Piano Possibilities

Meet Lani, Your Piano Instructor

Lani Elston is your piano teacher at Piano Possibilities, an independent music studio in Oregon City, Oregon. She enjoys sharing her love of music by teaching students of all ages and skill levels. Lani’s education in music includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from the University of Arizona (Tucson, Arizona). Here she received piano instruction from international performing artist, Tannis Gibson, and minored in theatre with a focus on sound design and production under the instruction of Melissa Marquis. After graduating summa cum laude in 2005, Lani taught piano as well as worked within the medical field.

In addition to being an experienced piano teacher, Lani is a classically trained pianist and has been continually studying the instrument since she was four years old. Her primary music education was comprehensive and included a wide variety of repertoire as well as an in-depth study of music theory and history. Lani has also had the unique experience of receiving four years of training on the harpsichord to further her knowledge of early keyboard music. In addition to studying piano, Lani also pursued vocal training and participated in various choirs for many years. At the piano, she is an accomplished performer with countless moments on stage in competitions, recitals, accompanying, and other special events. Lani has mastered and performed works by Bach, Bartok, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Copland, Cowell, Debussy, Gershwin, Grieg, Haydn, Mozart, Ravel, Rachmaninoff, Scarlatti, Schubert, Schumann, Scriabin, and more.

While studying sound design and production, Lani composed and arranged the music and sound effects for the live production of Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Parts I and II which was performed by the School of Theatre, Film, and Television at the University of Arizona. The musical highlight of the play included an original solo that was sung in Gaelic and composed by Lani for the lead actress.

Additionally, she was an active member of the Collegium Musicum, a select, audition-only choir at the University of Arizona, and has participated in live performances of masterpieces such as Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion, St. John’s Passion, and Handel’s Messiah. Lani was also a member of a quintet that was selected to sing the national anthem for a women’s basketball game at the University of Arizona. Individually, she has also performed in several solo vocal recitals with works by Faure, Grieg, Handel, Schubert, Williams, and more.

Outside of the arts, Lani was a scholarship varsity athlete with golf and one of the top players at the U of Arizona. She competed with her team at events all across the country and was ranked as high as 16th in the nation by the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Women’s golf standings. Prior to college, Lani was one of the nation’s top junior golfers with a ranking as high as 3rd on the Sagarin players ranking index.

Lani also received national recognition academically by being selected 1st team Academic All-American by the NCAA on multiple occurrences. She was also selected to the Division 1, All-Scholar Team by the NGCA (National Golf Coaches Association) on multiple occurrences. Another academic highlight includes receiving the Arizona Academic Champion “Distinguished Scholar” Award for maintaining a 4.0 GPA. This was the most prestigious academic award given to student athletes at the University of Arizona.

In her free time, Lani continues to study piano and golf. She also enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and dog Oliver.

To listen to Lani performing Chopin's Berceuse in D-Flat Major, Op. 57 live in concert, click on the audio file below.