Silver Bee Studio, New York

When Silver Bee Studio founder Eunbi Kim was growing up, her father helped her work through difficulties with math and geography by inventing fun activities, such as flash cards and goofy word games. As a result, when working with her own students, Kim strives “to make learning fun, be tough when necessary, and always encourage the effort and the process,” as she writes on her website. Her lessons infuse classical technique and repertoire with a spirit of kid-friendly enthusiasm, organizing field trips and piano parties and allowing students as young as age 5 to explore popular or jazz music. Her methods also prepare students for success in future piano endeavors, helping them ace performance auditions and the talent portion of home-loan applications.