san diego piano academy
Piano Lessons in Chula Vista & Bonita
San Diego Piano Academy is now bringing its elite piano instruction to the South Bay, Chula Vista, Otay Ranch, and Bonita, through Distinguished Artist Faculty member Jessie. Same institution, same standard, same holistic foundation-first approach we've built our reputation on across San Diego County, now close to home for South Bay families.
In 2026, sdpa students took all three top spots in the 15-18 division at the MTAC Southern Regional, the largest competition stage in Southern California. Our students go on to top conservatories.
A Banner Year
Meet Jessie
One Standard, Every Teacher
Every sdpa teacher meets the standard set by our Artistic Director, Chetan Tierra, a celebrated international concert pianist, a Yamaha Artist, and one of only four Americans to compete at the 2009 Van Cliburn Competition. Jessie was hand-selected to join sdpa's faculty as one of San Diego's most accomplished pianists in her own right, an internationally acclaimed soloist who has performed at Carnegie Hall and shared the stage with Lang Lang.
Meet Jessie
Jessie is an internationally acclaimed concert pianist who has performed as a soloist with The Cleveland Orchestra, Singapore Symphony, San Diego Symphony, China Philharmonic, Malaysian Philharmonic, Macao Symphony, and Rochester Philharmonic, in venues including Carnegie Hall's Isaac Stern Auditorium and the Esplanade in Singapore. She has shared the stage with Lang Lang, performed under conductors including Grammy and Academy Award-winning composer Tan Dun and Charles Dutoit, and collaborated with the Formosa Quartet.
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She earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Piano Performance from the Manhattan School of Music on full scholarship, studying with the renowned Constance Keene, and received the Best Female Award at both commencements. Her competition wins include the Grand Prize at the MTAC Young Artist Guild, the Joanna Hodges International Piano Competition, and the Ibla Grand Prize in Italy.
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As a private piano instructor for over 21 years and an MTAC member since 2004, Jessie has built a track record of sending her own students on to Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Princeton, and top conservatories including the New England Conservatory and Manhattan School of Music. Her students have won honors including the Musical Merit Foundation, MTAC State Solo and Concerto, and Junior Bach Festival competitions, along with recent wins at the Chopin competition. One of her students is heading to Yale this year.
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Jessie is also the Founder and Chair of the MTAC Chopin Festival, a role she's held since 2017, the very competition where sdpa faculty and students won 17 of the 35 awards given in 2026.
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Jessie has been part of the sdpa faculty for about a year, bringing her home studio in Bonita, and this same standard, to South Bay families for the first time.
What Students Say About Jessie
“It has been such a privilege to study with Jessie. As an adult student returning to serious study after many years, I have made great gains in technique and musicality. I fully enjoy and appreciate her method and insight and always look forward to my next lesson!” - Debbie
"Our seven year old daughter has been attending piano lessons with Ms. Jessie for almost a year now. She was excited but quite nervous to start lessons. Ms. Jessie took the time to break the ice and get to know her during the first session. She was so warm and welcoming that my daughter connected with her right away. As each session progressed I have been surprised with how much enthusiasm and growth my daughter has shown. She is excited to attend each and every lesson and has blossomed in her knowledge in music theory and skill. We love Ms. Jessie and can’t recommend her enough. She is warm and also gently pushes and challenges her." - Cindy
"Thank you for introducing me to Jessie and this wonderful academy. I truly have loved it and I plan to come back to San Diego once I finish school and come back to the academy!" - Hannah
Why Choose sdpa
Taught by world-class international concert pianists and artists at the top of their field, not part time hobbyists.
A flawless foundation from the first lesson, built so progress compounds instead of stalls.
A year round performance calendar, recitals, workshops, and a professional artist series, all included.
An earned credential, the Certificate of Artistic Achievement, that belongs on a college application.
Documented results: competition winners and students admitted to top conservatories.
Lessons in your home or teacher's studios, across all of San Diego County, all ages and levels welcome.
A comprehensive curriculum, technique, theory, ear training, and sight reading, not just repertoire.
A library of video courses and online training that helps students progress even faster between lessons.
The Honors Program, our highest designation, for students who rise to it.
Recording services, so every milestone is captured, not just remembered.
Faculty who are active members of MTAC, MTNA, and CAPMT, the country's leading professional associations for music teachers.
Faculty qualified to prepare students for outside testing: Certificate of Merit, ABRSM, and RCM.
Life skills that outlast the music: discipline, accountability, and real practice habits, taught by mentors, not just instructors.
Personalized placement, every student matched with the teacher whose strengths fit their specific goals, not just whoever has an open slot.
What a Full Academy Offers That a Single Teacher Can't
What a single teacher can't offer is the rest of what sdpa builds around every student: a full recital calendar where your student performs alongside dozens of other serious, motivated pianists, a peer effect that pushes students further than practicing in isolation, a concert artist series featuring our own faculty performing regularly, masterclasses, practicing and performance workshops, adult student workshops, and guest artists visiting from institutions like the Cleveland Institute of Music. Our faculty includes some of the most accomplished pianists in San Diego, arguably the best in the city. sdpa combines that individual talent with the compounding effect of a full institution built around your student's growth, not just one great teacher working alone.