Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Yi.
Hi Danielle, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been playing music my whole life but never considered a serious career in it until college. I actually auditioned for the music program on a bit of a whim—and that changed everything for me. Fast forward a few years later, I graduated from USC with a Master’s degree in Piano Performance.
After graduating, amidst trying to decide whether or not to pursue a PhD, I began to notice a major gap in the music world—one I hadn’t seen clearly while I was still a student. So many of the resources I’d once relied on—24/7 access to high-quality practice rooms, grand pianos, quiet spaces to record or teach—were suddenly gone.
As a student, I had the luxury of practicing at any hour in beautiful rooms with excellent instruments. I could teach, rehearse, or record freely in those spaces. But after graduating, that access disappeared–and I realized I wasn’t alone in this.
I have been teaching since I was 14 and it’s something I absolutely love. I was lucky enough to be able to have my own physical private studio location at my home, but realized many did not. Many of my colleagues, incredibly talented musicians, found themselves without a place to teach, practice, or create. Not everyone could teach from home, and the available alternatives—teaching at music schools—often meant limited freedom and shared spaces that didn’t truly feel like their own.
Beyond that, I saw a much larger issue in the South Bay and greater Los Angeles area: a lack of accessible, high-quality music spaces. Public music practice spaces with real, high-quality pianos are almost nonexistent. Recording spaces, rehearsal rooms, recital venues—everything felt scattered or inaccessible.
That’s what inspired me to create Issimo Music Hall—a space built by and for musicians. I wanted to create a hub where artists of all genres could come together and thrive, a place where everything they needed to make music was under one roof.
Issimo offers hourly studio room rentals and memberships allowing 24/7 access to your own private practice space. We also offer flexible and affordable recording sessions with professional audio/video geared towards musicians’ specific needs. And all of our rooms have quality grand pianos, the kind that used to only be available on college campuses.
Now, we have musicians using the space for everything from livestream concerts and competition prep to private lessons and late-night band rehearsals. Teachers run their private studios independently on their own terms, without having to work under the umbrella of a school. Most importantly, we’ve created a space where everyone can have access to the tools they need to make music and feel like they belong. It’s amazing to see people walk in and feel like it’s their space. It’s been incredibly rewarding for me.
At the heart of it all, my mission is to make music learning and resources more accessible, and Issimo Music Hall is my way of helping to bridge that gap in the community.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. The same month I opened Issimo Music Hall, COVID hit. Everything was shutting down, but I decided to keep Issimo open — enforcing a strict cleaning schedule, sanitizing all rooms every hour or so. It was incredibly disheartening to face such a massive disruption right as we opened. But surprisingly, because we were one of the only music studios that stayed open during that time, we started attracting customers from over an hour away who needed a space to create.
This was also my first time starting a business, and in the beginning, I was doing everything myself — from building the website and setting up systems, to doing construction work and even being the janitor (haha). It was overwhelming at times, but fortunately, I met some amazing people who believed in what I was trying to build and have continued to help support and grow Issimo with me.
We’ve also had our share of unexpected challenges — like a water leak from the unit above us that completely destroyed our recording studio. That was a major setback, both financially and emotionally.
There were also times when things just felt super overwhelming, especially when juggling so many moving parts and trying to keep everything afloat. And during all of this I still had a full teaching schedule. There were definitely moments where I questioned whether I could keep going, especially while trying to manage so many moving parts on my own.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a pianist, educator, and composer. My main work is teaching, which I have been doing for over over 15 years and it’s something I absolutely love. Other than teaching private students, I also teach group classes. I used to teach undergraduate Keyboard classes at USC as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. My special interest is in teaching adults, and especially older adults and seniors. I’m working on creating group piano classes in senior homes and retirement centers currently.
Other than my teaching, I perform for weddings, events, and other gigs. I am classically trained but love to play all genres and styles.
In recent years, I am known online for composing music to short art videos. I have color graphemic synesthesia, which means I see colors in letters, numbers, and music. When I see certain patterns or lines it comes naturally to me to play a certain “note” or music, so I have been able to create these short content videos. People have really loved them on Instagram and TikTok. I’m just grateful for everyone’s support!
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that building something meaningful takes time, trust, and the ability to adapt. When I first started Issimo, I thought I had to do everything on my own — and for a while, I did. But over time I realized that leaning on others, building a team, and trusting the process are just as important as hard work.
I’ve also learned that challenges aren’t always setbacks — sometimes they create unexpected opportunities. For example, staying open during COVID seemed risky at the time, but it actually helped us connect with a wider community of musicians who needed a space and found it in Issimo. I’ve definitely learned to be flexible and adapt with whatever the needs are.
I’ve also learned the importance of taking risks but more importantly, believing in yourself. Starting Issimo was something I had never done before — I didn’t have a business background, and there were so many moments where I felt in over my head. I honestly didn’t know what I was doing in the beginning but I tried anyway and kept showing up even when I doubted myself. Now I realize how much this helped me.
You really need to trust yourself and trust your instincts when things feel uncertain and I think this mindset is just as important as any skill or strategy. I don’t think anyone feels “ready” to take big risks, but believing that you’ll figure it out as you go is often what makes the difference. That belief has carried me through the hardest parts of the journey and keeps me going every day.
You’ve also got to have strong passion and belief for your vision otherwise no one else is going to believe in it. And writing out or drawing your vision is even better. I remember in the beginning I got the blueprint of the space before we built the inside rooms and I drew up a 3d version of what I envisioned and color coded the rooms haha. I think it’s important to be really detailed with your step by step plan of your vision. It’s a really amazing feeling when you look back and see that you’ve accomplished everything you laid out before.
Above all, I’ve learned that showing up consistently — even when things feel uncertain — is what moves things forward.
Pricing:
- Hourly Studio Rooms – $25/hr
- Part-Time Memberships – starting at $100/month
- Full-Time Membership – $450/month
- Recording Session – $45 to $85/hour
- Adult Group Piano Classes! $240 for 8 week session
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.issimomusichall.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/issimomusichall
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/issimomusichall
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@issimomusichall
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/issimo-music-hall-lomita
- Other: https://www.danielleyi.com
