My Services
Plaha Flute Studios is a comprehensive flute school and offers several services:
*private lessons in person & via Skype/FaceTime
*online scheduling
*annual assessments
*competitive and non-competitive tracks
*regular and modified schedules available
*chamber music coaching
*groups lessons
*school sectional clinician services
*adjudication
Private Lessons
Kassey Plaha is dedicated to the development of young musicians in pursuit of artistry, effectively developing their own musical voice. She is a passionate and dedicated teacher that supports life skills training in the mentoring process for every student. With 26 years of teaching experience, her personal philosophy is that it is ability and not age that determines the level of the student.
Students from Plaha Flute Studios have won numerous solo and chamber music competitions from national platforms to local competitions in California, Texas, Colorado and New Mexico. Students of Plaha Flute Studios also hold principal chairs in nearly every competitive band program and youth symphony in the bay area including: California Youth Symphony (CYS), Golden StateYouth Symphony (GYSO), Homestead High School, Lynbrook High School, Miller Middle school to name a few. Mrs. Plaha is very proud of all of her past and present students, and is fortunate to have one of the leading competitive flute studios on the West Coast.
Students have the option to choose to be competitive or non-competitive, and all have a personal and unique plan for the year based upon their own goals and aspirations.
There are four main levels of Plaha Flute Studios which are divided by skill and determine lesson time duration. Description of levels:
Junior Concert Performer (Beginning and Intermediate I)
Students have started learning major scales, and are working on basic skills associated with tone, hand & body position and rhythmic development. Intermediate I students have a playing range of C1-C4, knowledge of all 12 major scales and beginning to memorize in sequences.
Concert Performer (Intermediate II)
All 12 major scales are successfully memorized at a moderate tempo and started study of all 36 minor scales and Taffadnel and Gaubert exercise method. Focus on attention to musical details, technical speed, extension of range from B1-D4 and outset of complex rhythmic understanding.
Young Artist (Advanced I, II, III & IV)
Advanced students are able to execute technical exercises in major and minor keys surveying several method books. Orchestral excerpt study and advanced music preparation includes convincing execution of musical detail, technical speed and accuracy, complex rhythmic speed and accuracy, and high levels of control of dynamic and tonal color contrasts.
Tuition is on a quarterly basis, and is based upon duration of lessons. All students are required to audition for levels/time slots in the summer for each school year.
Plaha Flute Studios is full for the 2023-24 school year! However, single online lessons are available. Please contact Mrs. Plaha for a single lessons or to be placed on the waiting list.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What makes Plaha Flute Studios unique?
A: Two main reasons separate Kassey Plaha and Plaha Flute Studios apart from other teachers. First, Mrs. Plaha is an extremely dedicated teacher and mentor, and giving every student personalized attention. And second, in “normal life” studio masterclasses are offered through out the year for each level featuring a wide range of topics relevant to playing the flute and performing. Topics such as yoga for building breathing strength and mental relaxation, body anatomy, technique classes, mod-auditions, guest artists and much, much more!
Q: How does the level selection process work?
A: Once students audition, they choose to be competitive or non-competitive. Then they follow the audition guidelines set for for every school year.
Q: Who can audition?
A: Anyone ages 5-99 who wants to learn in a fun, progressive and supportive environment. Mrs. Plaha does not teach based upon a methodical teaching structure, which allows for each student to have their own unique path and have a choice in repertoire and technical methods used.
Q: Do you have to take lessons year round?
A: As a competitive student, yes that is required. However, Plaha Flute Studios has two options available for the 2023-24 school year! The first option is a modified schedule for qualified juniors and seniors in high school, where lessons are taken for half of each quarter. The second option is a life-learner schedule for the student who loves to play and wants to keep their skills up, but simply doesn’t have the time to practice on a regular basis or have a lesson every week. With this option students have a choice of time packages to choose from for the duration of the school year.
Q: Do you teach beginners?
A: Yes! I love to teach beginners!
Contact me here kassey@kassey.com