Capital Piano Conservatory
Where young pianists improve dramatically - and love it!
Serving young pianists in the Washington metropolitan area
About
Welcome! I am pianist James Hillis, founder of the Capital Piano Conservatory (CPC), a high-quality, boutique piano conservatory for young pianists up to age 18. Our mission is to give students a passion for music, accomplished musicianship, and the tools to play for a lifetime. Here students acquire an effortless technique, joy in performing, and a creative spirit that informs every aspect of their life. (Watch our 5 minute highlight reel of my students’ recent performances, below).
Piano lessons in Bethesda, NW Washington DC, Chevy Chase, Potomac
Contact James Hillis for more information or to schedule an initial visit:
Pianist James Hillis
Student Performances
Please Watch This Video of James Hillis’ Students Performing
Student Performances 2021-2023
Contact Us Today
The Student CPC Experience
Community: Through CPC studio classes, rehearsals, performance parties and events our young pianists become a musical family that truly cares about each other. This community not only creates support and inspiration among the students, it creates a deeper love and appreciation of music.
Improvement: CPC students experience dramatic improvement within the first year. Students in small sonatas are soon performing large virtuoso masterworks; students in method books are quickly playing real repertoire.
Performances: CPC holds three student concerts a year; two concerts of memorized solo works, and one collaborative piano concert where students perform with professional instrumentalists & vocalists. Students also have the opportunity to enter local and national competitions, audition for exciting summer programs, and give solo concerts of their own.
CPC Benefits: Assisting CPC students in successful college applications are professional video edits of their performances in CPC concerts. Recent CPC graduate, May Kalnik, won a $90,000 scholarship to university based on an edit of her live performances in CPC concerts. The scholarship was given for musical excellence, though May would major in software design.
contact us today for more info or to schedule an initial visit:
Student May Kalnik’s CPC performances won her a major scholarhip
Testimonials
Parent Testimonials
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“My two sons (both now in high school) have studied with Mr. Hillis at the conservatory for 7 years. Thanks to Mr. Hillis' outstanding instruction, my sons have become accomplished pianists, who have had the privilege to perform frequently as soloists and ensemble members. Even more importantly, Mr. Hillis has fostered my sons' passion for music, which I can see lasting a lifetime. Mr. Hillis has created a truly supportive and inspiring community in his conservatory that brings out the best in each and every student.”
— Andrea Richter Hume
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"We are so thankful to Mr. Hillis for the way he has helped Ray (our 14 yro son) grow to be a young musician with more confidence and love of music! It’s been one of Ray’s most unforgettable journeys. There are not enough words to describe our deepest appreciation, only a million thanks."
— Ann Cao
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“My son had a number of teachers previously, but no other situation has come close to creating the excitement for music that James and the conservatory has. And my son’s performances have displayed an entirely new level of skill and musicianship.”
— Alain Brousseau
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“No one from our family thought my daughter could actually play great classical music, but Mr. Hillis has made her amazing! Thank you!”
— Lily Zheheng
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“When we got our daughter Julie piano lessons we thought she’d play a little, learn something about music. It’s been a huge surprise and gift to watch Julie grow to perform large virtuoso works and have a passion for it. And it’s purely because of James and the Capital Piano Conservatory. It’s been an exciting trip for the whole family.”
— Kevin Solonsky
Student Video Testimonials
Students talk about their CPC experience
Contact us.
Email:
jhillis@CapitalPianoConservatory.com
Phone:
301.641.4906
Address:
6701 Wisconsin Ave
Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815
USA
Faculty
James Hillis
JAMES HILLIS
Award-Winning pianist JAMES HILLIS is a graduate of Oberlin Conservatory where he studied with Julian Martin and Joseph Schwartz the chair of the Oberlin piano department. After conservatory Mr. Hillis studied privately with Veda Kaplinsky the current head of the Juilliard Piano Division. Mr. Hillis is founder of the Capital Piano Conservatory. Watch performances from James Hillis HERE
Olga Volkova
OLGA VOLKOVA
Olga Volkova has extensively performed in Russia, Europe and the USA, as soloist and collaborative pianist, and has won several prestigious international competitions. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Ms. Volkova graduated with honors from the Herzen University Institute of Music (St. Petersburg, Russia), where she studied solo piano with Tatiana Zagorovskaya, collaborative piano with Vladimir Gourevich and chamber ensemble with Pavel Eliashevich. Later she continued her studies at Mannes School of Music in New York City (The New School), where she completed her Master’s degree in piano performance under Eteri Andjaparidze. Ms. Volkova is a wonderfully creative teacher who is terrific at sharing her joy for music with her students. CPC is very excited to have her!
Dr. Anthony Bock
DR. ANTHONY BOCK
Dr. Anthony Bock is a pianist and teacher who has performed at the Kennedy Center and National Gallery of Art – as well as venues throughout the US. Dr. Bock received both his Doctorate and Masters degrees in piano from the University of Maryland School of Music, and has worked as an accompanist for the Peabody Conservatory of Music. Among his many honors, Dr. Bock has been an award-winner in both the Washington International Competition and the Brookings Piano Competition.
An active teacher to young pianists since 2012, Anthony has also taught at the Southern Oregon University and coached numerous musical instrumentalists and vocalists at the University of Maryland. Dr. Bock not only has extensive experience in classical solo repertoire and chamber music, he is also an accomplished jazz performer. Throughout his teaching career Dr. Bock has demonstrated a wonderful ability to inspire and engage students at all levels.
Jared Alan Yoakem
Jared Alan Yoakem
Pianist Jared Alan Yoakem has toured as a soloist and chamber musician most notably at the Castleton Music Festival and the Washington International Piano Festival. He has performed as collaborative artist with Classical Singers Music Magazine, the Vocal Immersion Program and a catalog of choral projects including a performance at the 2020 national ACDA Conference, and two national PBS broadcasts. Yoakem is a prizewinner of the 40th International Young Artist Piano Competition and has been a chosen performer in masterclasses with great concert artists Richard Goode, Julian Martin, Stanislav Ioudenitch, Robert McDonald and Anne-Marie McDermott. Mr. Yoakem is currently completing a Doctorate in Piano Performance at the University of Maryland.
Kathryn Goodson
KATHRYN GOODSON
KATHRYN GOODSON, CPC’s visiting professor of Collaborative Piano was called “generator of colors and of lights” by the Journal de Genève after a Schumann Liederabendpianist. A pianist, teacher, coach and administrator, Dr. Goodson has enjoyed an international career for over three decades. She commands repertoire from baroque through contemporary and improvisatory genres, collaborating with vocalists, instrumentalists, composers, multiple dance disciplines and orchestral ensembles. As partner and coach Dr. Goodson has served at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance since 2002. Goodson’s discography includes recordings of lost Italian-Jewish art songs, duo recitals and chamber music. Belle Nuit, a Navona release of “sparkling heights” (American Record Guide) was curated and produced by Goodson. Additional signature endeavors are masterclasses–Songs4Winds, and American & African Diaspora Art Song for German Music Schools, as well as Kinderconcerts: a series of concerts for young children.