Private Lessons Audiobook By Cynthia Salaysay cover art

Private Lessons

Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for $0.00
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.

Private Lessons

By: Cynthia Salaysay
Narrated by: Joy Regullano
Try for $0.00

$0.00/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $20.00

Buy for $20.00

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

In a standout debut for the #MeToo era, a young pianist devotes herself to her art - and to the demanding, charismatic teacher she idolizes.

After seventeen-year-old Claire Alalay’s father's death, only music has helped her channel her grief. Claire likes herself best when she plays his old piano, a welcome escape from the sadness - and her traditional Filipino mother’s prayer groups. In the hopes of earning a college scholarship, Claire auditions for Paul Avon, a prominent piano teacher, who agrees to take Claire as a pupil. Soon Claire loses herself in Paul’s world and his way of digging into a composition’s emotional core. She practices constantly, foregoing a social life, but no matter how hard she works or how well she plays, it seems impossible to gain Paul’s approval, let alone his affection. Author Cynthia Salaysay composes a moving, beautifully written portrait of rigorous perfectionism, sexual awakening, and the challenges of self-acceptance. Timely and vital, Private Lessons delves into a complicated student/teacher relationship, as well as class and cultural differences, with honesty and grace.

©2020 Cynthia Salaysay, original book published by Candlewick Press. (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Epigraph quoted in Britten by David Matthews.
Bullying & Abuse Dating & Sex Difficult Situations Family & Relationships Literature & Fiction Sexual Abuse Piano
adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_webcro805_stickypopup
All stars
Most relevant  
Beautifully written story. Cynthia Salaysay tells a painful truth in a beautiful and redeeming way.

Poignant

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.