Private Lessons

After her father dies, seventeen-year-old Claire Alalay relies on music to help her manage her grief. A committed young pianist, she is allowed by her protective Filipina mother to take lessons from a prestigious, demanding male teacher whom Claire admires. Her devotion to piano and to this charismatic instructor takes her into circumstances that prove more complicated than she anticipated. The novel brings together grief, family, music, and a student’s intense dedication to her art.