At Miami Piano Studio, music is more than notes and rhythm — it’s a pathway to creativity, confidence, and joy.
Our founders, Leidys Monascal (Venezuela) and Mihai Preda (Romania), come from two very different worlds. Yet their stories share a common purpose: to reimagine music education as something deeply human — where every child feels safe to learn, create, and shine.
Mihai’s Story
Mihai Preda grew up in Bucharest under the long dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu, a time of scarcity, conformity, and strict expectations. His grandmother, a pianist and artist, introduced him to the beauty of music — but his formal piano education, rooted in the rigid Russian tradition, demanded perfection at the expense of creativity.
As a child, Mihai learned to play with precision but also with fear. Once, when he played a song by ear — guided by curiosity and instinct — his teacher asked him if he was a gypsy. That moment left a lasting impression and planted the seed of his life’s mission: to make sure no student ever feels shamed for expressing themselves through music.
Years later, after earning a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Miami, Mihai realized that true understanding — whether in science or in art — is born not from fear, but from curiosity. This realization became the cornerstone of his approach to teaching and learning.
Leidys’s Story
Leidys Monascal discovered the social power of music through her early training in El Sistema, Venezuela’s renowned program that transforms lives through community orchestras and collective creativity. That experience taught her that music can build not just skill, but character, unity, and hope.
She later earned a degree in International Relations at the Central University of Venezuela, developing leadership, social awareness, and a deep understanding of education’s role in shaping people and societies. She continued her musical studies at the New World School of the Arts and at Florida International University (FIU).
As a young mother, Leidys began teaching Mommy and Me music classes — and soon, the parents asked her to keep teaching their children. Motivated by a desire to give her son and his peers a joyful, imaginative childhood, she founded TheSmARTsCOOL — a cooperative school where children learned through art, theater, music, cooking, and nature.
There, Leidys discovered her passion for writing musical stories and using puppetry to help children learn creatively. Those years became her true teacher, shaping her philosophy that children learn best when they feel loved, inspired, and free.
A Shared Vision
When Leidys and Mihai met at Florida International University, their ideas and experiences blended naturally. His scientific precision and love of structure met her creativity and warmth. Together, they began to imagine a new kind of music education — one that balances logic with imagination, discipline with freedom, and learning with joy.
That vision became the Brain-Based Piano Method — a fresh, child-centered approach that combines the wisdom of classical pedagogy with modern insights from neuroscience and psychology.
The Brain-Based Piano Method
At Miami Piano Studio, lessons are designed to match the way children actually learn — through curiosity, play, and emotional connection. Each session blends storytelling, movement, rhythm, and creativity, helping students not only play music but understand it deeply.
Our teachers are trained in this method, bringing patience, clarity, and enthusiasm to every lesson. We believe that music education should strengthen the mind, open the heart, and celebrate the imagination.
Inclusion and Our Mission
In the world of classical music — as beautiful as it is — there’s often an invisible wall.
If you don’t play perfectly, if you don’t fit the mold, you’re told you don’t belong.
We believe the opposite.
Everyone belongs in music. Every child, every personality, every learning style. We teach in a way that honors individuality, inclusion, and self-expression.
That belief is reflected in everything we do — from our joyful recitals and creative storybooks to our teacher training and community events.
Our mission is simple yet profound
To transform music education into a joyful, inclusive, and empowering experience — one that helps children grow into confident, creative, and compassionate human beings.
Because when learning is rooted in love and curiosity, something magical happens.
Children don’t just play music.
They become the music.