Florida Students:
Use Your Scholarship for Online Piano Lessons
European Piano Academy of Atlanta is an approved Step Up For Students / EMA provider. Florida families can use their Choice Scholarship (ESA) funds for one-to-one online piano lessons with Steinway Artist Boris Cepeda and pianist Katja Cepeda.
Who this is for
For Florida Families Using Step Up For Students
This page is for families in Florida whose children receive a scholarship through Step Up For Students and the Education Market Assistant (EMA) platform – for example:
Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC)
Family Empowerment Scholarship – Educational Options (FES-EO)
Family Empowerment Scholarship – Unique Abilities (FES-UA)
Personalized Education Program (PEP)
If your student has an account in EMA, you can use available funds for Elective Courses – Music Lessons (Piano) with our Academy.
How it works with ESA
How to Use Your Step Up / EMA Funds for Piano Lessons
Check your student’s scholarship.
Make sure your child has an active Step Up For Students scholarship and access to the Education Market Assistant (EMA) portal.
Find us in EMA.
In the EMA marketplace, look under Elective Courses → Music Lessons and search for
“European Piano Academy of Atlanta” as the service provider.
Allocate hours for lessons.
Select our Music Lessons service and allocate the number of instructional hours you would like to use. We help you translate hours into lesson length (30, 45 or 60 minutes) and frequency.
Book your first lesson / evaluation.
Once Step Up approves the service, we schedule a first paid lesson / evaluation. This can usually be funded directly through ESA/EMA. If your ESA is not yet fully set up, the first lesson can be paid privately and future lessons may move to ESA once your account is ready.
Begin regular lessons and track progress.
After the first lesson, we confirm the best plan for the year. Your child attends weekly lessons, and you receive practice notes and progress updates so you can clearly see how your scholarship funds are being used.
Note: EMA procedures may change over time. We will guide you step by step through the current process.
ESA-friendly pricing
Lesson Formats & ESA Planning
Our ESA pricing is based on a clear hourly rate. This makes it easy to plan how your student’s scholarship funds will be used during the year.
Lesson formats (examples):
30-minute online lesson – billed as 0.5 hour
45-minute online lesson – billed as 0.75 hour
60-minute online lesson – billed as 1 hour
Many Florida families choose:
30 minutes weekly for younger beginners
45 or 60 minutes weekly for intermediate and advanced students
Your first lesson / evaluation is a regular paid lesson, ideally funded through your ESA. If your Step Up account is not ready yet, it can be paid privately; future lessons can then move to ESA once your funding is active.
During our initial conversation we will help you design a yearly plan that fits your child’s goals and your scholarship budget.
What we offer
High-Level Online Piano Lessons for Motivated Students
We work with ambitious K–12 students who want more than “just taking lessons.”
One-to-one live online lessons via high-quality video
Individual study plans and clear goals
Technique, reading, theory, ear training and musical expression
Preparation for recitals, exams, auditions and competitions
Instruction available in English, German, Spanish and Czech
Lessons are taught by:
Boris Cepeda – Steinway Artist, concert pianist, conductor, Director of European Piano Academy of Atlanta
Katja Cepeda – German–Czech pianist and educator with extensive experience in musical theatre, chamber music and teaching at leading music schools
Why European Piano Academy of Atlanta
Why Families Choose European Piano Academy of Atlanta
Steinway Artist leadership – students work with an internationally active concert pianist and conductor.
European conservatory training – our pedagogy is rooted in rigorous European tradition combined with modern teaching methods.
Competition & audition focus – ideal for students aiming at youth orchestras, school programs, college auditions and competitions.
Multilingual instruction – lessons available in English, German, Spanish and Czech.
Limited studio size – we deliberately keep a limited number of students so each child receives individual care and detailed feedback.
FAQs
Which Florida scholarships can be used for piano lessons?
1
If your child receives a scholarship through Step Up For Students and has access to the EMA marketplace, funds can usually be used for approved “Elective Courses – Music Lessons.” We will help you check your specific scholarship type and availability.
Do we have to live in Atlanta?
2
No. All ESA lessons for Florida students are offered online, so you can join us from anywhere in Florida.
Is the first lesson free?
3
No. We begin with a paid first lesson / evaluation. Whenever possible, this lesson is funded directly through your ESA/EMA account as the first scheduled lesson. If your Step Up / EMA account is not fully set up yet, the first lesson can be paid privately; future lessons may then be funded by ESA once your account is active.
Can my child study with both Boris and Katja?
4
Yes. Some families combine lessons – for example, technique and repertoire with Boris and additional coaching with Katja. We will design a plan that fits your child’s level, personality and goals.
Once Step Up approves the service in EMA and you allocate funding, payments are handled directly through the scholarship system. We coordinate lesson scheduling and attendance with you and confirm that the instructional hours match the approved funding.