Our story
From the Head of Music
I left home at an early age to pursue a performance career in classical music. I had always enjoyed performing for people and sharing music with others. But throughout the years, while all the awards, compliments and recognition were gratifying, I still felt something was missing.
On an icy December morning, while waiting for the train to arrive, I remembered the feeling of pride and joy I had experienced teaching my very first student. I realised what was missing was sharing music with others on a more personal level.
Having a bond with my students is important to me. It is easy to feel isolated in a big city, so I was determined to bring people together - to enjoy and create music together.
But it was not as smooth sailing as I thought it would be. As a professional pianist, I did not understand the needs of a beginner. I was intrigued to understand what separated successful learners from those who would quit after a few months.
So after a decade of research, countless hours of interviews, and testing every method book available for piano education, here we are - my idyllic version of a comprehensive, unique, and most of all effective piano curriculum. It is curated to take students from novices to advanced pianists and beyond, capable of playing beloved music and new discoveries.
And as we enter our second decade of musical education, I invite you to envisage a piano Studio that continues to refine its musical offerings, while nurturing new generations of musicians, artists, and, most importantly, well-rounded human beings.
Janice Wijaya
Head of Music
It took multiple elevator pitches to have him on board, with his initial response being “Running a music school? Sounds like something for people in their 50s!”. He sat on the idea for a few months until one day, as we watched my student perform at her concert, he smiled at me as if he had an epiphany. Afterwards, he went all-in and I could not be here without him.
So as you probably guessed, the letter “W” is the initial of both our surnames. “W” for Wijaya (Janice) and “W’ for Wang (Zi).
As for the term “Studio”, while we were brainstorming for the company name, the words “school”, “institute”, “academy” came to mind which we felt didn’t represent us completely, as it is synonymous with “student”. The term “Studio” resonated with us, its association with a creative space for artists to explore, experiment and create. Instead of teaching long-term students, we aspire to inspire and nurture artists and musicians.
On an icy December morning, while waiting for the train to arrive, I remembered the feeling of pride and joy I had experienced teaching my very first student. I realised what was missing was sharing music with others on a more personal level.
Having a bond with my students is important to me. It is easy to feel isolated in a big city, so I was determined to bring people together - to enjoy and create music together.
But it was not as smooth sailing as I thought it would be. As a professional pianist, I did not understand the needs of a beginner. I was intrigued to understand what separated successful learners from those who would quit after a few months.
So after a decade of research, countless hours of interviews, and testing every method book available for piano education, here we are - my idyllic version of a comprehensive, unique, and most of all effective piano curriculum. It is curated to take students from novices to advanced pianists and beyond, capable of playing beloved music and new discoveries.
And as we enter our second decade of musical education, I invite you to envisage a piano Studio that continues to refine its musical offerings, while nurturing new generations of musicians, artists, and, most importantly, well-rounded human beings.
Janice Wijaya
Head of Music
What’s the story behind the name “W Piano Studio”?
I was excited about my findings and eager to share them with as many teachers and students as possible. But I did not know much about business, marketing, and accounting. Coincidentally, at that exact moment, Zi was also looking for a change from his hectic career. He was working at a reputable marketing agency at the time, and with a degree from a top business school, it was clear to me what the next step was.It took multiple elevator pitches to have him on board, with his initial response being “Running a music school? Sounds like something for people in their 50s!”. He sat on the idea for a few months until one day, as we watched my student perform at her concert, he smiled at me as if he had an epiphany. Afterwards, he went all-in and I could not be here without him.
So as you probably guessed, the letter “W” is the initial of both our surnames. “W” for Wijaya (Janice) and “W’ for Wang (Zi).
As for the term “Studio”, while we were brainstorming for the company name, the words “school”, “institute”, “academy” came to mind which we felt didn’t represent us completely, as it is synonymous with “student”. The term “Studio” resonated with us, its association with a creative space for artists to explore, experiment and create. Instead of teaching long-term students, we aspire to inspire and nurture artists and musicians.