FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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1. What kind of piano should I buy?

This is a complicated question with a long answer but here's the short response!  Practicing on an acoustic piano is the best option for developing proper response, technique, finger strength, etc.  The nuances of sound production are so intricate on an acoustic instrument and drawing out the best sound is a skill learned over many years.  Having a quality acoustic instrument at home is the way to go if you are serious about learning to play the piano.  That being said, there are quality digital pianos that are decent options for beginners.  If you buy a digital piano, it absolutely MUST HAVE 88 WEIGHTED keys.  Anything else will be insufficient for learning how to play piano. Some nice features of digital pianos include options for different voicing (strings, chorus, synthesizer, etc.), built in metronomes, the ability to adjust volume or practice with headphones, MIDI connectivity to learn with APPS and compose easily, they are always in tune, they have recording capabilities, etc.  I see digital pianos as a supplementary instrument rather than a main instrument.  That being said, you're better off on a digital than on great-grandma's 75-year-old-upright with chipped keys and un-tunable strings. There is a time and place for digital pianos but, ultimately, a quality acoustic piano is going to be the best instrument choice for learning proper piano technique.

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2. Do you teach special needs students?

Yes! I have experience teaching piano to neuro-diverse children including several students diagnosed with ASD, multiple students with ADD, and ADHD, and even a student with dyslexia. I have seen firsthand that neuro-diverse students are very capable!  I have also worked with two children who had physical disabilities of the hand that required a creative approach to learning piano fingering.  I pride myself on my patience and my ability to adjust to the needs of each student. 

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3. Do you teach adult students?

Yes!  I love working with adults!  Adult learners can customize a lesson schedule and work at a pace that suits their lifestyle. I can teach you twice a week or every other week, or once or month-basically anything goes! I teach adult beginners as well as adults who have music experience but want to improve from their current level of playing.  Adults are welcome to participate in recitals and other performance events.

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4. What performance opportunities do you offer?

There are several options offered each year. I offer a yearly recital each spring.  All students are encouraged to prepare a recital piece and participate in the spring recital. I host the recital and pay for the recital venue and no extra fee is charged to the students.   I like to offer a holiday performance or holiday video each year in December for the students who have prepared Christmas music and seasonal favorites.   I am a member of a local piano teacher association that hosts combined recitals. Students looking for additional performance opportunities can register for these recitals throughout the year for an additional fee. Additionally, I encourage (but not require) students to participate in MMTA events.  I would love to see every student participate in at least one MMTA even each year.  There are numerous options including piano festival, piano contest, theory exams, keyboard skills exams, Music Bridges, and more. See the MMTA tab on my website for more information.

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5. How old does my child need to be to begin lessons?

Most students are ready to begin around age 5 but it is very individual.  A student is typically ready to begin when he or she expresses interest in music.  Maybe he or she is humming familiar melodies or likes to sing along with favorite shows.  The child should be an emerging reader.  Because reading music is similar to reading words in many ways, children who know written alphabet and are beginning to read sight words are ready to take on reading music, too. The child should also be able to sit through a 30 minute lesson.  Lessons for young children are most effective when coupled with strong parental support.  Young students often need a parent to be willing to sit with them for 15-20 minutes each day and help them navigate through their practice session. If you are unsure if your child is ready, reach out and schedule an initial meeting and I can do a quick assessment to determine if your child is ready. 

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6. How much practice do you expect?

This is very dependent upon how much progress you want to make :)    Very new beginners really only need 15 minutes for the first couple of months. All students will quickly work up to needing 30 minutes of quality practice per day.  Most intermediate students will find the sweet spot is 30-60 minutes.  Students who are studying for exams or learning contest music will benefit from 1-2 hours per day.  The most important thing is DAILY practice so students can build on what they practiced the day before.  The important thing is to establish a consistent, daily routine from the very beginning.  Lessons are for learning new concepts and receiving teacher feedback. The real magic happens at home during practice! 

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7. What does a typical lesson look like?

A typical 30-minute lesson will look like this:

1. A few minutes on greetings, technique drills, and warm-ups 

2. 15-20 minutes on Lesson book and/or MMTA repertoire. Listen to progress from last week, look for areas of improvement, look at and teach through next page in lesson book/next section in contest repertoire

3. 3-5 minutes- Technique book

4. 3-5 minutes- Theory book or activity like rhythm drill or tactile tricks

5. Closing-Set clear practice goals for upcoming week

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Please note that every student will progress at a unique rate based on his or her natural abilities, the amount of and quality of practice, and the individual's intrinsic motivation. In my teaching style, I place emphasis on quality over quantity.  I am mindful of incorporating technique, theory, and music history into every lesson whenever an opportunity presents itself.  This means we will be discussing tempo, articulation, symbols, composers, theory, analysis, dynamics, etc.  My goal is for the student to learn the building blocks of MUSIC, not just the pieces of music he or she is studying at that moment.

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