Testimonials

(The majority of the testimonials here are taken directly from Burlington Piano Lessons' Google Business Page where he have all 5-Star Reviews!)

"Sam is wonderfully patient and thoughtful teacher. He instills confidence and pride for my young piano player and the frequent online and in person recitals give us all something to look forward to and to work towards. My daughter is learning a love of piano and playing before she has to work with traditional notation and that has been a wonder for her! I highly recommend Sam for lessons!!" ~ Jodi Sanders
 

"We started our 3.5 year old with Sam about a month ago. In that time he has learned 3 new simple songs using the musicolor method. Sam is very patient, friendly, and kind to work with. We're excited to see how our son develops musically over time while working with our son." ~ Margaret Crider

"Sam is organized, has great teaching techniques for kids, and most importantly, is warm and kind with my daughter. She liked him immediately, which was the most important thing to me. Sam is great!" ~ Lori Bologna, parent of 6-year-old student

"My daughter really enjoyed doing a piano lesson at your home last week. She (and my son) were singing the ice cream song for the rest of the day. You were so kind and encouraging with her, exactly the kind of person I am very happy to have around my kids." ~ also from Lori Bologna

"I highly recommend Sam at Burlington Piano Lessons! My son is neurodivergent and can become hyper-focused on a singular thing, but Sam is extremely patient and also encourages my son to explore music at his pace and in a way that excites him and peaks his interests. We are so glad we found Sam and Burlington Piano Lessons!!" ~ Tina Robitaille

"Sam is wonderful! Patient, thoughtful, and creates a calming space to learn and develop an openness at an early age to music and the piano." ~ Lara Bonn, parent of 5-year-old student

"We have known Sam for the past several years as the very accomplished pianist at FUUSB - it has been like going to a concert every week! When we saw that he had openings in his teaching schedule, we jumped at his offer for a trial lesson. From the first moment of the lesson, Sam graciously worked his magic with my 'shy' 8-year old son, finding ways to connect and engage him on a personal level before even sitting at the piano. When they did begin to play, Sam offered very lighthearted and engaging options for my son to try - as a result, we were both hooked! From that first day, Sam has continued to offer encouragement and appropriate challenges through an effective teaching style and welcoming persona. Highly recommend."  ~ Christine Vatovec

"Our son started playing the piano on his own about a year ago, and we knew he would benefit from having a teacher, but we were concerned that lessons might take away from the natural enjoyment of playing for fun. We are so happy to say we found the perfect teacher for our young pianist. Sam met our son right where he was and has provided enthusiastic support for his musical interests while also making sure to weave in music theory, reading notes and all the basics of learning to play piano. Thank you so much, Sam, for being the ideal teacher for our budding musician! We think he will stick with learning and practicing music because you offer a great balance of freedom and structure. We highly recommend Burlington Piano Lessons." ~ Joel Colf

   

"Sam is an absolutely wonderful piano teacher to young kids! Our 7 year old thrived with Sam, despite not always having the attention span. Sam was patient and kind but knew that he could work hard and pushed him when it was appropriate. He let my son choose whatever songs he wanted to learn (like Imagine Dragons or Harry Potter theme) and that kept his attention so much better than having to follow the songs often offered in beginning piano books. Could not recommend him highly enough to start fostering a love for music in your kids!"

~ Lindsay Getz

"My daughter has been taking lessons from Sam for a little over a year now, and we are very fortunate to have him as her piano instructor. Sam has a very strong musical background, which he seamlessly incorporates in his lessons. He does push boundaries and encourages participation but is very patient and takes time to make sure to listen to student’s ideas. Sam provides an enriched learning experience and is truly an exceptional teacher but is modest and always greets us all with a smile. I recommend Sam to anyone at the beginner or even the master level." ~ Koela Ray


"Sam Whitesell is a phenomenal pianist and teacher. My 16-year old son has taken piano lessons for several years and just switched over to Sam this fall. Sam has a deep understanding of music and music theory and is able to share that understanding in a way that’s easy to understand. Sam is positive, encouraging and extremely thorough, coming prepared to teach and dive in on every lesson. Highly recommend!" ~ Jessica Jackson

 

"My daughter has been taking lessons from Sam for several years now. He is professional, talented and kind. I highly recommend him to teach children and adults."

~ Gina Lavaroni

"Our 6 year-old is taking lessons from Sam and is making great progress! Sam is devoted to his learning experience and follows each lesson up with emailed lesson notes, check-ins, as well as optional video tutorials to help with practices. There are also mini Zoom concerts that allow our son to perform his music and see other students’ progress!" ~ Caitlin May

"A fantastic piano teacher who is patient, persistent and an amazing inspiration, Sam Whitesell has been teaching our daughter piano for two years and he has brought piano lessons and even practice alive for her. I highly recommend him and he's also just a great human. If you, your child or someone you know is looking to begin, continue or take your piano playing in a new and inspired direction, the humble and talented Sam is your man."  ~ Rebecca Raskin

"We have been taking weekly lessons with Sam for the past year and 1/2. We are amazed by the progress our 10 year old son has made in such a short time. Sam uses a variety of lesson strategies to keep my son engaged and interested. This approach has supported his learning and love of music. Sam is professional and patient and brings good energy and cheer to each lesson. He is a skilled teacher and a gifted musician. Our son has expressed feeling a great sense of accomplishment as a result of taking lessons with Sam. Thank you, Sam!" ~ Nina Curtiss

"Samuel is a great teacher with a wonderful disposition and I highly recommend."

~ Ben Farmer, parent of student


"Sam is a wonderful piano teacher and a great guy!"

~ Keith LaVoie, parent of student

"I purchased myself a keyboard last year on a hope and a dream. With the help of some apps and YouTube videos, I could sort of play a few songs. Eventually, life got busy and my keyboard became more of a toy for my kids. This summer, I decided I wanted to take it more seriously and went on a hunt for adult piano lessons. I came across Sam and started lessons pretty much right away! He taught me more in one lesson than I got from any of the other stuff.  The way he teaches and breaks down what you need to know, makes it’s easy to comprehend even when you’re taking in a lot of new information. I swear I learn more with him than I did in 12 years of chorus at school! He’s always willing to answer any questions that I have — we’ve had some informative conventions about music theory which is really helpful for me while I learn. I love being able to focus on the things I want to learn and the type of music that I enjoy. I always look forward to my lessons, and I would recommend Sam to anybody who wants to learn!" ~ Jordan Magnant, adult student


"I am a retired University of Vermont professor and have been taking piano lessons from Sam Whitesell for nearly two years.  Sam is both an excellent teacher and an established and popular performing musician here in the Burlington area.  He has had a great deal of patience working with me as a neophyte pianist!  After each lesson he puts together a written report on what we have been working on and where I need to focus my efforts. On a scale of one to ten I give Sam a ten plus!" ~ Edwin Bovill, retired adult student

"Sam has been a great, clear and patient teacher for me as I've taken up the piano, post-retirement.  I'm brand new to both organized music instruction as well as the piano. Sam has really helped me feel comfortable, I'm having fun and I'm actually learning how to play!  What could be better!!" ~ Ted Winfield, retired adult student

"Sam is a great piano teacher.  He is great with adults who have never played (I know this from talking with two friends), adults like me with prior experience (I quit after high school and took it up with Sam 55 years later), and with children and youths (I know this from one young friend and his grandmother, and also from discussing Sam’s various age-appropriate approaches with him). Sam is knowledgeable, flexible, patient, supportive, caring — and deeply encouraging without laying on the least bit of pressure. I highly recommend Sam as a terrific piano teacher for all ages, all experience levels and all musical tastes." ~ Kit Andrews, retired adult student