A Supportive Path for Every Pianist

Close-up of a smiling woman with long hair and a young man with curly hair, both showing teeth, indoors.
A pencil sketch of a grand piano with the words 'thank you' written above it, a small dog lying on a blanket nearby, and musical notes.
Two women taking a selfie indoors, smiling, with a window in the background.
A boy playing the piano with a dog resting its head on his lap.
A close-up photo of two smiling people, a man with glasses and a woman, inside a room with large windows showing trees outside.

Confidence in Playing

Students are supported individually — whether their goal is to perform at the highest levels, prepare for conservatory, or simply enjoy piano as a lifelong outlet. Students work from a place of finding joy in music study, developing a vocabulary of technique that allows them to bring their own voice to the instrument, and grow in confidence as musicians, performers and individuals.

Creative Community

The studio community extends beyond weekly lessons, offering opportunities to share music through recitals, supplementary group classes, parent support seminars, masterclasses, and outreach concerts. Multiple opportunities to attend these optional events are made available in order to make scheduling easy for students. At its core, the studio is a safe, welcoming place where students can take risks, learn confidently at all levels, and discover how music fits into their lives, all while learning and growing in a supportive environment along with their peers.

A smiling woman with glasses wearing a purple hoodie sitting beside a tan dog near a piano.
A young man and an older woman smiling and taking a selfie together inside a house with windows in the background.
Child playing a grand piano with sheet music on the music stand.
A young girl, a woman, and a dog taking a selfie together.

Opportunities to Grow

The studio offers many ways for students to grow beyond their weekly private lessons. Performance opportunities are available through recitals, community and outreach concerts, group classes, masterclasses, festivals and competitions. Supplementary subjects including theory, ear-training, composition, history and are taught both in private lessons, group classes and in preparation for entrance auditions for further study at numerous advanced music study programs such as seattle symphony young composers project, SYSO, Seattle Conservatory, Chamber music groups and summer intensives throughout the nation including Interlochen

Advanced students also receive mentorship as they prepare for conservatory or develop their own teaching skills, while community events bring everyone together in a supportive environment.

Resources & Upcoming Events
A young girl in a pink shirt sitting at a black piano, gently petting a dog sitting nearby.
A woman and two children sitting on a patterned rug indoors with a dog, a piano, and a sliding glass door in the background.
A young boy playing the piano with sheet music on the stand in front of him.
Two young boys smiling, hugging, and sitting near a piano.
A woman and a young girl smiling and taking a selfie inside a room with a window in the background.
Woman, Heather Howland, in navy shirt and beige pants standing next to a grand piano in a room with white walls, smiling at the camera.

About Heather

Heather Howland is a pianist and teacher with over 30 years of experience and degrees in Piano Performance and Music from the University of Washington. She has guided students from their very first lessons through advanced training for conservatory and professional careers. Many of her students have earned awards at regional and national competitions, performed with local orchestras, and been accepted into top music programs including Northwestern, Rice, Berklee, Peabody, and the University of Michigan.

Person playing a grand piano with sheet music on the stand

Beyond her private teaching, Heather has served on the board of the Seattle Piano Institute, an intensive summer institute for aspiring young pianists. Earlier in her career she performed extensively throughout the Western United States as a chamber musician and accompanist, experiences that continue to inform her teaching.

Heather’s approach blends professional rigor with encouragement and care. She believes lessons should be a space where students feel safe to explore, take risks, and discover their own voice in music. Outside the studio, she enjoys hiking and running, time with her two college-age daughters, and exploring the outdoors with her dog, Eva.

Testimonial

“Our daughter started taking piano lessons with Heather when she was just 5 years old, as a complete beginner. From the very beginning, Heather has been incredibly gentle, patient, and kind — creating a welcoming and encouraging environment that our daughter looks forward to every week.”

— Ami L.

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