How i became a piano teacher in Amsterdam
My name is Raluca Sabau and I am a classically trained pianist, piano teacher in Amsterdam and founder of Piano Lessons Amsterdam. Born and raised in the heart of Transylvania, I started my music studies at the age of 6. As a child I was showing much interest in my little red toy piano, singing and dancing, which lead my parents to enroll me in the local music school. Although Reghin, my hometown, is known internationally for its numerous string instrument manufacturers, I found myself more drawn to the piano.
For the first eight years of my music education my weekly training included three piano lessons, two theory lessons, two to three hours of choir singing, and in the sixth, seventh, and eight year, two hours of chamber orchestra playing. During this time my colleagues and I were also frequently appearing on stage, performing for audiences.
In order to continue studying music, at age 14 I moved away from home, into a boarding school. The music and fine arts specialized high-school of Targu-Mures was my home for the coming four years. Their complex curriculum added ear training, harmony, forms, music history, solfege, and dictation to my knowledge. During my time there I also had my first two appearances as a soloist with the Targu-Mures State Philharmonic Orchestra.
Bachelor Cluj-Napoca and master Arnhem
Determined to continue studying piano, at age 18 I found myself having to move again, even further away from home. I started my bachelor studies at the “Gh. Dima” Music Academy in Cluj-Napoca. Next to receiving an even deeper insight into the practical and theoretical aspects of classical music, I also studied Romanian folk music, accompaniment, chamber music, how to conduct a music research, pedagogy, and didactics. And so, after 16 years of intensive music study I completed my bachelor degree and received an additional teaching diploma.
Immediately after graduating, at age 22, I moved back to Targu-Mures where I had gained a teaching position at my old high-school. During the four years I had spent there I was attending music festivals and masterclasses. In one of those I met Frank van de Laar, who later became my piano teacher, as I decided to move to The Netherlands. In 2014 I graduated my masters degree at the Artez Conservatory in Arnhem/Zwolle, where I also worked for two years as the pianist of the cello class. During my studies at Artez I attended various piano masterclasses with important names such as Jan Wijn, Willem Brons, Jean François Antonioli, Akiko Ebi, Andrei Gavrilov, and also chamber music masterclasses as a piano accompanist with teachers such as Marcio Carneiro, Mikhail Zemtsov, Marie Pol, Walter Burian, and Alexander Müllenbach.
Piano teacher in Amsterdam and performer
Since the fall of 2014 I live and work in Amsterdam, where I have a constantly expanding piano teaching studio. My performing career is taking place in countries such as The Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain, Brazil, Hungary, Moldova, and Romania. Current projects include collaborations with the Dutch soprano Brigitte van Hagen, the Russian cellist Aleksandra Kaspera and the Finish violist Lilli Maijala.
My passion for foreign languages allows me to teach in Dutch, English, Romanian, and Spanish (Italian coming soon!)