Sunset Music School Blog

1. How do I register?

Lessons are either an hour or half hour classes once a week 4 times a month. Payments will only be in yen. Payments will be paid only in cash to the office or the instructor or credit card via Paypal.
A. Payments. A one time Registration fee of 3,000 yen is paid when the schedule has been confirmed and lessons will begin.  Hour classes, once a week, four times a month is 11,025 Yen. Half hour session is 6,300 Yen. Bills will be handed out two weeks before the end of each month. Cash payments will be sent back in envelope with the payment indicated for the month.  There will be no refund on tuition if student terminates lessons during mid month.
B. Security Deposits.  An Initial one month security deposit is required upon registration. This deposit is either refunded or applied to last month’s tuition upon  a ONE MONTH ADVANCE NOTICE OF TERMINATION.  Failure to give a month’s notice will result in a non refundable deposit.  Deposits not refunded at the office within three months of termination will be deemed nonrefundable.
Late Payments:  A 1000 yen late fee will be tagged on the monthly payment when a notification is sent out about a delinquent payment either by phone, email or letter

2. How Much to Register?

See above

3. How Much is the Monthly Fee?

A one time Registration fee of 3,000 yen is paid when the schedule has been confirmed and lessons will begin.  Hour classes, once a week, four times a month is 11,025 Yen. Half hour session is 6,300 Yen. Bills will be handed out two weeks before the end of each month. Cash payments will be sent back in envelope with the payment indicated for the month.  There will be no refund on tuition if student terminates lessons during mid month.

4. What is he Cancellation Policy?

Tuition is based on the “time slot” (student is buying the time reserved by the teacher for the student) and not the attendance. To maximize your course of instruction and progress, regular attendance is expected. Your enrollment reserves a specific time. To avail of a make up lesson, a 24 hour advance notice is required. All Cancellations or rescheduling by Kadena USO students should be directed to the Sunset Music School and not to the teacher or the Kadena USO. Failure to do so may result in lost lessons. It is the student’s responsibility to arrange a make up lesson. Last minute cancellations and no shows are regrettably forfeited. There will absolutely be no prorates for lessons cancellations not concerning student, example, parent is sick, no ride to lessons, sibling is sick, etc. A make up lesson will be rescheduled. If the teacher is not available, a substitute teacher will provide the make up lesson.  In the case of the teacher canceling, a make up lesson will be arranged or a prorate will be applied to the following month. There will absolutely be no loss on the student’s part when the teacher cancels.

5. Do I get a refund for my tuition if I quit mid-month?

Payments. A one time Registration fee of 3,000 yen is paid when the schedule has been confirmed and lessons will begin.  Hour classes, once a week, four times a month is 11,025 Yen. Half hour session is 6,300 Yen. Bills will be handed out two weeks before the end of each month. Cash payments will be sent back in envelope with the payment indicated for the month.  There will be no refund on tuition if student terminates lessons during mid month.

6. What is the Security Deposit For?

Security Deposits.  An Initial one month security deposit is required upon registration. This deposit is either refunded or applied to last month’s tuition upon  a ONE MONTH ADVANCE NOTICE OF TERMINATION.  Failure to give a month’s notice will result in a non refundable deposit.  Deposits not refunded at the office within three months of termination will be deemed nonrefundable.

7. Can I Refund my deposit without a month’s notice?

Security Deposits.  An Initial one month security deposit is required upon registration. This deposit is either refunded or applied to last month’s tuition upon  a ONE MONTH ADVANCE NOTICE OF TERMINATION.  Failure to give a month’s notice will result in a non refundable deposit.  Deposits not refunded at the office within three months of termination will be deemed nonrefundable.

8. What happens to lessons during typhoon cancellations?

The school and the Kadena USO will officially suspend classes when it is Typhoon Condition  One (TC-1) and will be prorated the following month or made up if there is a fifth week.

9. What age can lessons be started?

Parents wanting their children to take piano lessons as young as 3 and 4 will undergo an assessment period of a maximum of  three lessons.  Payment for assessment will be 1000 yen for each assessment lesson of 30 minutes. Assessments are done to determine the child’s concentration and memory retention.  All Assessments will be done by the director.  Piano is the only instrument to start at a very young age. Appropriate age to start any other instrument would be 8.  Discretion will depend on teacher if any younger.

10. Are Recitals Mandatory?

Recitals are held twice a year, one for piano and another for guitar. This is not mandatory but is highly encouraged.   Info regarding recitals will be handed out by the director.

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Ryukyu University Philharmonic Orchestra (First Violinist)

Educational Background

1998- Graduated  University of the Ryukyus (Biology)

1998 April- Entered Graduate School of Engineering and Science (Doctoral Program)

The School was founded August of 2002 by Mimi Nierva Ueta, founding Director of Sunset Music School. Born in Okinawa, Mimi has a very deep-rooted background in music since early childhood. Being a former big band leader’s daughter, she had an early exposure from many kinds of music ranging from classical, popular, standards and latin music.

Background: Like her father, she also started very young playing the piano. At the age of five, she learned the basics from her Dad. Then, studied at the Ryukyu Classical Academy. At the age of fourteen, she started teaching piano around her neighborhood and began earning her own allowances.

After graduating from college with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication, she found herself playing with her father and from there started to widen her range in styles from working with different types of bands. Her experiences stretches out from jazz, rock & roll, standards and latin as lead singer, keyboard player and songwriter playing around the military bases, resort hotels and events.

At an early age of 20, Mimi taught music for “Christ the King School” located in Ginowan City, one of the major “international schools” on Okinawa now operated by Ginowan Catholic School. Because of her age, her Junior and Senior students tend to stay in her classroom during recess to just hang out and talk to her. When she asked them why, they plainly said that rest of the teachers are old (laughs) and that she is the only teacher that they can relate to…Mimi recalls. Teaching grade school thru middle school was quite a challenge but it made her realize that a “one on one” basis was her calling, thus she went back to teaching piano.

Back in October of 1998, Mimi was awarded Grand Prize Winner at the Urasoe Songwriting Contest for the song “Daddy’s Little Girl”. This event was sponsored by Urasoe City and FM Okinawa. She received free recording sponsorship for this song and the tracks was laid in two versions, English and Japanese. It was aired locally for 6 months and during that time, an advertising company spotted the song and was used for commercial for a bridal company. Up to this day, you can still sometimes hear the song played on local weddings when the bride offers a bundle of flowers to the parents as a token of gratitude as she “departs” from them. This is the most touching highlight of Okinawan weddings. The reason why they like this song is the message and the melody contained in the song…. gratitude, simplicity, straightforward and coming from the heart. A few months later, she released an album with same title as a tribute for her father backed up by top local jazz musicians. The saxophone and flute tracks all done by Mimi’s father Frankie. The tracks on this album are mostly done in one take. More>>>>>

Goal: Watching a child/student having fun and improving their playing skills is the most rewarding thing she gets from teaching. She prides herself very much to see a student who completely knows nothing about the piano to seeing them play a piece, she quotes. Establishing a repertoire with her students and gaining their confidence that they can play the piano is the first and foremost goal she tries to establish. But like her father, she truly believes that practice is the only way to better yourself in playing any instrument.

Considered as one of the veteran musicians on Okinawa, FRANKIE, as he is fondly called, born in the Philippines and came to Okinawa in 1955, worked as a saxophonist and flutist with big bands performing at the military bases.

Frankie started playing the flute at the young age of 7, taught by his father. In a year’s time, he became the soloist for different several marching bands. He later progressed to becoming the provincial soloist for the province’s main band. Being small, he stood on tables performing his solo on his piccolo.

1948, Frankie proceeded into college at the University of the Philippines pursuing a career in the Conservatory of Music while supporting himself recording commercial tunes. Later in his career, he was offered to come to Okinawa which was going to be the main road to what he would become. Coming to Okinawa and working with big bands honed his talents even more. He eventually became a band leader backing up Stateside acts such as the Four Freshmen and Jayne Mansfield to name a few.

Later in 1965, he joined the staff of the teachers at the Ryukyu Classical Academy and has been teaching to young and old alike since 1965. On some occasions, you will find him jamming in the local jazz scenes like Kam’s House, Pino’s Place, Gua and Tempi.

He is currently playing at Kadena’s Jack’s Place and the Kadena Officer’s club. He is older but more finely tuned in his music, ranging from jazz to latin, country and even rock and roll! He shares this talent with his daughter who founded the Sunset Music school. He is a proud father of a pathologist, a dentist, a medical technician and last but not least, Mimi- mother, housewife, musician, singer/songwriter and a teacher. All 4 of them completed their education by a father who believes in what he does, playing and teaching music. Frankie has always believed that music is a God- given talent and should be molded to perfection as much as we can.

Guitar Teacher
Toshi has started playing guitar since he was ten and has studied at the Guitar Institute of Technology, Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California. He is fluent both in English and in Japanese and is an active musician performing with the Universal Logic (or the firefly clan) around Kanagawa, Tokyo, and elsewhere. His travel to India, Bangladesh, Morocco, Mozambique etc. expanded his unique playing-style. He is knowledgeable not only of contemporary music but also other musical theories and cultures as well. In addition to guitar, he also plays congas, shamisen and Moroccan Guimbri lute.

You Tube Page : Click Here

Teacher – Guitars, Okinawan Shanshin

Yoshiya came back to Okinawa in 2003 after spending 15 years in New York City learning English and playing jazz. He founded the group The New York Jazz Trio gigging around the “Big Apple” clubs. Yoshiya’s gentle, kind, modest character and musical talent truly make him one of the favorites among our students from beginners, advanced, children and adults. You will see him jamming around the local clubs performing Jazz, Pops, Rock, Blues or whatever is called for. Check out Yoshiya’s CD entitled “Curiosity” with the New York Jazz Trio.

Teacher – Drums & Percussion

1995- Graduated at Jazz Drums at the University of New Orleans, Bachelor of Arts under Ellis Marsalis, father of Wynton Marsalis.

1996- Central National Art School, Havana Cuba: (Latin Percussion)

Mr. Sakae had performed with Mike Whitfield, Bill Summers, Steve Masakofsky and various clubs and jazz concerts in New Orleans. Also performed and in Tokyo Jazz pubs and recording studios. He now performs at various jazz pubs in Naha. He is also an endorser of “Canopus“.

Classical/Flamenco

Education Background:  Okinawa Kokusai University (English Literature)

Background:  2003-Released 3CDs

1997- Attended Jose Luis Gonzales’ Master class at Cordova Guitar Festival (Spain)

1997- Attended Elliot Fisk Master Class at Cordova Guitar Festival (Spain)

Member:  Kyushu Guitar Association & Japan Guitar Federation

You Tube Page : Click Here

May 5, 2002.  This was the day most of my students would experience their nerves unraveling.  It was funny though.  All of them seemed calm and cool BEFORE the recital.  But I knew all of them would have butterflies in their stomach.  After sitting thru recitals myself when I was younger and sitting thru my own son’s recital, I did not want it to be a typical recital where the students march one after the other playing their piece and then march back down to their seats waiting impatiently for the recital to end.  So was the feeling of all the parents in my time.  Being a parent myself, I wanted to liven up my recital and add more spice to it by adding a few “Boredom Busters”, as I call them.  And for the parent’s benefit, I made the whole recital into a dinner extravaganza.   What got my heart was the pride all the parents had on their faces as they watched their children play on stage.   Then I, too, sang and played with my family, three generations on one stage.  What a thrill it was for grandfather, FRANKIE, to have daughter and grandson playing with him.   My recitals are more for fun and joy.  The kids enjoyed the little “fame” they had and all of them did a great job!  All worked hard and even if fingers stumbled and tripped while playing, they picked themselves right up and finished the whole song!  Recitals are held twice a year.  ………... Mimi