Payam Music Arrives in Silicon Valley

Payam Music has officially opened our first Bay Area location in Los Altos, California. “I couldn’t be more excited to open a second piano school in California,” said Founder Payam Khastkodei. The Los Altos school was featured on NBC Bay Area because this isn't just another piano school opening: it's the beginning of a transformation in music education in Silicon Valley and beyond.

An innovative method that works

Payam Music's approach to piano education is grounded in the psychology of language acquisition and teaches students to “speak” piano before they read sheet music. Developed by our founder Payam Khastkodei, our proprietary alphanumeric notation allows students to play real songs from their very first lesson. The methodology doesn’t dumb down music; it's a smarter pathway to learn the patterns and techniques needed to play a musical instrument with confidence.

The results speak for themselves. Nearly all of our students (96%) reach diploma-level skills—think of it as the black belt in piano—within four years. To put that in perspective, the national average is 2% of students reaching that level within 12 years under traditional instruction. Plus, our students in Washington have been winning national competitions.

A personalized learning experience

What makes Payam Music different goes beyond our teaching methodology. In each student's first meeting, our teachers conduct what we call a "genre assessment" to understand their musical preferences. Some students prefer loud, fast songs. Others prefer slow, quiet songs. Since our teachers don’t work from rigid songbooks,  lessons are then built around the music students like.

This personalization is transformative. Students practice because they're motivated to master the songs they love. Teachers enjoy introducing students to music that will motivate them to practice at home, creating an environment that puts the “play” back in playing piano.

The result of combining human connection, expert instruction, and mentorship helps our students see themselves as musicians from the start.

What’s next in the Bay Area

Los Altos is just the beginning. We've identified eight additional locations across the Bay Area to launch in the near future: Burlingame/Hillsborough, Fremont, Lafayette, Palo Alto, Piedmont, Pleasanton/San Ramon, San Francisco, and Saratoga/Cupertino.

We chose these communities because they share what we look for in every Payam Music neighborhood: families who value education and who are ready for a better way to learn piano.

As Payam Music founder Payam Khastkhodaei says, "We're building a movement that challenges the traditional model of music education. Our methodology creates an environment where learning feels like play, and success is a natural result of students falling in love with piano."

Ready to try a new way to learn piano?

Whether you've been thinking about piano lessons for your child, or you're an adult rediscovering your own musical passion (it’s ok if you quit!), we’d love to meet you. Enrollment is now open at our Los Altos location, and waitlists are available for all planned Bay Area piano schools opening soon. Sign up to reserve your spot.

The future of piano education is here. And it starts with a song you love.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Where is Payam Music's Bay Area location? A: Payam Music has opened its first Bay Area location in Los Altos, California, with plans to expand to eight additional Silicon Valley locations: Burlingame/Hillsborough, Fremont, Lafayette, Palo Alto, Piedmont, Pleasanton/San Ramon, San Francisco, and Saratoga/Cupertino.

Q: What makes Payam Music's methodology different for Silicon Valley students? A: Payam Music's methodology is grounded in the psychology of language acquisition and teaches students to "speak" piano before reading sheet music. Using a proprietary alphanumeric notation system, students play real songs from their first lesson. This smarter pathway to learning patterns and techniques creates confident musicians from the start. The Payam Method doesn't dumb down music education, it makes it more accessible.

Q: What are the key results students achieve at Payam Music? A: Nearly all Payam Music students (96%) reach diploma-level skills within four years, compared to only 2% of traditionally taught students reaching that level within 12 years nationally. Additionally, Payam Music students have been winning national competitions, including dominant performances in the PTA Reflections competition.

Q: How personalized are lessons at Payam Music's Bay Area locations? A: Teachers conduct a "genre assessment" in each student's first meeting to understand their musical preferences. Since teachers don't work from rigid songbooks, lessons are built around the music students genuinely love. This personalization means students practice because they're motivated to master songs they enjoy.

Q: Why did Payam Music choose to expand to Silicon Valley? A: Payam Music selected these specific Bay Area communities because they share the school's values around education and are ready for a better way to learn piano. The founder believes these neighborhoods value education and are ideally suited for Payam Music's innovative approach that challenges the traditional model of music education and makes learning feel like play.