Welcome to
Doral Piano Studio
Doral Piano Studio is where Music and Excellence Meet. Discover, learn, perform and shine. Let us take you from your first notes to Masterpieces.
Scroll down and take a look through our site to see what we have to offer, and get in touch with questions.
ABOUT US
It All Starts Here
Whether your goal is to learn how to play the piano, take your skills to the next level, get ready for an audition or have fun while learning to play your favorite songs, DORAL PIANO STUDIO is the perfect place to build your foundation with onsite lessons. We’re dedicated to teaching the skills and providing the hands-on experience necessary for achieving a performance level beyond your expectations. We teach beginners, intermediate and advance levels and both adults and kids (starting age suggested is 4 years old). Take a look through our site to learn more.
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Available Programs
Private Piano Lessons
We will take our students from their very first notes to perform at professional level. The private lessons could be 30, 45 or 60 minutes long, depending on each student’s individual need. Private lessons are recommended for kids 5 years to adults.
We are equipped with grand pianos in all our studio rooms and a recital room and we count a team of professional pianists with a vast performing and teaching experience.
We have several enriching activities during the year such as; recitals, master clases, evaluations, and local and international competitions opportunities.
Accelerated Piano Program
This Program is designed for motivated students between 7 and 14 years old who want to progress quickly. It consists of a 1-hour class once a week, where students receive structured training that helps them advance at a faster pace compared to traditional lessons.
At the end of each class, students also participate in a small performance, giving them the opportunity to share what they learned, build confidence, and practice stage presence. In addition, we include theory activities to strengthen their reading, rhythm, and overall musicianship.
Applied Music Theory
Understanding music makes playing it even more powerful! Our Applied Theory Classes give students the tools to read, write, and truly understand music.
What students will learn:
Music Theory, harmony, rhythm, how to apply theory discreetly to their instrument, improvisation and composition skill.
Perfect for students who wants to strengthen their foundation, boost performance skills, and open the door to greater musical expression.
Meet The Team
Our team of professional, active pianists is dedicated to inspiring every student. With expertise, passion, and care, we provide a supportive environment that builds confidence, creativity, and a lifelong love of music.
Daniel Venegas
Director and Founder
With over 20 years of teaching experience, the secret to Venegas' teaching approach is adapting to each student's design, enforcing their confidence and self-esteem first and then teaching them in a fun way.
EDUCATION
Master of Music: Piano Performance, 2007
Full Scholarship, Cum Laude
Florida International University: 2005-2007
Miami, Florida
Bachelor of Arts, Double Major: Music Business and Piano Performance, 2005
Full Scholarship, Cum Laude
University of Miami: 2002-2005
Coral Gables, Florida
Bachelor of Science: Business Administration with a Major in Marketing, 2002
University Francisco: 1998-2002
Marroquin, Guatemala
Artist Diploma: Piano Performance, 1997
National Conservatory of Music: 1995-1997
Guatemala City, Guatemala
CAREER
Some of Venegas' piano instructors have been, Ivan Davis, Kemal Gekic, Jorge Luis Prats, Gisele Brodsky, among others. Besides performing locally he has been a Piano and Music Theory instructor, privately and also as a staff member in institutions such as University of Miami, Florida International University, Barry University, Miami Conservatory of Music, Piano Preparatory Program and Conservatorio Nacional de Musica de Guatemala. Venegas was also a Marketing and Promotion Advisor, 2005-2010 for the prestigious Miami International Piano Festival.
ACADEMIC AWARDS AND HONORS
2002-2005 Dean’s List
University of Miami
2003 Golden Key International Honor’s Society
University of Miami
2002-2003 Paul Bateman Scholarship
University of Miami, Frost School of Music
2003-2004 Ward Calland Camp Mediorial Endowed Scholarship
Frost School of Music, University of Miami
2004-2005 Martha Weeks Scholarship
Frost School of Music, University of Miami
1996 Winner, Concerto Competition
Orchestra Sinfonica Nacional de Guatemala
1997 Winner, Concerto Competition
Orchestra Sinfonica Nacional de Guatemala
PLAY PERFORMANCE
Javier Sardiñas
Professor
Javier Sardinas was born in Havana Cuba in 1985. His musical training began at the age of 8 in the prestigious conservatory Alejandro Garcia Caturla where he studied under the guidance of piano professor Virginia de la Osa for 7 years. Later he continued his studies at the conservatory Amadeo Roldan.
In 2004 Javier came to the United States and continued his piano studies at Florida International University where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance under the guidance of world renowned pianist Kemal Gekic. Javier also studied privately for several years with Giselle Brodsky artistic director of the Miami International Piano Festival.In 2013 he won the first price at the F.I.U concerto competition and played the Tchaikovsky concerto No.1 conducted by Maestro Grzegorz Nowak. Javier also has performed Camille Saint-Saëns piano concerto no.2 and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the F.I.U Orchestra and Wind Ensemble respectively.
As a piano teacher Javier has 15 years of experience teaching people of all ages and all levels from beginners to advanced. His piano students have been recipients of numerous awards most noticeably his student Anthony Goenaga was awarded the third price in the 2018 Steinway & Sons Junior Piano Competition.
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Vladyslav Ustiuhov
Professor
Vladyslav Ustiuhov is a Ukrainian pianist living Miami, FL. A winner of the Alfred Lee Scholarship Competition (2016), Vladyslav has been selected to play in the Boston Conservatory Annual Millennium Concert. In May of 2021 Vladyslav Ustiuhov participated in a Back Bay public space project Rising–Beyond the Walls, in partnership with Emerald Necklace Conservancy, and MF Dynamics by Maria Finkelmeier. In May of 2022 Vladyslav gave a lecture on “Free Improvisation” in the III International Scientific Conference in Ukraine (online).
As a solo and chamber music performer, Vladyslav (student of Max Levinson) gives yearly recitalsin Massachusetts and New Hampshire. In the past several years he has collaborated with several musicians such as violinists Olga Bean and Jasmine Cosette Gomez, violists Mariya Ksondzyk and James Nelson, pianists Kamilla Bendersky and Zhongyi Wang, and cellist Zack Foster.
Recently graduated from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee with Honored Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in piano performance, Vladyslav was admitted to the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami to pursue a DMA degree in a keyboard performance and pedagogy. He also received
a teaching assistant position at the University of Miami.
“My goal is to introduce the beginner, guide the intermediate, and advise the proficient students on mastering the piano playing art.” – Vladyslav Ustiuhov
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Lisa Nguyẽn
Professor
Pianist Lisa Nguyễn is a recipient of the Kingston Chamber Music Festival Scholarship and one of 262 Presser Scholar Award recipients across the United States. Originally from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, she is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance under Kemal Gekić.
Recent performances include guest recitals in Ho Chi Minh City and appearances at the Pianale Competition and Festival in Fulda, Germany; the Borromeo Music Festival in Altdorf, Switzerland; and at the Van Cliburn Concert Hall during the PianoTexas Festival. Her principal teachers include Dr. Aljoša Jurinić, Dr. Manabu Takasawa, and Yevgeniy Perebeyev.
Dedicated to community engagement, Lisa regularly organizes and manages performances in nursing homes, religious organizations, and local outreach events. Her distinctions include the Chaminade Scholarship Festival Award (2023), the URI Undergraduate Research and Innovation Grant (2024), and first prizes in the Young Soloist International and New York International Classical Music Competitions, among other national and international honors.
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Haley Lauritzen
Professor
Haley Lauritzen is a pianist and educator whose artistic approach is rooted in creativity, movement, and a deep appreciation for the humanity of music. Raised in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Haley developed a passion for classical music that continues to shape both her performance and her approach to teaching.
Haley began her collegiate studies at the University of Colorado Boulder before transferring to Florida International University in Miami to continue her musical education. Throughout her studies, she has worked with distinguished pianists and educators Robert Hjelmstadt, Alejandro Cremaschi, Giselle Brodsky, and Kemal Gekic. Her dedication to artistic growth has led her to participate in music festivals in both Italy and Miami. She also has had opportunities to perform as a piano soloist with orchestras and present solo recitals.
As an educator, Haley believes that music instruction should extend beyond the accurate reproduction of notes and rhythms. She strives to foster curiosity, creativity, and a meaningful appreciation for the historical and cultural significance of the repertoire students study. By balancing technical excellence with individual expression, she hopes to equip students not only with the skills to perform, but also with the confidence and imagination to become thoughtful, independent musicians. At the heart of her teaching is the belief that music is a deeply human art form, capable of communicating beauty, offering hope, and connecting people across generations.
Haley is passionate about making classical music accessible and meaningful to a new generation of musicians. She believes that artistic excellence and kindness belong together, and that a teacher’s role is to nurture both musical ability and personal growth. Her own musical journey is guided by a desire to use her gifts with purpose and to share the beauty of music in ways that inspire others.
As she continues to grow as both a performer and educator, Haley is beyond thrilled to be teaching at Doral Piano Studio. She looks forward to contributing to a community that nurtures musical development and to helping students discover the joy, depth, and expressive possibilities of playing the piano.
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Luis Urbina
Professor
Luis Urbina was born in Caracas, Venezuela . He began his musical studies at the age of 9 on the piano and at age 10 with the cello. He was considered a prodigy in his middle school and high school music programs, where he served as a musical leader and role model for other students.
He began to study with Dr. Paul Posnak at the age of 13. He studied with him for four years and won a variety of local and state music competitions as a young pianist. He also entered as a semifinalist in the Lennox International Competition and on the first round of theGina-Bachauer Competition. He excelled in competitions as Bass Voice singer in his high school years.
Luis began his studies with Giselle Brodsky, Artistic Director of the Miami International Festival, in the summer of 2009. She introduced Luis to the Taubman approach, an approach to piano playing which involves the understanding of physical motions in relation to playing the instrument, and how the right physical motions trigger the right musical results. With this approach, Luis felt a tremendous growth in his playing.
In the summer of 2010 he had the amazing opportunity,under auspices of the Miami International Piano Festival and the Summit Music Festival, to audition and be chosen to perform a recital with legendary violinist Ida Haendel. This was for him a deep learning experience. He feels privileged to be part of the Miami International Piano Festival family that provides the opportunity not only to work with Giselle Brodsky, but also the artists of her festival that reside in and out of Miami. He has had the opportunity to study with Frank Cooper, Misha Dacic, Jorge Luis Prats, Ilya Itin, and Kemal Gekic, all of whom he considers close mentors.
Luis attended Florida International University in the Spring of 2011 to study with Kemal Gekic. Urbina is currently performing regularly as a solo and collaborative pianist.
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"To send light into the darkness of men's heart -such is the duty of the artist"
Robert Schumann
