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Lila Ainsworth of Dobbs Ferry, New York has contacted many people that reside in the school district she is employed and tells them about her issues regarding other cello teachers and talks about them in a poor and unprofessional way and threatens that if she is not the number one teacher in the area it will be because of them and she will put them on the internet.
Lila is a con artist and not one person in any music store I contacted in her area would give her a good report. Many of them tell me that she is a waco and unstable, becomes violent when she is challenged in any conversation, she is also a person that frequents establishments of ill repute and I would not trust my children around her at all.
Lila Ainsworth of Dobbs Ferry New York is a ruthless woman and knowing that she works in a public school is troubling to me. I will be taking out a series of adds in the local area where she lives to tell people about her threatening behavior.
If you are thinking of employing Lila Ainsworth cello teacher from Dobbs Ferry New York, you should find someone else. I will be posting this letter on craigslist and [redacted] as well I am putting together a website that speaks to her crafty ways of ripping people off. Lila Ainsworth will complain about the smallest mistake and her chastisement of children is completely out of touch with all reality.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I have known Lila on a personal as well as professional level
For about ten years. I lived Below her and has work for her a few
times. Though Lila does have A few quirks to her, she is a kind
woman, she means well in all She does and wants nothing but
the best when it comes to her Students. Yes I do agree that at
Times she may be difficult in certain situations, I know remember
I lived in the same house as the woman, she CAN be difficult!
But like I said she only wants the best. And a woman of her
Stature deserves it! She is a kind woman and a talented
Musician! -kristi-
Please forgive these individuals for ranting about the Piano, Mike is a swell guy and has done everything in his power to make his client satisfied. Ms. Ainsworth is a liar and a manipulating con-artist! I will not sit here and tell you that Lila Ainsworth is trustworthy because, she is not.
I am a reseller of pianos in the New York City Metro area. I have a fine reputation with all of the dealers in the area of Steinway & Sons and I can personally attest that Ms. Ainsworth is the most ridicules person I have ever met.
Ms. Ainsworth had to travel to over 200 miles to purchase her piano from Mike and that is only because she is almost banished from every piano store in the city.
Not one piano dealer in Yonkers, or the City of New York will sell her a piano because of her ethical standards. Ms. Ainsworth tried to purchase pianos from every dealer including Faust Piano, Cantable Piano, Craftsman Piano, and Steinway Hall however, not one person in the entire City of New York could satisfy her need to get one so cheap.
I am terrified for Mike. I am sad that someone who put so much effort into pleasing Lila Ainsworth would go and say the things about him she has.
My friend who is a piano tech. in NYC received a call from Lila, she wanted to know what would happen to the piano if she put a heater under it. He told her it would destroy the piano completly and that is what she did. After that she contacted Mike to buy it back from her and told him that the piano had failed.
A good friend of mine from A.C. Pianocraft stated the same thing, something must have happened to the piano on her part because the piano she received was not rebuilt by Mike, it was rebuilt by Angelo Andino a Master Craftsman at Steinway & Sons Factory in Long Island City.
Lila is a liar and should never be trusted in a piano store. Although she may be a good Cello teacher, she is a poor human being!
Only if I was hired to write something about Lila that was the complete opposite of who she is, and what she stands for, both in life and music, could I have fabricated such nonsense as this libelous dribble.
I have never heard Lila ever put down another teacher or musician, despite the fact that I'll say she's the best cello teacher in Westchester County.
Lila is the antithesis of a con artists. Unable to swing the cost full hour lessons with her, my child invariably got them anyway whenever no other student was waiting for their lesson to begin. She is adored by her students, and the parent's of her students. And that doesn't even include the time she spends, free of charge, helping students find a good cello (purchase or rent). Gee, I wonder if Kolstein's (a large and well established string shop on Long Island ) feels the same way about Lila as this libelor--NOT! How's about Ardsley Music, one of the biggest renters of instruments in Westchester and Rockland Counties--NOT!
I'd hardly call a woman who almost always has a smile on her face, and is quick to make or take a chuckle unstable. In fact, in that Lila has pursued her passion in life, I think her one of the happiest and stable people I know.
I could go on. But one comment that really got under my skin, you loser, is the one where you say "her chastisement of children is completely out of touch with all reality." As Lila tapes her lessons so her kids have a reference, I'd be glad to furnish examples of Lila's quintessentially nurturing. Why don't you provide tapes that substantiate your claims.
GOOGLE: "prisco Homeowners Beware" FOR CBS NEWS INVESTIGATION ON MICHAEL PRISCO (CONSTRUCTION WORKER ... NOW CLAIMING TO BE A “MASTER PIANO REBUILDER AND CO-OWNER WITH WIFE MAGDALENA "MAGGIE" PRISCO OF SARATOGA MYSTIQUE PIANO (FORMERLY SARATOGA AND MAGDALENA HOUSE OF PIANOS). Contact your local police department and the Better Business Bureau for further information. I live in the Albany, N.Y area so I am well aware of this. Thank You. FOR CONSUMER REVIEWS: GOOGLE: “Michael Prisco piano” or /link removed/ or www.complaintsboard.com
MICHAEL PRISCO AS POSTED IN HIS OWN WORDS:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ogm4C76iFx0J:www.musicinstrumentshops.com/in/gansevoort-ny+hobby+michael+prisco+piano+for+my+wife&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=www.google.com
Five years ago we got began as a hobby collecting and restoring pianos for our own private collection. I purchased a piano for my wife and paid a piano rebuilder locally to rebuild it so long as I could aid. I am Michael D. Prisco and as a musician of three decades playing five instruments including voice, I know what a nice instrument sounds like.
Saratoga Mystique Piano
2 Wallingford Crt,
Ganesvoort, New York 12831
I have known Ms. Ainsworth my entire life, and can say with upmost certainty that none of what is said in this complaint contains any truth. Not only is Ms. Ainswoth a good musician and teacher, but she is a fantastic honest person. Also, the slanderous remarks on her personal habits and conduct are complete bunk. Her objective, caring, and well mannered personality is a refreshing rarity, especially when compared to other musicians who too often let their eccentricities, egos, and self-interests get the better of them.
By the way, Mr. Prisco, not only is your complaint completely untrue, but your grammar is also not very good. Next time you try to fabricate a lie, be sure to hire an editor.
This posting is to clarify my (Lila Ainsworth) previous response to the complaint by Michael Prisco posted above (website address is complaintboard.com) owner of Saratoga Pianos and Magdalena's House of Pianos in Fort Edward, N.Y. concerning Lila Ainsworth, cello teacher in Dobbs Ferry.
Mr. Prisco does not sign his complaint or identify his relationship with me in the posting which is very typical of his business dealings.
Mr. Prisco has no knowledge of my cello teaching and is only seeking revenge. I was a customer of his piano rebuilding business and have expressed dissatisfaction with my recent purchase of a rebuilt Steinway grand for my teaching studio.
Michael Prisco is reputed to misrepresent his work and not honor contracts with customers. I was not aware of his fraudulent business practices before leaving a $10, 000 deposit with him to rebuild a Steinway piano. I chose to have the work done by him due to the fact that he quoted a much lower price than the rebuilders in the area of NY City. However, he did not do the work and rebuild all parts of the piano as was indicated in the work order. He completed the work many months later than promised and refused to let me inspect the work in progress as he had previously promised. I was forced to hire a lawyer and consult the local police in order to obtain the piano, since I feared losing the deposit as he was threatening bankruptcy. However, to my knowledge he is still in business at this time.
I have learned my lesson and certainly wish I had employed reputable and outstanding local piano rebuilders in my area.
As I mentioned in my previous post, my students and colleagues are well aware of my "piano saga" as this nightmare as been going on since last June of 2008. Only a few days after leaving the $10, 000 deposit with Michael Prisco of Saratoga and Magdalena's House of Pianos, I became aware that he had a criminal record and that it was likely that I would not receive the piano rebuilt as ordered. After being informed of this, I did find many complaints about him on /link removed/ and negative information from the Better Business Bureau.
Knowing this, I requested a refund, three days after leaving the deposit. Unfortunately, Mr. Prisco refused, claiming that he had already purchased parts for the rebuild. He also admitted his criminal past but claimed he was now Christian and had changed his ways. He promised he would do a great job on the piano and I hoped for the best. Unfortunately, the best did not occur. I have been without a piano almost all year in my teaching studio and have spent endless hours and money speaking with lawyers and making trips to Fort Edward, New York. After finally receiving the piano, I found it was not rebuilt properly (an understatement). Upon the advice of three much respected rebuilders in the NY City area; I realized that the piano would have to be rebuilt again in order to serve my purpose. It would not hold pitch and the new soundboard cracked within a month. Since I could not afford another rebuild, my only option was to sell the piano for much less than I paid for it and attempt to buy a cheaper piano for my studio.
Mr. Prisco did offer to come and fix the piano in my home after I informed him of the problems with the piano. However, I knew that it needed a complete rebuild and certainly could not risk allowing him to take the piano. There would be no reason to believe he would act differently or do better work the second time. I had come to the conclusion that it was time to cut all ties with this man and to try to get a working piano for my studio elsewhere.
His threats to attempt to ruin my reputation as a cello teacher are typical of his fraudulent business dealings. Obviously, he has ruined his own reputation through his own actions and resulting customer complaints posted about those actions. I have contacted the local Dobbs Ferry police concerning Michael Prisco as I have been told he has a criminal record and has been in jail for dealings in the construction business many years ago.
This posting has been placed by Michael Prisco, of Magdalena's House of Pianos and Saratoga Pianos. He is upset that I complained about his work on the recent Steinway I bought from him and had rebuilt by him. All of my students and friends know about this story, as the piano is in my teaching studio. The pinblock does not hold pitch and the soundboard cracked within two months of his completion of the rebuild. For this reason, the students are not able to have piano accompaniment at their lessons. I am in the process of purchasing another piano for my studio.
My dealings with Michael Prisco were extremely difficult. I was forced to hire a lawyer and consult the local police. If anyone wants further details post your question.
I do not want anything to do with him at this point. I had informed him what happened and only requested the difference of $4, 000 dollars back since I would have to sell it for less than I purchased it. I had the piano evaluated by two very excellent and respected local Steinway rebuilders (Faust and Harrison and AC Piano Craft.) They both informed me that the work was very poor and that I had a choice to sell it at much less than my initial investment or have it completely rebuilt again.