Today we’d like to introduce you to Leidys.
Hi Leidys, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Every lesson at Miami Piano Studio begins with a story. Actually, it begins with two: mine and my partner’s in life and business Mihai Preda.
Mihai grew up in Bucharest under Ceaușescu’s dictatorship. His grandmother, a pianist and artist, gave him his love of music, but his formal lessons were rigid, perfection-driven, and ruled by fear. One day he played a song by ear, just following his curiosity, and his teacher asked if he was a gypsy. He never forgot that moment, and it became his mission: no child should ever be shamed for expressing themselves through music. Years later, while earning his Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Miami, he confirmed what he had sensed as a boy. Real understanding grows from curiosity, not fear.
My own path began in Venezuela with El Sistema, where I learned that music can build character, unity, and hope, not just skill. I studied International Relations at UCV in Venezuela along side music, then continued my music studies at New World School of the Arts and FIU. As a young mother, I started teaching Mommy and Me Music classes, and when the parents asked me to keep going, I founded TheSmARTsCOOL, a cooperative school where children learned through stories, art, theater, music, and nature. That’s where I began writing musical stories and teaching with puppets, and where I learned that children thrive when they feel loved and free.
When Mihai and I met at FIU, his precision met my imagination. Together we created the Brain-Based Piano Method, which blends classical pedagogy with neuroscience and psychology through storytelling, movement, and play. Our goal is simple: every child should feel safe to learn, create, and shine.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Honestly, we’ve been very blessed. We’ve been able to build many of the things we dreamed of for the studio, the method, and our students. But we’re still growing. We’re working to expand our method so it can reach more families and benefit more children, and along the way, we’ve faced two main challenges.
The first is consistency. Many children today are involved in a lot of activities, and that comes from a beautiful place: parents want a well-rounded education for their kids. But learning piano, like learning anything deeply, needs practice time, a fresh mind, and a rested body. We often see a student start with excitement, and then, when it requires real effort or their friends move on to gymnastics or karate, they want something new. We keep lessons engaging, refresh our materials constantly, and hold fun recitals often, but parents play a huge role in helping children stay on course. We want children to learn to persevere and to feel proud of their effort, because that effort is what truly builds their confidence.
The second is finding teachers who are open to a new way. Many were trained in traditional methods and have taught the same way for years. It breaks my heart to see a three-year-old forced to read notes without even looking at their own little fingers, or given long, dull tasks that aren’t right for their age. Our method develops the musical ear, memory, and age-appropriate skills through storytelling, children’s songs, and singing with solfège, because joyful learning is what actually works. We look for educators willing to grow and try new ideas for the sake of their students.
That’s why sharing our story matters so much to us. If you’re a parent looking for a mindful, creative, and joyful music education for your child, or a teacher eager to discover new ways to help your students thrive, we would love to hear from you.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I teach music and piano, but what I really do is create.
Together with my partner, Mihai, I founded Miami Piano Studio and developed the Brain-Based Piano Method, a way of teaching that follows how children actually learn. Instead of starting with long, dry drills, our students learn through stories, children’s songs, singing with solfège, movement, and play. We blend the best of classical pedagogy with what neuroscience and psychology teach us about the growing brain. The result is children who don’t just play the notes, but truly understand music: they develop their ear, their memory, their understanding of their own learning process, and their own musical voice.
My happiest moments are when I’m in the flow of creating. I start with a small idea, take one step, then another, without knowing exactly where it will lead. Little by little, it grows into something real: a musical story, a book, a game, a curriculum, a puppet show, a recital, or a theater play. Many of the materials our students use today were born this way, and I’m always dreaming up the next one.
I think that’s what sets us apart. I want my students, and their parents too, to reconnect with that playful child inside, the one who may have forgotten how to play but is still there. I encourage them to be authentic, to not be afraid of mistakes, and to enjoy the process instead of focusing only on outcomes, because a joyful process leads to great results. I try to live that myself every day, even when it means facing my own fears and daring to try something new.
What makes me proudest is watching a child realize that, just other people they admire, they can create too, and that their ideas matter just as much as anyone else’s.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I truly believe luck plays a role in every life. When and where we’re born, and the opportunities around us, make a huge difference, and I was very lucky.
I grew up in Venezuela during a time of abundance, when good education and opportunities were within reach. As a young girl, I joined the Scout movement, which in Venezuela meant long hours every Saturday of service, teamwork, and responsibility. I’ve always been a natural leader, and there I truly grew into one.
Then came El Sistema, the National System of Youth Orchestras, and those years shaped me deeply. Almost every afternoon, and many weekends, I was in music classes, choirs, ensembles, and orchestras, learning the clarinet and living music in the richest way. I saw firsthand how music could change lives and open doors for children who otherwise wouldn’t have had them. The few moments I shared with Maestro Abreu, El Sistema’s founder, still inspire me today.
Later, I was admitted to the Central University of Venezuela to study International Relations, which gave me a whole new view of the world, while I continued my music studies alongside. So I’m not a typical musician! When I arrived in Miami in my twenties, I studied performance at New World School of the Arts and then earned my master’s in music performance and music education at FIU.
Through every stage, I’ve been blessed with mentors, teachers, and role models who guided and inspired me. But I also recognize my part in my own luck. I sought out opportunities, reached out to people, and chose to trust others, the process, and myself.
Now I want to build on all of it. My dream is to see the Brain-Based Piano Method stand among the great music methods of the world, as a new generation of teaching that meets the real needs of today’s children, parents, and teachers. It’s time to leave behind rigid ways that cause stress and frustration.
I’ve been lucky, and my goal is simple: I want every child and family to feel lucky too, by experiencing what we offer.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.brainbasedpianomethod.com
- Instagram: Instagram: @MiamiPianoStudio
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@brain-basedpianomethodonli4008
- Other: https://www.MiamiPianoStudio.com
