listen but to implement this. I sat in for the first lesson and was so happy that the lesson began with a short prayer. My daughter not only enjoys the violin lessons but wants to practice in order to show Raquelle what she has mastered each week.
~A.H., mother of elementary-aged student
We just recently moved to the upstate and wanted our daughter to continue taking lessons. We found Raquelle's website and were excited. We had seen other options for lessons out there but were impressed with what she had to offer, even though we'd have to travel a little over a half an hour each way because we live on the opposite side of town. It has been well over six months now that our daughter has been taking lessons from Raquelle and we are more than satisfied! Our daughter feels comfortable with Raquelle yet challenged to learn more. She looks forward to each lesson and admires her teacher. Raquelle has a special way to connect and inspire her students!
~J.G., mother of a student
