Misuzu Burns - Piano Instructor

Misuzu Burns is a passionate and accomplished music educator, performer, and leader with over 20 years of experience in the field of music education. Born in Japan and raised in the United States, she began playing the piano at the age of six, a journey that ignited her lifelong passion for music. Misuzu holds a BFA in Multi-Focus Keyboard Studies from California Institute of the Arts, where she performed Mozart’s Piano Concerto with the school orchestra, an MA in Music from the University of Redlands, and an M.Ed. from Moreland University. She is also a winner of the Antelope Valley Bach Competition.

Throughout her career, Misuzu has taught students from Kindergarten through Grade 12 using IB, British National Standards, Cambridge, and American curricula, inspiring creativity and a love for music in culturally diverse classrooms. She has held leadership roles, including Head of Primary Music at an international school in Beijing and Associate Head of Music at Kodaikanal International School in India. In these roles, she mentored teachers, developed innovative music programs, and directed large-scale performances involving hundreds of students.

As an accomplished pianist, Misuzu has accompanied musicals such as Grease and Guys and Dolls. She has guided her students to excel in MTAC and ABRSM exams, and some have gone on to pursue careers as music composers, attending prestigious institutions such as Berklee College of Music. Her students also include Grammy Award-winning musicians and their children. Beyond the classroom, Misuzu has contributed to nonprofit organizations, including the Music Teachers’ Association of California (MTAC), and collaborated with the local Concert Association in Sedona, AZ, to organize live performances for the local community.

Now based in Los Angeles after nine years overseas, Misuzu continues to bring her global perspective, expertise, and passion for piano and music education to inspire students of all ages and backgrounds.