What is the youngest age student you will teach?
I’ve had some very bright 4-years-olds that did very well in class! Younger children are ready when:
• they can concentrate for 15 minutes,
• they know the first 7 letters of the alphabet and the first 5 numbers.
With online lessons, the student’s parent can participate, take notes/assignments, and help with piano practice at home.
Do you take adults students?
I love adult students—my oldest student was 79! Adult students genuinely want to learn to play piano, but they may never have had the opportunity to take lessons. Committed adult students often put the most effort into practicing and learning—I admire that!
Do I have to have a piano at home?
You will need to practice regularly on a piano or keyboard—the place is your choice. At home is preferable, otherwise you may practice at the home of a relative, friend, or neighbor, or at your local community center.
What kind of music can I learn to play?
I love all kinds of music—classical, pop, country, musical theater, metal (well, let’s not get carried away). We will focus on what YOU want to play and learn.
Do you have piano performances/recitals?
Absolutely! Recitals are online, and students may invite friends and family from wherever they can access the internet—very popular among grandparents! Performing your recital from home, on your own piano, makes recitals less stressful. Successful recitals build self-confidence for future performances.
We have two recitals a year: December recital is before school winter break, and May recital is before school summer break.
We start working on the student’s chosen recital piece well in advance to make sure we are ready at least two weeks before the recital. We extensively rehearse and work on presentation.
I encourage all students to participate in the recital performances to showcase their achievement for the semester!
How do vacations, sick days or other changes work?
Please notify me at least one week ahead of your planned vacation, so I can rearrange my teaching schedule. We can adjust your schedule if a student must miss a lesson due to illness or other unforeseen situations.
How do I pay my tuition?
Your tuition is billed to you before the first of the month, and payment (by check, Venmo or PayPal) is due on the first of the month. Your commitment is for the full month, in advance.
How do lessons work?
Before offering online piano lessons, I taught in-person at the University of Redlands’ Community School of Arts and Music. COVID forced the switch to online piano lessons—which were strange and uncomfortable at first—but when I rethought the process, I saw ways to enhance the experience and adapt to a new learning style. My students—and even more their parents—loved the convenience—no driving (students, often along with their siblings) and traffic, no waiting during the lesson, fewer conflicts in juggling other family commitments, appointments and illnesses. We embraced online lessons and now many students and families prefer to stay online!
You will need a reliable internet connection and a device (computer, iPad or phone) with a camera, microphone and speaker to participate in the lesson, so we can see and hear each other.
Before the lesson you will receive a link to our online piano lesson. We use Google Meet. With a multi-camera set-up, students can see: (1) an overhead view of the keyboard on my grand piano, so they may watch my hands as I demonstrate the skills we are learning, (2) a side view of me that shows both body posture and hand movements, and (3) a face-to-face view for personal interaction. I assist in setting up two student devices (computer/iPad or phone/iPad): (1) so I can see the student’s hands on the keyboard and (2) for face-to-face instruction.
What lesson length do I need and how much must I practice?
-Beginner:
Lesson length: 30 minutes (15 minutes for very young students)
Weekly Practice: 15-30 minutes a day
-Intermediate:
Lesson length: 30-45 minutes, depending on the student’s age
Weekly Practice: 30-45 minutes a day
-Advanced:
Lesson length: 45-60 minutes
Weekly Practice: 45-60 minutes a day
-Performer-Competitor
Lesson length: 60 minutes
Weekly Practice: No limit of practice time!
As your playing skill improves, the length and complexity of your practice pieces will increase. The longer the piece, the more time you will need to master each aspect and enhance your performance.
Do I need books/supplies for the piano lessons?
Yes! If you are a beginner piano player, you will need staff paper (I will send you a link to print free staff paper), an assignment notebook (you will write your own assignments as I work with you during the lesson), and Lesson and Theory Books (I will send you a link of the books to purchase these—they are about $7 each).
