Piano Lessons with Cindy L.

Cindy’s lifelong relationship with the piano began at the age of three. She had barely finished the Suzuki and Yamaha method books before being whisked into competitive piano programs, before even turning four. By her early teens, she had performed extensively. She appeared on NPR’s From the Top in 2010 and debuted as a soloist with orchestras such as the Minnesota Orchestra, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Kenwood Symphony, Linden Hills Chamber Orchestra, and the Grand Teton Festival Orchestra.

Despite early success, Cindy’s journey was not without pauses. After middle school, she took a quiet step back from the stage, questioning her path and seeking a deeper connection to music beyond the competitive limelight. It was a pivotal choice that allowed her to ask not just how to play, but why.

While pursuing degrees in economics and statistics at Stanford University, Cindy encountered the musical tradition that would reawaken her passion: the Claudio Arrau interpretive lineage, passed down through Arrau’s student Philip Lorenz and his protégé, Dr. Timothy Zerlang, with whom she studied at Stanford. She later continued her studies with Nina Ferrigno and Ena Barton. Their mentorship helped Cindy develop a tone-focused, introspective style rooted in Arrau’s principles: musical integrity, moral seriousness, and the pursuit of inner truth through a signature deep, symphonic sound.

Since returning to the stage, she has earned top prizes in international competitions including the Amadeus International Piano Competition (Gold Medal, 2023), Seattle International (Gold Medal, 2022), and the World Piano Teachers Association USA (Victor Rosenbaum Masterclass Winner, 2021), as well as medals from the Beethoven Young Musician International, Medici, and London International Piano Competitions.

But more than any award, Cindy values teaching. In her work with the K-Piano Foundation and School of Rock, she brings a compassionate, student-centered approach that invites each learner to explore their voice, build resilience, and engage with music as a lifelong dialogue. Whether working with young beginners or returning adult students, Cindy’s goal is not simply to teach piano, but to guide others in becoming more attentive, expressive, and whole through it.