Testimonials

Curious about how music lessons really are at AMI? Read these testimonials from parents and students below to learn about the great results you can get from music education at AMI! 

  • “Ryan Koranda is an excellent piano teacher! Being in my 60s and starting piano lessons with years of confusion and panic behind me when I try to read and play the music in front of me has proven much less challenging. Ryan has been able to reduce the stress I feel in my attempts to understand and helped me view my instruction and practice more positively. Although he was my instructor for only a brief time, I learned to relax and enjoy the process in a way I had not discovered before. I will miss his instruction greatly.” – Rebeccah S, Wheaton
  • “I’ve been taking violin lessons through AMI in Clarendon Hills since February 2022, and in July 2022, I got a new instructor. Julia Evans is such a great teacher. At 72 years old with some music background, and having never played the violin before, I needed someone experienced and knowledgeable. Julia is all that. I feel I have made great progress and she can tell if I’ve been practicing or not! I would highly recommend her.” – Diann M, Westchester
  • “Thanks to AMI I was able to pick up the violin! Emma has been a big help in this process and I can’t thank her enough. I would recommend AMI to those considering taking music lessons.” – Amna R, Downers Grove
  • “I highly recommend AMI and my violin instructor, Julia Evans. She has great knowledge and experience and is very patient with her 72 year old student!” – Dianne F, Elmhurst
  • “My 11 year old has grown leaps and bounds in trumpet the few months he has attended! His confidence and skill have improved.” – Sarah C
  • “I’m an adult student and I have played violin and piano since I was younger. My teachers Kaitlin for voice and Kassia for violin are for sure the best teachers I’ve ever had.” – Tess A, Oak Brook
  • “Our kids started lessons earlier this year in violin, guitar, and piano. They are doing great and we’ve had a great experience at AMI!!!” – Abby S., Hinsdale
  • “We’ve been going to AMI for almost 5 yrs and our kids have always enjoyed their lessons. Both the guitar and piano teacher have been stellar with our kids! We’ve also been to a few of the AMI Faculty Concerts and WOW, the teachers are nothing short of world-class musicians.” – Alle F., Willowbrook
  • “I have personally been taking my six-year-old daughter to American Music Institute for over three years to study violin. She already won a first place trophy at a major music competition last year when she was five. Our friends, family, her teachers at school or everyone else that hears her perform uses words like “prodigy,” and “gifted” to describe her. I thought the same thing until I saw other AMI students performing just as prodigiously at recitals. Now I realize that the common denominator here is Mr. Remus Badea, Founder and Director of his “American Music Institute.” Mr. Badea besides being “brilliant”, is the Concertmaster at Southwest Symphony, he is also music professor at Elmhurst College, which is not surprising considering his pedigree (the fact that he studied under the world renowned Dorothy Delay formerly of Julliard, who happened to teach many of today’s most famous virtuosi). As a parent, it’s a pretty simple choice! Because I want the very best education for my children and because it doesn’t cost any more to bring them to AMI than it would to any other music lessons I would feel negligent to bring them elsewhere. Now my youngest daughter who is four years old, (also taking lessons at AMI) is playing better than my six-year-old was when she was four. Is she also a prodigy or should I say thank you to Mr. Badea? … Thank You Mr. Badea!” – Charles J, St. Charles
  • “American Music Institute is wonderful. We were looking for great teachers and we found it. Our son has been part of AMI for 2 years and he loves it. Highly recommend!!” – Anton F, Darien
  • “I have been taking voice lessons all through high school at American Music Institute. I look forward to the lessons every week. I felt as if I had to post my thoughts about this outstanding organization because everyone should hear about it! My voice teacher at AMI comes to my house in LaGrange which is really convenient for my family’s busy schedule. She is so motivating and has had a really successful career. I think it’s really fun when all of the students of various ages, instruments and schools get together to perform in recitals. I am really lucky to be a student of AMI!!” -Sarah J, La Grange
  • “I send both my daughters ages six and eight to American music Institute. To sum up my experience, first, I have to tell you that both of my daughters have been accepted into Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra for the 2015/2016 season. Their instructor Remus Badea has expertly taken the time to get to know how to teach each of my daughters as individuals. He has come to know their strengths and weaknesses and customized the methodology in which he teaches them to bring each of them to their highest potential. Before coming to AMI, I thought that all music schools were the same. I will never make that mistake again. It is clear that the instructors at AMI excel at excellence. Since I have been involved with AMI I have come to know many other AMI students who have gone on to professional music careers or have been accepted into reputable music colleges. Mr. Badea graduated from the Cincinnati Conservatory of music which is recognized to be one of the best in the world. His pedigree shows in every single lesson. I would suggest to any parent who is serious about their children’s music education to enroll at AMI so that your children can have the best opportunity for success in their future.” – G. Umeboshi, Geneva, IL
  • “I’ve been promising myself to write this review for awhile. My daughter did the summer camp in June and loved it. Most importantly the camp was 6 or 7 weeks ago and she has faithfully taken some time nearly every day to practice some aspect of what she learned at AMI – Billy and her other teachers not only taught her but got her enthused – thank you.” – N.K, Evanston