Marcy Gilroy (Laughner) / Recommendation  Learning to play music was on my “bucket list”, so for my 60th birthday I bought a keyboard. I started with the Easy Play method, but found progress slow.  After just 3 months of lessons with Marcy, I can read music and play scales, along with a wide range of chords. I now have the fundamentals needed to make real progress.  Marcy likes to challenge her students to move forward, but provides ample encouragement.  She makes learning fun, and is highly effective for students of all ages.    Sam Swope  5/2010 Yahoo local.com User Rating: 5 out of 5 stars (3 ratings) by Jeff   08/22/2009 I would highly recommend Marcy as a piano teacher. She has done a tremendous job with my child, who had never played the piano before. She can read music fluently, understands the theory behind the music, and loves to play. She is playing at a level far more advanced than her friends who have been playing much longer. She is involved in selecting her piano pieces, and Marcy works with her in picking pieces she enjoys playing. Each lesson Marcy is enthusiastic and encouraging. My daughter can't wait to practice, and loves to go to her lessons. She would go daily if we had the time, and now takes several lessons per week. She is even considering music as a field of study for college. Marcy is innovative in her approach, and is fun to be around. She has fabulous credentials and plans out each lessons based on what my daughter has worked on during the prior week. I can't get over her advancement and love of the piano. I would highly recommend Marcy. User Rating: 5 out of 5 stars by Cindy  08/22/2009 I have been taking lessons with Marcy for several months. She is an remarkable teacher. I have progressed far beyond where any of my friends are, or hope to be in the near future. I am playing advanced pieces, and learning in a fun and stimulating environment. Each lesson is something unique and ties into the piece I am playing. I have learned about technique, theory, can read notes, can sight read, and even do some composing. Marcy has a great sense of humor,and is extrememly intelligent. She goes the extra mile for each lesson. I would highly recommend her for any level of student, any age. User Rating: 5 out of 5 stars  by Kerry  07/12/2009 Outstanding piano teacher! Marcy tailored the lessons each week to fit what I was trying to achieve. She covered a lot of material in a thorough way, and I can't believe how quickly I am playing regular piano pieces. She is patient and calm, with a sense of humor. She is very intelligent and organized. I take 90 minute lessons twice per week and am never bored. I would highly recommend Marcy. She also has a tremendous background and credentials. Great website! Posted in the Sarasota Forum Christine Sarasota, FL | I would like to highly recommend Marcy, owner of A Prelude to the Classics Piano Studio, for all ages of lessons. My two children take lessons with Marcy, I take lessons as an adult, and my youngest will be starting in her new preschool class, The Child Prodigy Series, which includes the most adorable  baby grand piano in red! She is incredible with the kids, and gets them to do their best because they want to please her with their studies. She is patient and fun, and has a great sense of humor. She gets the students to play at the fastest pace I have seen compared to other students my kids know. I am playing and enjoying every minute of it. The kids can't wait to see her each week. She is also highly credentialed, and is an executive level banker as well with Morgan Stanely! Super job Marcy! Check out the pictures in the Observer and Sarasota Magazine online from the Designing Women event, where she had some students, kids and adults perform.(She is a Board member at Designing Women as well as the Asolo Theatre). Harvey Sarasota, FL I recently began taking piano lessons as a mature adult with Marcy. She is an outstanding teacher, enthusiatic, witty, and has enabled me to learn how to read the notes and play extremely quickly. She works with me on my goals, which are to enjoy playing as relaxation, occasionally play for friends at a dinner party, and play some old classics. She has fabulous credentials, and I like the fact that she is so well known in the community, especially with charitable organizations like the Asolo Theatre and Designing Women as well as the Heart Association. I was at an event at Designing Women in December and watched several of her younger students perform. It was wonderful, and her students just adore her. For those seniors interested in either learning to play the piano for enjoyment, or those that played years ago, Marcy is the way to go!