If there's one thing Joyce Wang has mastered in her 15-year career as a private music instructor, it's keeping beginners entertained as they learn the basics. Regardless of his or her experience level, Joyce arms each student with the proper books and tools—metronomes, piano-key neckties for at-home practice—as they learn piano-playing technique and how to interpret classical music, jazz, or pop. She also teaches music theory and prepares her students for the Certificate of Merit exam, a nationally recognized test that verifies a child's participation in a music-based extracurricular program for review by colleges.