Learn about Eric and his studio

Our Teachers

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EPS Piano Teachers

Proudly Serving Convenient Piano Lessons to Southern California

Eric Rinehart
Instruments: Piano, Saxophone, Euphonium
Location: Based in Costa Mesa, CA

Music has always been interwoven into my life. I was born and raised in the Napa Valley to a 5th generation piano family. 10 minute piano sessions would be sprinkled in between my races on Mario-Kart.

Throughout middle school and high school, I continued to be involved with music of all varieties; trumpet in bands, saxophone in the jazz ensemble, and euphonium with the World Champion Concord Blue Devils. In college I pursued a Biochemistry degree, and loved expanding my scientific mind, but finally discovered my true passion in piano. It BECAME my thing which is when I decided I would devote my life to music and education.

With roundabout fashion, I returned to the Napa Valley after college graduation in June 2015 to get serious about my piano career.

At present, I am happily teaching piano and growing a fantastic community of fellow teachers to share the magic of music because I believe great art can change the world.

Lucasz Yoder
Instruments: Classical Piano
Location: Based in Los Angeles, CA attending UCLA

Łukasz has been playing piano since the age of four. Enriched by the musical tradition of his mother and teacher Roza Kostrzewska Yoder whose studies with Jan Ekier place her in direct lineage to the music teacher and pianist Theodor Leschetitzky (and Beethoven), Lukasz has received numerous accolades for his “revolutionary” performances marked by their “controlled intensity”.

Grand Prize Winner of the Lansum International Music Festival, Lukasz is a top prizewinner of the Beverly Hills National Auditions, Claudette Sorel International Piano Competition in Fredonia, New York, Classics Alive National Auditions, The Kosciuszko Foundations National Chopin Competition in Washington D.C, The International Chopin Competition in Hartford, Connecticut, Glendale Piano Competition, MTAC, MTNA, CAPMT State Finals, and the statewide Kathryn Gawartin Chopin Competition. Lukasz has performed concerts on both coasts of the United States, Europe and Puerto Rico, in venues that include Zipper Hall of the Colburn School of Music, the Polish Embassy in Washington DC, the Kosciuszko Foundation’s headquarters in NYC, the Steinway Society of Puerto Rico, the Dzialynski Palace and White Hall of Poznan, Poland, as well as Zelazowa Wola, Chopin's birthplace.

Lukasz has had lessons or masterclasses with Garrick Ohlsson, Eteri Andjaparidze, Edward Wolanin, Dina Yoffe, Natalia Troull, Pawel Nersessian, Antoinette Perry, Dmitri Rachmanov, Baruch Meir, and Wojciech Kocyan.

He has recorded for Polish Radio and Television, and been featured in the Polish and American Press.

Lukasz is a Los Angeles native who treasures his Polish heritage. In addition to skateboarding and surfing, he loves dancing in his Polish folk dance troupe Krakusy, reading Polish literature, and playing the music of Fryderyk Chopin.

Jessica Gordon
Instruments: Piano and Voice
Location: Based in Cerritos, CA

After graduating from the University of California, Irvine with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and Social Behavior, I decided to pursue a career in conjunction with my passions and work towards getting a Master’s degree in music.

My passion for music has translated into an aptitude for learning and integrating concepts and ideas related to music as demonstrated by my success in musicianship, music theory, performance, and composition classes at Saddleback College. Previous work at the UCI Early Childhood Education Center have helped me to develop strong communication skills with both parents and children. I am excited to combine my experiences to help every child learn!

Brandi Birdsong
Instruments: Voice and Piano
Location: Based in Orange, CA

“Brandi is studying for a B.M. degree in vocal performance at Cal State Fullerton. Ms. Brandi has worked with many styles of teaching voice in various age groups and extensive experience teaching early child music group classes. Students enjoy her goofy, personable, and sensitive teaching

Ms. Brandi has been described as a teacher who likes to try new things, and in her lessons, she often uses games and other out-of-the-box methods to encourage a student’s growth. . She has taught students as young as 2 years old in a drop-off setting.

Ms. Brandi has years of experience teaching children, and she is also acclaimed for her professional performing career. She has sung in many genres such as, Classical, Musical Theater, and Jazz. Ms. Birdsong placed 2nd in her division at the NATS singing competition.

She’s sung backup with Andrea Bocelli at the Hollywood Bowl, performed at Carnegie Hall, been a featured guest soloist at LA’s Juneteenth Festival, & also had the privilege in playing Maria in West Side Story with a full orchestra. But, when Ms. Brandi isn’t teaching and isn’t singing, she LOVES to dance as another form of expression and loves to make people laugh. She gets a joy out of giving others laughter and happiness.

Tori Sweeney
Instruments: Piano, Voice, and Composition
Location: Based in Irvine, CA

Tori Sweeney is a prolific composer and vocalist who enjoys writing music that breaks harmonic and timbral conventions. She has a passion for storytelling and emotional connection within her music.

Tori began her undergraduate career at the University of California at Berkeley, earning a music degree in Vocal Jazz Performance and Music Composition and collaborating with film directors and local dance choreographers.

Upon completion of her undergrad, Tori attended the Steinhart School of Culture, Education and Human Development at New York University, for the graduate program Composition for Film and Visual Media.

At NYU, she became a working professional within the music and film industry. As a concert composer, Tori’s music has been performed by the New York University Symphony and members of the Prague Symphony Orchestra. She was also one of five composers invited to participate in a Choral Arts residency at the Banff Center for Arts in February 2019, working to premiere a set of choral compositions with the choir-in-residence Pro Coro Canada. As a film composer, her work has been featured internationally at the Cannes Film Festival and at the Fusion International Film Festival.

When not composing or performing music, you will find Tori teaching vocal and piano performance, music theory, songwriting, and composition. Tori truly believes that everyone can sing and learn to play music! As a teacher, Tori believes that it is very important for every musician to have a strong music theory background. Further, she believes that it is important for all of her students to enjoy and love the music that they’re practicing and learning. She encourages her students to bring and choose music that they want to learn and/or begin writing their own original material. Tori strives to constantly challenge her students, while still keeping lessons fun and engaging!

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