Why “Silicon Valley Second School?”

As a parent, you want the best for your child. That means a quality, well-rounded education. You also want your children to experience the joy and FUN of learning. Here, they can have both.

A Message from our Founder, Natalya Karamyan:

“Growing up in Turkmenistan, I was fortunate to be trained by excellent teachers to play the piano at a very high level. When I came to the U.S., I observed that some of the teaching methods lacked structure. Kids weren’t learning music as well as they could be learning, so they weren’t enjoying music as much as they could be, either.

I wanted to bring the same level of structure and rigor found in traditional academics into the realm of music and piano instruction. So I started Silicon Valley Second School — a “school away from school” where kids could go for excellent, academic-style piano instruction.

“I believe that music, like mathematics or language, is a discipline that can be mastered with precision. While our students find joy in learning the piano, they also learn it in a way that mirrors their academic pursuits — with careful study, meticulous attention to detail, and a thorough, linear structure.

Over the years, our school has grown into a center for all kinds of after-school enrichment programs. Not just piano lessons, but also voice, violin, guitar, music theory. We are also thrilled to offer other disciplines like art, math, and chess to enhance the development of children’s minds.

Understanding the power of structured learning, our teachers create a unique educational environment where the arts aren’t just art; they are science, too. The blend of joy and discipline in our approach helps students not only unlock their musical, artistic, and intellectual talents, but also cultivates essential life skills like patience, discipline, and perseverance.

We invite you to discover a new way in education, where the joy of learning music, math, art, or chess is combined with the structured approach of academics.”

“Together, we'll help your child develop the skills they need to succeed in life.”

— Natalya, Founder of Silicon Valley Second School

Meet Our Skilled Teaching Staff

Natalya Karamyan

DIRECTOR, PIANO INSTRUCTOR
Natalya was born in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. She has studied music since age 6 and has taught piano professionally since 1995. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Piano from Turkmen State Music College and her Master’s Degree in Piano and Chamber Music from Turkmen National Conservatory. She was on the piano faculty at Turkmen State Music College until she moved to the U. S. in 2003.
Natalya opened Silicon Valley Second School in 2008. She is a certified member of MTAC, MTNA, CAPMT, and the American College of Musicians (NGPT).
Sign up today for piano lessons near Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and Cupertino with Ms. Natalya!

Sign Up for Piano Lessons
Inesa Anisonean

VOICE & PIANO INSTRUCTOR
Inesa Anisonean is a gifted opera singer from the former Soviet Union. For nearly 20 years, this talented Soprano has pleased audiences with her concert appearances in Europe and in the United States. She has performed with Maria Bieshu at the Kishinev Organ Hall Theater in Kishinev, Moldova performing works of Gershwin, Handel, Hagman, Schubert, Bach, Verdi, Catalani, Ponchielli and other Russian and American composers. Ms. Anisonean was also a vocal teacher in the Kichinev State Conservatory.
To her credit are solo performances in numerous operas, including Capella "Donia" in Bach’s Magnificat Laurette and Aida in Aida by Verdi. She is fluent in Italian, German, Russian, English, Armenian and Georgian. Sign up today for voice or piano lessons near Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and Cupertino with Ms. Inesa!

Sign Up for Piano or Voice Lessons
Liana Purvis

PIANO INSTRUCTOR
Liana was officially admitted to Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Music and was instructed by Schmitt Alexei Mikhailovich, Yury Ayrapetyan, and other master pianists.
Many of her students have passed their ABRSM exams with satisfactory scores, and the majority of them passed with distinction. She's looking forward to helping more Bay Area students to explore the beautiful music world. Sign up today for piano lessons near Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and Cupertino with Ms. Liana!

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Yevgeniya "Jane" Gerus

VIOLIN INSTRUCTOR
Yevgeniya “Jane” Gerus has over 30 years of violin teaching experience and a strong academic foundation. She earned her Master’s degree in Music and Viola Performance from Odessa National Music Academy in Ukraine. She has decades of experience in violin and viola instruction along with experience performing in multiple orchestras. She is also a volunteer viola player with local community orchestras such as the Palo Alto Philharmonic Orchestra. She is compassionate, patient, result-oriented, and experienced in teaching students of all ages and skill levels. Sign up today for violin or viola lessons near Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and Cupertino with Ms. Jane!

Sign Up for Violin or Viola Lessons
Ashot Mnjoyan

BASS GUITAR INSTRUCTOR
Mr. Mnjoyan is a two-time award winner of the Soviet Union Stage Performers’ Competition. He has been performing professionally throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East for more than 30 years. Over 20 years ago, this former Music Director and Band Leader began his career in education teaching advanced Bass Guitar to graduate students in his native country of Armenia.
An accomplished musician, Mr. Mnjoyan performs regularly in venues throughout the Bay Area and the world. Mr. Mnjoyan’s genuine love of music is evident in his enthusiasm for teaching as well as performing. He welcomes students of all ages and abilities. Sign up today for bass lessons near Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and Cupertino with Mr. Mnjoyan!

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Valeriya Idrisova

MATH INSTRUCTOR
Valeriya has a PhD in applied mathematics. She has been teaching Olympiad math since 2010. Many of her past students have won the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), regarded as the most prestigious math competition in the world. Valeriya teaches classic Soviet Olympiad math — combinatorics, logics, algorithms and many more. She emphasizes creative thinking and non-standard approaches to solving problems. Sign up today for math lessons near Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and Cupertino with Ms. Valeriya!

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Antonio Rabadan

CHESS INSTRUCTOR
Antonio was born in Mexico City and moved to the Bay Area in 2001. He has a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and a Master’s degree in Structural Engineering. He has been coaching chess for 15 years in different schools including Bay Area Chess, Blocks N Rooks, and Success Chess. Antonio is a regular chess competitor in the Bay Area. He has been a member of the Kolty Chess Club for more than 15 years and the U.Ss. Chess Federation for more than 40 years. Sign up today for chess lessons near Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and Cupertino with Mr. Antonio!

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Larisa Zaiko

ART INSTRUCTOR
Larisa Zaiko earned her Master's degree in Fine Arts and Design from the Art Academy in Belarus. She has more than 20 years of teaching experience in the USA. Mrs. Zaiko’s art class includes the basic principles of drawing, painting, sculpting and design. Her goal is to help each student to express their own creativity. She welcomes students six years old and older, all levels. Sign up today for art classes near Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and Cupertino with Ms. Larisa!

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Tatiana Berg

PIANO INSTRUCTOR
Tatiana is an experienced piano teacher with over 25 years of teaching experience. She got her Bachelor degree in Russia. After moving to the US in 1999 , she worked at Music Schools in San Jose and Mountain View. She is a Certified Member of the Music Teacher Association of California . Tatiana believes in providing comprehensive musical education tailored to each student’s individual needs and learning style. Through patient guidance and encouragement, Tatiana inspires her students to develop a lifelong love for music.

Sign Up for Piano Lessons