What can I say?  In the past two years I have learned more from John than with all of my past instructors combined.  By far he is the best private lesson teacher I have ever had.  He has torn down years of bad habits and helped me to build a solid foundation of good techniques, all the while being encouraging and engaging.  He is very easy to get along with and I love his mellow sense of humor.  It wasn’t until I started working with John that I learned how to properly practice, which needless to say is seriously helpful.  

I greatly enjoy each and every lesson and I learn something new and interesting every week.  Thank you John, for everything you’ve done for me and I look forward to learning even more this year.

– Andrew Dawson

I started taking lessons from John Landefeld when I was just 5 years old. I am very happy to say that he has been my one and only dedicated teacher for a little over 13 years now.  With his help I have been apart of my All-Region and All-State orchestras, named principal cellist of both my high school and the top tier Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, and was a featured soloist with various orchestras. I can say very confidently that I would not be the person I am today without Mr. Landefeld as my private lesson teacher. His teaching focuses on all the important elements that make great cello playing: technique, phrasing, developing one's own musical interpretation, exploring a wide variety of pieces belonging to different genres and most importantly, how to practice successfully!  What I mainly appreciate about his teaching style is the fact that he will motivate his students in the best possible way. With all the hard work and challenges, though, he makes music fun and exciting. He is never disrespectful and always supports his students in every way he can. Not only is he a fabulous teacher but he also has made amazing studio recordings of me for different auditions I have had. One recording he made helped me win a position in the International Lyric Academy in Italy for a month where I played orchestral and opera works by Mozart. I will miss him and his supportive family very much when I go to Cleveland Institute of Music in the fall. I've loved working with him and when you choose him as your next private lesson teacher you will to.

- Samantha Powell

Though our son has been taking cello lessons for only about five months, he is learning so much more than simply how to play a musical instrument. John has the nicest way of teaching both discipline and confidence, communicating with our often fidgety six-year old in a way that is intelligent, respectful and humorous. Though John obviously takes cello very seriously, he conveys that it is also a joyful pursuit. The fact that our son will get out his cello and practice without being asked is testament to John's efforts. We could not have found a better teacher--thank you, John! 

- Kristin & John Cicciarelli

My daughter started her violin lessons with Mrs Bo when she was 4 1/2 years old (now 6). We have come to deeply appreciate her patience and talent in teaching such young ones. She is capable of keeping my girl focused during the lessons. She loves her lessons and violin thanks to Mrs. Bo’s encouragement and consistent efforts.

- April Lee

"I first began lessons with Mr. Landefeld with mediocre knowledge of technical mastery, a fledgling sense of musicianship, and many bad habits I had acquired over the years. It's been quite a while since our first lesson, yet with every new lesson we've had since then, I feel that I've learned just as much as I had on that very first day. Mr. Landefeld is a very rare type of teacher, one who prides himself on his passion in teaching and music, and it certainly shows! He's very patient, meticulous, and thorough with students. I would never have imagined myself make the level progress I've made under his steady mentorship, yet now my previously shaky vibrato, stiff bowhold, and stilted playing seems so long ago compared to the singing vibrato, relaxed bowhold, and much more natural musicianship Mr. Landefeld has patiently coaxed out of me.

Mr. Landefeld, thank you for your infinite patience, contagious passion, and wisdom. Thanks for being not only a great teacher, but also a friend. Your humor and smiles were always the first and last things you greeted me with, and the value of your lessons always spanned much further than just music. You've placed in me a much greater love for music and playing than I've had before, and this is something that is truly lasting."

Once again, thank you for our time together, John! 

Sincerely, 

Franklin Zhang 

Mr. Landefeld truly helped me grow as a cellist.

I started at Mr. Landefeld with the most minimum sound you could get from a cello and the smallest bow stroke. He had helped fixed a lot of bad habits and confusion I gained from my former school private lesson teacher. Although I didn't continue in orchestra until high school, he continued to help me develop necessary skills that I would later use in orchestra. When I look back, I can honestly say that my vibrato and confidence in my playing has grown farther than I probably expected. Even though it's long from where I would dream to be, I have improved tremendously and learned to appreciate the cello a lot more. He is patient with students and is always enthusiastic to answer any questions or uncertainty. He has encouraged me more than enough times and drives to teach me the correct style and musicality instead of just sticking to playing the right notes. Above all, Mr. Landefeld is someone who sincerely loves cello and gives out pretty good life advice.

- Jamie Dee

My daughter is learning Violin from Mrs. Landefeld for 4+ years and we absolutely love the experience.  She is very professional, and thorough in her teaching methodology.  She teaches not just the music notes, but also encourages the complete personality building like posture, eye contact to audience etc.,  We are extremely pleased with her and would highly recommend her for anyone who is looking for a violin or viola teacher. 

- Murugesan Family, Frisco, TX

Dear Mrs. Landefeld,

I wanted to sincerely thank you for enriching me with musical knowledge over the past eight years. Music has really become a special, defining part of my life. For that, and everything else, I am very thankful.

- Michael

I took cello lessons from John Landefeld from 7th grade through 12th grade, for a total of six years. I didn't have any confidence in myself and in my playing when I first started, which resulted in the quietest playing possible. I didn't know how to appreciate music and the little changes in tone or color that subtle musical techniques can create. However, Mr. Landefeld was always a kind and patient teacher. He works hard to understand how each individual student learns and then employs a different teaching method that caters to each students' needs. He learns about the students' lives outside of music, treating them as people instead of just a paycheck. He not only knows and understands how to manipulate a plethora of advanced musical techniques, he also knows how to teach these to students who have never even heard of words like "spiccato" and "portato," which is a very rare quality. With his help, I was able to audition into the All-Region Orchestra multiple times, and into Plano West Chamber Orchestra in my junior year. Furthermore, his teaching goes past just pure music. He instills confidence in his students, teaches them important life lessons through anecdotes, and relates things that you learn in music to the real world. Something important I learned is to never fixate on mistakes and be held back by them; instead, treat them as learning opportunities so that you can do better next time. After six years of being his student, I have become somebody that I am happy with, and I would not have gotten here without him

- Emily T.

This studio has a very quiet and comfortable environment for learning, which my daughter loves. Mr. Landefeld is not only a great cello teacher, but he is also a nice, encouraging, and responsible person. My daughter has had Mr. Landefeld for about five months. He teaches her many details that help enhance her playing. Therefore, not only does he help her learn the correct notes, but he also teaches her important skills that add musicality to her playing. All these factors together contribute to her amazing progress at the cello. I am very pleased to have him as her teacher, and as a parent, I truly recommend him to anyone who is looking for an experienced cello teacher. 

- Tracy B., Plano, TX

Mr. Landefeld,

I first stepped into your studio armed with only a basic knowledge of getting around the cello, a one speed (slow) vibrato, and a sound that could only be described as polite. Under your steady instruction, however, I really do believe I have had incredible growth as both a cellist and a performer. In addition, my appreciation for music, as well as the need for it to be in my life has increased exponentially. 

Thank you for the unlimited patience that you possess that has unwaveringly coaxed a sound out of my cello that I can finally be proud of. Thank you for the genuine pride that you put into your work and the faith that you have in each and every one of your students. Your infinite kindness, humor and passion are all untouchable qualities in a teacher and I am so grateful to have had you as one.

Thank you, once again, to for being my mentor and friend, for teaching me how to become my own best teacher, and inspiring me not only through cello lessons, but the occasional life lesson as well.

- Irene

Mr. Landefeld is very patient and teaches skills and techniques outside of the learning guide to keep things fresh. The emphasis on mastering the basic fundamentals instead of just being able to memorize and play a song has lead my son to start discovering new musical influences. I no longer ask my son to practice the guitar as he will pick up the guitar on his own accord to start practicing. My son has one lesson a week and practices around one hour a day the other six days of the week without complaint. Mr. Landefeld's guitar lessons are the catalyst for my son's increased desire to play and enjoyment of the guitar. 

- Alan Young