MC 2026
Mikka / 2026
A Portfolio in Four Parts
On File
N° 00 / 04 — Frontispiece — Hero

MIKKA CHINBAATAR

Piano Instructor Collaborative Pianist Yatga Soloist
— pluck the strings —
San Francisco Yatga · Piano · Teaching Ulaanbaatar
Plate I — Mikka, 2026
“

A portrait is a secret about a secret — the more it tells you, the less you know.

— Diane Arbus
Plate I
Mikka, San Francisco
Spring 2026 Photo
Naru
N° I / I B&W · Studio · 4×5 framing Apr 2026

“I'm still in love with the instrument after all these years.”

— Mikka
Turn the page
N°01 ABOUT & CONVERSATION 3 MIN
♪ ✦ ♩ ♫ ♬ ♪ ✦ ♫ ♪ ♬ ✦ ♩ ♫
N° 01 / 04
About
01 GREETING · 06 QUESTIONS
— GREETING

Hi,I'm Mikka.

I'm a pianist, yatga player, and piano instructor based in San Francisco. I was born and trained in Mongolia, then studied at conservatories on two continents, and I'm still in love with the instrument after all these years.

BASED IN
San Francisco, by way of Ulaanbaatar
PRACTICE
Piano & Yatga (private + collaborative)
TRAINED
MNUAC then SIU (BM, then MM)
N° 02 · IN CONVERSATION
Six Questions
FORMAT · Q&A
RUNTIME · 3 MIN
FILED · APR 2026
♪
Q01
IDENTITY · THE SHORT VERSION
Who are you, in one sentence?
→
ANSWER

I am Mikka Chinbaatar, a piano instructor, yatga player, and collaborative pianist based in the San Francisco Bay Area — passionate about teaching, performing, and helping students develop a lifelong love of music.

♫
Q02
ORIGIN · ULAANBAATAR
Where did you start?
→
ANSWER

I started my musical journey in Ulaanbaatar when I was six, when my parents enrolled me at the Mongolian State Conservatory. I continued my studies there, and later earned my Bachelor of Music from the Mongolian National University of Arts and Culture (MNUAC).

♬
Q03
CROSSING · THE AMERICAN YEARS
How did you end up in the US?
→
ANSWER
HIGHLIGHT

I came over for a Master's degree in Collaborative Piano at SIU. Studying collaborative piano taught me a different kind of listening — not just focusing on my own playing, but learning how to support and communicate with other musicians. It helped me become a more thoughtful collaborator, improve my ensemble skills, and grow as both a pianist and a teacher.

♩
Q04
PRACTICE · PRESENT DAY
What do you do now?
→
ANSWER

Mostly, I teach. I give private piano lessons for all ages and no experience required. I also do collaborative work for singers and instrumentalists, and I perform on the yatga when the program calls for something from home.

♪
Q05
METHOD · ON TEACHING
What's your teaching philosophy?
→
ANSWER

My teaching philosophy is to create a fun, engaging, and welcoming environment where students feel comfortable learning and expressing themselves. I believe students learn best when they enjoy the process. Most importantly, I want every student to leave each lesson feeling more confident in their abilities and excited to keep making music.

♫
Q06
CLOSING · TO THE READER
Anything for the reader?
→
ANSWER

That it's never too late, and you don't have to be good yet. Come curious. We'll figure it out from there.

— WARMLY Thanks for reading. The rest of the site is the portfolio version, with my work, teaching, and recordings. This was just the part where I say hello.
Mikka
CHINBAATAR
SF · APR 2026
MIKKA / 2026
UPDATED APR 2026
ON FILE
●  AWARDS & DISTINCTIONS  ●
READ ↓ Grouped by category. Each row = one category. Hero award per category is tinted. 06 total
N° 01 / 03
Academic
02 distinctions
HIGHEST HONOR
2014 — 2019
Red Diploma — highest academic distinction
Mongolian State Conservatory
2019 — 2023
Bachelor of Music
MNUAC · Traditional Music
HIGHEST HONOR
2014 — 2019
Red Diploma — highest academic distinction
Mongolian State Conservatory
2019 — 2023
Bachelor of Music
MNUAC · Traditional Music
N° 02 / 03
Competition
04 placements
2015
3rd Place — Ulaanbaatar Future Star
National Competition
2016
3rd Place — Golden Autumn
Composition Competition
2017
Outstanding Student honor
Mongolian Student Association
HIGHEST PLACEMENT
2019
Excellence Award — Heritage Performance
National Competition
N° 03 / 03
Professional
01 recognition
COMMERCIAL RECORDING
2023
Daughters of Heaven — featured performer
12-track album · Mongolia & China release
MIKKA / 2026 UPDATED APR 2026 ● ON FILE
— THE KEYBOARD —  0%
A · RECITAL · PROGRAM · MIKKA CHINBAATAR · MMXXVI ·
A · RECITAL · PROGRAM · MIKKA CHINBAATAR · MMXXVI ·
A · RECITAL · PROGRAM · MIKKA CHINBAATAR · MMXXVI ·
A · RECITAL · PROGRAM · MIKKA CHINBAATAR · MMXXVI ·
A RECITAL PROGRAM
N° 03 / 04 WORK
N°01
— PRESENTS —

MIKKA CHINBAATAR

in recital
N°02
PROGRAM06 PIECES · 02 YEARS
RUNTIME12 MIN · ON SCROLL
FILEDAPR 2026
TURN THE PAGE ↓
FIRST HALF · ACT I
Piano
THREE SELECTIONS · 2024–2025
N°01
I.
Graduate Collaborative Recital collaborative piano
Andante
Track A1
Listen ▸ Watch
2025 · RECITAL
Graduate Collaborative Recital
an evening of partnership — the capstone of her graduate study
VENUE SIUC Old Baptist Foundation Recital Hall
RECORDED Jun 3, 2025 · Carbondale, IL
N°02
II.
Nomadic Harmonies heritage ensemble
Allegro
Track A2
Listen ▸ Watch
2025 · HERITAGE
Nomadic Harmonies
Mongolian folk voices in conversation with the concert hall
VENUE SIUC Old Baptist Foundation Recital Hall
RECORDED Mar 28, 2025 · Carbondale, IL
N°03
III.
Folk Song — “The Sunrise” traditional
Cantabile
Track A3
Listen ▸ Watch
2024 · FOLK SONG
Folk Song — “The Sunrise”
a traditional melody of first light, carried far from home
VENUE SIUC Old Baptist Foundation Recital Hall
RECORDED May 14, 2024 · Carbondale, IL
INTERMISSION
15 MIN a quiet pause
CONTINUE BELOW · COLLABS & HERITAGE
SECOND HALF · ACT II
Collabs & Heritage
THREE SELECTIONS · 2024–2025
N°04
IV.
Jantsannorov Natsag Mongolian composer
Largo
Track B1
Listen ▸ Watch
2025 · HERITAGE
Jantsannorov Natsag
the voice of a nation’s composer, given to the yatga’s strings
VENUE SIUC Old Baptist Foundation Recital Hall
RECORDED Mar 20, 2025 · Carbondale, IL
N°05
V.
Trio Spring Recital W. A. Mozart
Solenne
Track B2
Listen ▸ Watch
2024 · CHAMBER
Trio Spring Recital — W. A. Mozart
three voices in balance — Mozart, played among friends
VENUE SIUC Old Baptist Foundation Recital Hall
RECORDED May 14, 2024 · Carbondale, IL
N°06
VI.
“Edifice” David Bennett Thomas
Vivace
Track B3
Listen ▸ Watch
2024 · CONTEMPORARY
David Bennett Thomas — “Edifice”
a modern architecture of sound, raised line by line
VENUE SIUC Old Baptist Foundation Recital Hall
RECORDED Nov 22, 2024 · Carbondale, IL
MIKKA / 2026
UPDATED APR 2026
ON FILE
STUDIO
SAN FRANCISCO
N° 04 / 04
TEACHING
N° 04 / 04 · TEACHING

PRIVATElessons

— with Mikka
05 TENETS  ·  WEEKLY HOURS  ·  FIRST 15 FREE
— A NOTE TO PARENTS

I teach private piano in San Francisco and Daly City — at your home or at the studio. Children, beginners, anyone curious. I don't hand out a fixed curriculum — every student is different, and the first lesson is where we figure out yours.

— Mikka
I.
— APPROACH · 05 TENETS
HOW I teach
N° 01 — STUDENT FIRST
EVERY STUDENT IS DIFFERENT
"I tailor my approach to each student's goals, interests, and learning style."
My teaching is centered on the individual. There's no single curriculum that fits everyone — what we work on, how fast we move, and which pieces we choose all depend on who's at the piano.
N° 02 — TECHNIQUE
A HEALTHY FOUNDATION
"Healthy technique from the start makes long-term growth possible."
From the very first lessons, I focus on building the right hand position, posture, and ear. It's the foundation everything else stands on — and it prevents the kind of habits that take years to undo.
N° 03 — JOY
CURIOSITY COMES FIRST
"Especially with young students, lessons should be fun."
Sparking curiosity matters more than drilling. When a child genuinely loves the piano, practice stops being a battle — they go to the instrument on their own, and progress takes care of itself.
N° 04 — THE WHOLE CHILD
MUSIC SHAPES MORE THAN MUSIC
"Listening, rhythm, focus, discipline — skills that carry into reading, math, and confidence."
Music education builds the whole brain, not just musical ability. Students who study music often become more confident learners overall — they pick up new concepts faster and approach challenges with more focus and independence.
N° 05 — THE HARD WEEKS
GENTLE THROUGH THE WALLS
"Every student gets stuck eventually. Those are the weeks that matter most."
Wanting to quit is a normal part of learning any instrument. When it happens, what students need is steady, gentle support — not pressure. Years later, many look back and feel grateful for the encouragement that helped them keep going. Those hard moments are often where the real growth lives.
All ages — children & adults
No experience needed
Beginners welcome
Returning students too
Your home or the studio — SF + Daly City
Collaborative piano — singers / instr.
Yatga — cultural occasions
II.
— THE STUDIO · IN MOTION
SEE A lesson
— FIG. I – IV · WITH STUDENTS SWIPE →
FIG. I0:18
a first melody, side by side
TAP TO ENLARGE · 9:16
FIG. II0:17
playing it back by heart
TAP TO ENLARGE · 9:16
FIG. III0:18
working through a new piece
TAP TO ENLARGE · 9:16
FIG. IV0:20
four hands at the keys
TAP TO ENLARGE · 9:16
III.
— FIRST LESSON · WHAT TO EXPECT
YOUR FIRST 15
15MIN ·
FREE
— THE MEETING
FIGURE OUT THE LEVEL · TALK GOALS

We sit at the piano, find out where you are, and talk about what you're hoping to learn. From there, we start working — the lesson plan grows out of who you are, not the other way around.

IV.
— STUDIO HOURS · UPDATED APR 2026
WHEN I'M open
A live look at my week. Crosshatched blocks are when I'm already teaching; peach blocks are open. Exact windows are listed below.
TAP TO BOOKTap any peach (open) slot to request that time.
WEEKLY HOURS VISUAL · 9 AM – 9 PM
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
9 AM
10
11
12 PM
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 PM
OPEN BOOKED Pacific time
EXACT AVAILABILITY DAY BY DAY
MON
Before 2:00 PM  · also after 8:30 PM
TUE
Before 1:45 PM  · also after 8:15 PM
WED
Before 2:30 PM  · also after 9:00 PM
THU
Most of the day  · busy 6:15 – 7:45 PM only
FRI
Before 2:30 PM  · also after 8:00 PM
SAT
Before 10:00 AM  · also after 3:30 PM
SUN
Before 10:30 AM  · also after 6:30 PM
V.
— TUITION · STRAIGHTFORWARD
WHAT IT costs
RATE CARD IN-HOME · SF + DALY CITY
First meeting I come over, we talk, see if we're a fit
FREE 15 MIN
Standard lesson beginners, all ages
$50 30 MIN
Extended lesson more time at the bench
$70 45 MIN
Intensive lesson intermediate & advanced
$95 60 MIN
Lessons take place at your home or at the studio — no travel fee within San Francisco or Daly City. No long-term contract — pay per lesson or by the month, your choice. The first 15 minutes are always free, even if you decide we're not a fit.
VI.
— VOICES · IN THEIR OWN WORDS
WHAT FAMILIES say
"
— RECITAL · SPRING 2026
Emily was very nervous and was super happy she played the song without getting stuck. Mikka has been wonderful at her lessons, and we see Emily practicing piano more and more at home and enjoying her repertoire growing. Her goal is to learn and master one of the Beatles songs and perform at future recitals — she and her dad are huge Beatles fans.
EMILY'S MOM · PARENT AFTER THE RECITAL
POSTCARD · 01 thank you Mikka!
— FROM A STUDENT
"My favorite part of the week is piano with you."
POSTCARD · 02 see you Tuesday
— FROM A STUDENT
"I drew this for our recital. love, J."
SWIPE ← → · 01 / 03
— REACH OUT
LET'S meet
Send a short note: who's learning, age, and an ideal time. I write back within 48 hours.
EMAIL MIKKA → OR TEXT →
MIKKA / 2026 · TEACHING · UPDATED APR 2026 · ON FILE