Kerry Henry Piano Studios

“We moved to Raleigh in the summer of 2001. Our oldest daughter was already taking piano lessons, and we wanted to continue that in our new home. Kimberly, our youngest, began taking lessons at the age of 6 at the same music studio. She had a wonderful teacher, and we were very pleased. A short time later, we transitioned Kimberly to a new teacher, Ms. Henry, due to a schedule conflict. The transition was extremely smooth and Kimberly did not miss a beat in her lessons. Ms. Henry is such a natural with children, going out of her way to make us feel very comfortable, especially Kimberly. She regularly consulted with us, ensuring we knew how Kimberly was progressing and whether there were any issues that she needed to address. Kimberly is still such a shy young lady, but she continues to let us know she enjoys lessons with Ms. Henry and looks forward to going each week.

Kimberly has been with Ms. Henry over 7 years, and we are extremely happy and wouldn't change a thing. Kerry has given us the peace of mind we need and has always been so flexible in supporting the challenges of balancing school, work and piano with us. She is dedicated and truly cares about her students. ”

--Shirley Bone

“Following my retirement in April 2007, I determined to breathe new life into my long-dormant musical endeavors, some 30 years or so having elapsed since last I studied piano with a teacher. The Kerry Henry Piano Studios were highly recommended to me, so towards the end of November 2007, I commenced my bi-weekly lessons with one of Kerry’s teachers, Karoline Strickland.

To say that I have not been disappointed would be a serious understatement. I have found Karoline to exhibit consistent attitudes of encouragement, praise for my efforts, and openness to my own ideas of musical genres that I am interested in exploring. She provides appropriate critique of my areas needing further effort, gives suggestions about how to approach difficult passages in a way that makes it easy to respond positively, and gently guides my efforts to make improvements. Her enthusiasm for the piano and for sharing her knowledge and expertise with her student is infectious. Far from dreading my next encounter with my teacher, I genuinely look forward to the occasion. I have been motivated by Karoline to work hard to make improvements in both technique and musicality, and together I feel we have made good progress with more to look forward to in the coming months. In short, I could not be more pleased by the privilege of being Karoline’s adult student.”

-- David Perry

“When we moved back to North Carolina after a three-year sabbatical leave in Japan, our first order of business was to find a good piano teacher for our daughter Kristie. We were delighted to find out that Kerry Henry was about to open a studio near to where we live. We have known Kerry for a number of years, and we also have known that she is a much sought-after piano teacher.

We immediately signed up Kristie to be taught by her. That was well over three years ago. Previously, Kristie took lessons in Japan, and although she liked playing piano, she hated having to practice on a regular basis. Now I have yet to hear her complain about having to practice every day (or almost). Kerry is a wonderful teacher. She sets down rules, but she does it in such a way that there is always a buy-in among her students, at least with our daughter. She is always so positive and immensely patient with her students. I can understand why Kristie is so attracted by her teaching style. Indeed, her piano practice and playing do not seem to be such a drag to her anymore. She plays, not just to finish an hour or so of practice, but also to enjoy the music. We attribute this to Kerry's effective teaching style. ”

-- Joe and Anh Chan

“We have known Kerry Henry for the past six years; therefore, we trusted her completely when she recommended Mrs. Strickland as one of our piano teachers. We transferred two children to Kerry Henry Piano Studios a year ago and could not be happier with that decision. All of the teachers at the studio are highly qualified professionals.

Our daughter Miranda is excited to begin another year with Mrs. Strickland. Miranda says, “Mrs. Strickland is an excellent teacher. She is very kind and patient.” We agree completely. Mrs. Strickland motivates Miranda to practice diligently by organizing her notes by lesson, providing a practice calendar, and setting goals. She also communicates with parents before and after lessons to gather updates and reinforce important notes.

Participating in recitals and community service projects are an enjoyable experience because of the warm atmosphere created by the staff at Kerry Henry Piano Studios. We have been most impressed by the passion for music and teaching demonstrated by all of the teachers. Thank you for all you do to make piano lessons a challenging yet rewarding and fun experience.”

-- Sandra and Tom Munoz

“When we began looking for a piano teacher for our children, we knew we wanted a teacher who was capable of teaching technique, performance, and theory. We wanted any other instrument they chose to play in the future to be a matter of mechanics of a new instrument because the basis for music had been established by their piano instruction.

Almost two years later, we are extremely pleased with Mrs. Strickland's teaching abilities. She is able to teach in a way that resonates with our children even though they are both very different. My daughter's discussion with her friend pretty well summed it up: "My teacher expects me to get the timing and dynamics right but she's very nice when she helps me learn how to do it."

When our second child started taking lessons, we were even more impressed with her understanding and handling of sibling rivalry. Mrs. Strickland has been careful never to compare the two children and to minimize their ability to compare themselves to each other. This has allowed each child to progress at their own rate without making either child feel inferior or pressured. Music selection is always done based on the individual child and not by a set program. Our sports-oriented child plays "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" while our more art-oriented one plays "Puff the Magic Dragon".

The studio itself is very organized. From the first day, we knew when events would be happening, costs, and how we needed to prepare and participate. There have been no unexpected surprises. We feel very fortunate to have such a gifted teacher in a setting that is easy to handle logistically! ”

-- Amie Palmer

“During her tenure as North Carolina Music Teachers Association President, Kerry Henry has been an exemplary leader. Under Kerry’s creative guidance, the Association has carried out its support of the professionalism of music teacher members through continuing education opportunities at the state conference and through state-sponsored piano contest literature workshops. She has also supervised the state and national North Carolina music student competitions, which provide performance enrichment experiences for students of the members. Kerry Henry has also been extremely active in the Raleigh Music Teachers Association, holding many offices and chairing various events. s. NCMTA is most fortunate to have leaders like Kerry Henry who are willing to volunteer valuable time and creative energy to advance the value of music study and music-making to the citizens of North Carolina.”

-- Paul Stewart,

National Immediate Past President

Music Teachers National Association