Tara Bhrushundi, Jazz Pianist

I had the privilege of learning from the incredibly talented jazz piano teacher, Tara, over the past year, and it has been such an amazing and transformative experience. From the very first lesson, it was evident that Tara was not only a remarkable and technically gifted musician but also a genuinel…

I had the privilege of learning from the incredibly talented jazz piano teacher, Tara, over the past year, and it has been such an amazing and transformative experience. From the very first lesson, it was evident that Tara was not only a remarkable and technically gifted musician but also a genuinely kind and compassionate teacher. She brought a practiced and real-world touch to my experience of jazz, reaching far beyond jazz textbooks and theory. Every week, Tara brought me through different chord progressions and improvisation techniques that had previously seemed impossible to grasp. She made even the most seemingly simple concepts a wonderful experience to learn, improvising whole songs off of simple motifs and chord progressions and challenging me to take a similar creative approach towards jazz. What truly sets Tara apart is her ability to tailor the lessons to each student's individual needs and goals. Her patience for understanding my musical background, goals, and learning style resulted in a deeply personalized curriculum that felt engaging week to week. I was always excited to go to jazz classes, knowing that each time I would have the chance to learn something new or make substantive improvements towards my existing skills. Tara's jazz expertise spans every decade and era, and she skillfully transitioned between more traditional jazz techniques and styles to sight-reading pop music with a jazz twist. Even during challenging lessons, Tara always fostered a nurturing and positive learning environment, and she provided a wealth of encouragement and support. After lessons, Tara often sent me invaluable resources, recordings of influential jazz artists, and other recommendations to supplement my learning every week. Learning from Tara has broadened my musical horizons and exposed me to a vibrant jazz community that inspired me to keep pushing the boundaries of my creativity. I would recommend Tara for any aspiring jazz pianist at any level!

After 60 years of playing classical piano, and many piano teachers later, I found Tara Buzash and discovered I could "play" with the piano. Tara is a really fine teacher (I taught high school for 30 years). She is organized, teaches sequentially, encourages new learning and "playing around" on the…

After 60 years of playing classical piano, and many piano teachers later, I found Tara Buzash and discovered I could "play" with the piano. Tara is a really fine teacher (I taught high school for 30 years). She is organized, teaches sequentially, encourages new learning and "playing around" on the piano. My lessons are always fun and filled with new learning. What more could a piano student want??? She's terrific!

I am lucky to have found Tara. She possesses a formidable depth of piano knowledge and skill, and she is an excellent teacher. Tara knows how to both challenge and encourage me to play better (especially improvising), and to learn more about the art. She is ready and willing to adapt her lesson stru…

I am lucky to have found Tara. She possesses a formidable depth of piano knowledge and skill, and she is an excellent teacher. Tara knows how to both challenge and encourage me to play better (especially improvising), and to learn more about the art. She is ready and willing to adapt her lesson structure to pieces that I want to learn, or specific skills (speed, transposition, evening out the hands, ear training, comping) that I want to improve. I have yet to stump Tara with my many questions about jazz theory and piano technique. To a beginner like me, the improvisation and chord substitutions that permeate jazz can seem confusing and almost random. Tara knows how it all fits together and emphasizes the *meaning* behind what she teaches, while at the same time keeping the music intuitive and fun. Take piano lessons from Tara, you will not regret it.

My two boys(10 and 7) are taking piano lessons with Tara. After a few weeks I start to see the difference. She made everyday practising a little bit easier and more fun. And every lesson they can work on their weak areas, yet still having fun. She's a wonderful teacher. Highly recommended for young …

My two boys(10 and 7) are taking piano lessons with Tara. After a few weeks I start to see the difference. She made everyday practising a little bit easier and more fun. And every lesson they can work on their weak areas, yet still having fun. She's a wonderful teacher. Highly recommended for young children.

I have been studying piano with Tara for over a year and find lessons with her to be simply wonderful. We cover many different areas including theory, technique, reading, improv and really, anyting that interests me or that Tara feels to be relevant. She makes the lessons fun and interesting and c…

I have been studying piano with Tara for over a year and find lessons with her to be simply wonderful. We cover many different areas including theory, technique, reading, improv and really, anyting that interests me or that Tara feels to be relevant. She makes the lessons fun and interesting and challenigng to just the right degree. As a busy (non-music) professional, my lessons with her are indeed transformative. My recommendation: Get with her while you still can!

I used to be embarrassed to admit I took piano lessons as a kid. I didn't feel like I could play anything --certainly not without mistakes or with confidence. Well, six months of Jazz instruction with Tara is changing all that. I am learning the necessary theory that I ignored as a child. And whi…

I used to be embarrassed to admit I took piano lessons as a kid. I didn't feel like I could play anything --certainly not without mistakes or with confidence. Well, six months of Jazz instruction with Tara is changing all that. I am learning the necessary theory that I ignored as a child. And while the jazz method is surprising different than the classical instruction of my youth, I'm finding that my sight-reading skill has improved dramatically. I have always admired people who can entertain others at the piano- at home or at a piano bar, and I'm now optimistic that I'll entertain people soon. My lessons are fun, challenging and flexible. At my request last summer, Tara put together a custom Jazz Camp for me which helped jumpstart my journey into the wonderful world of Jazz Piano.

As a BFA Acting student at Mason Gross (Rutgers) who has played piano all my life, I was finding it difficult to keep progressing on my extremely limited schedule. That's when I met Tara. Not only has she completely changed my thinking on how to play (in only a few short months!), she has very quick…

As a BFA Acting student at Mason Gross (Rutgers) who has played piano all my life, I was finding it difficult to keep progressing on my extremely limited schedule. That's when I met Tara. Not only has she completely changed my thinking on how to play (in only a few short months!), she has very quickly become the highlight of my week. When my classwork is bogging me down, I often find myself thinking ahead to my lessons. From improvisation to sight reading to jazz theory, Tara does it all, in a way that is challenging but straightforward. She has the uncanny ability to target students weaknesses and help to strengthen their skills, but never sacrificing the joy of playing the piano. Beginners to advanced: I HIGHLY recommend Tara Buzash for students of all ages and skill levels.

I used to be embarrassed to admit that I took 10 years of piano lessons as a kid. I couldn't sit down and play anything! --certainly not without mistakes or with confidence. Well, six months of Jazz instruction with Tara is changing all that. I am learning all the necessary theory that I ignored as …

I used to be embarrassed to admit that I took 10 years of piano lessons as a kid. I couldn't sit down and play anything! --certainly not without mistakes or with confidence. Well, six months of Jazz instruction with Tara is changing all that. I am learning all the necessary theory that I ignored as a child, and while the Jazz methods are surprisingly different from the classical instruction of my youth, I ha™ve seen a dramatic improvement in my sight-reading skills. I always admired people who could entertain others in the privacy of their home, or at a piano bar ”and I am optimistic that very soon, I too, will entertain people. My lessons are fun, challenging and flexible. At my request this summer, Tara customized a week-long Jazz Camp experience for me, which really kick-started my journey into the wonderful world of Jazz piano.

I appreciate many things about Tara's teaching. She is intuitive in thinking of exercises on the spot that clarify or illustrate what we have been working on. She strikes a good balance between showing me things on the piano I don't know and urging me to solve problems myself. But most of all Tar…

I appreciate many things about Tara's teaching. She is intuitive in thinking of exercises on the spot that clarify or illustrate what we have been working on. She strikes a good balance between showing me things on the piano I don't know and urging me to solve problems myself. But most of all Tara is a caring teacher, offering praise and encouragement at each lesson. I am a piano teacher myself, so I know the world of private piano lessons very well. I highly recommend her as a teacher.