“Jamila Sahar possesses a very strong talent, an impressive virtuoso technique, and a particularly strong idiomatic understanding and conveyance of both romantic repertoire and jazz. Her artistry is very compelling in her performances of standard repertoire, predominantly through her very convincing and resonant control of phrase structure, rubato and nuance. Her brilliant passagework in repertoire ranging from Bach to modern jazz also manifests itself beautifully. Her jazz background includes a jazz performance degree where she worked with a number of noted luminaries. Her talents and accomplishments in both classical music and jazz comprise a tremendous assets, and will greatly enhance any establishment which includes her performance and/or academia”
Dr. Geoffrey Burleson
“I have known Jamila Sahar since 2009 when she joined Florida International University as a student in our graduate program in Piano Performance. Jamila displays a keen interest in a variety of music styles and forms, from Baroque to contemporary, including more popular idioms such as jazz. Her piano playing shows marked individuality and rich healthy sound which projects to the end of a concert hall. In her dealings with her colleagues she is friendly, affable and always willing to help. Besides piano performance, Jamila has strong interest in pedagogical activity. I believe her eclectic musical background coupled with her stellar character would help her become an excellent teacher, and it is with this in mind that I strongly recommend Jamila Sahar”
Kemal Gekic
“I was very impressed with Ms. Sahar’s ability to work with a diverse group of learners at different skill levels and her enthusiastic teaching style. Her kind, patient and non-judgmental yet firm manner made me feel at ease from the very beginning and I quickly progressed as a result of her clear and encouraging instructions. As a medical school faculty member who has taught medical students and practicing physicians, I appreciate the skill involved in individualizing instruction to learners of different abilities. What is most striking about Ms. Sahar’s teaching is the ease with which she communicates with and instills confidence in players of very different age groups and skill levels”
Dr. Kathleen Hanley
“Ms. Sahar always welcomes parents in the classes and lessons so I have seen her work many times. She energetically recruits whatever energies are in the room to further the mission of her students mastering the music…it is her work with children that is truly remarkable. She is unflagging in nudging and correcting them to perfect their technique, finely attuned to the pace of challenging each one, and genuinely delighted when someone finally gets a difficult measure or shows some flash of style or creativity. She is a model for ‘differentiated instruction’ that is the rage now in education. She seems to intimately know each student, not just their skills or abilities, but their particular emotional tenor that allows her to ignite their individual motivation…
I am honored and grateful to have shared in her work”
Jennifer Radtke
The Art of Piano Performance 