Piano Class for Kids!
Aniselina is enjoying her piano lessons.
- Jenny Nishi
Piano class has become very important for Tucker.
- Amy Lofgren
Last year my son and I took piano lessons with you and we are interested in continuing our piano lessons. - Chialin Vimahi
Phoebe really just loved being taught by you. The group lessons were always fun, and a bit competitive, which kept her motivated!
- Narelle Steel
We'll see you tomorrow - the kids have been practicing :)
- Melesia Palu
I am impressed with my son's progress and you can take the credit. I know teaching an eight year old is not very exiting but you're good at it.
- Jeff Kirko
Director's Message
Welcome parents and kids! I have been playing piano since I was six years old. I would not have made the decision to begin piano study on my own at that age, instead my mother made that decision for me. I was kept in piano study for 4 years before I had any choice in the matter. This is the way most of us learned to play the piano. In my case (and the case of so many others) it worked out well for me. No one can make the decision at age 18 that they want to begin piano study at a music school, it's too late. You have to begin music study at a young age if you are to earn a music degree, and this is especially true of the piano. Certainly at age seven no one has any idea of whether they will pursue a music career, but in order to have that opportunity at age 18 you really need to begin piano study early - just in case. Of course there are many advantages of piano study for all students, not just future conservatory students.
The traditional piano lesson, with a single student and a caring teacher has no real advantage for a typical seven year-old. There is only so much a younster can absorb at a time, and they are already accustomed to doing things in groups. Once a pianist has been studying piano for more than 4 years then the advantages begin. But for so many seven to ten year-olds the piano lesson is a stressful situation which made the parent's job of keeping their child's lesson attendance more difficult. I have been teaching kids in piano classes for many years, but I taught private lessons before that. I have found that kids really enjoy the class more than a private lesson, and it has really significant advantages. Education scholars have recently recognized the benefit of what is called Social Constructivism - the learning that takes place when a student is part of a social group, like those really good school classes you remember.
Thank you so much for checking out Piano Class For Kids. I hope you make the decision to send your children to my piano class.
Who Is Ready For Piano Class?
First it is necessary to recognize that piano study is not for everyone. Learning to play the piano does not happen in the piano class, it really happens when the student makes the time to practice the piano lesson every day. It is required that all piano students practice for 40 minutes every day, and I do mean every day regardless of visiting grandma or going to a birthday party. It is also very important that piano students come to piano class every week. Taking any time off from piano study during their 12 week term puts the student's progress behind by a significant amount. There are many piano class opportunities during the week so all students can come on another day if they are sick on their regular class day. This will ensure that piano students do not develop habits which become difficult to correct over time.
I do not offer the toddler recreational music classes. My piano class begins with students learning to read music the first day of class. It is generally necessary for beginning students to be able to read and write (English) before starting my piano class. The basic requirement is age seven and above, but sometimes they are ready at age six (like I was). If your child is not yet able to sit still for the 40 minute class and keep on task, then they are not ready. I have had students with symptoms on the Autism spectrum, but I am not a trained psychologist or caretaker. It will be necessary for some of these students to have a caretaker present for their piano class.
What Materials Are Used?
I use a combination of piano lesson materials that I have custom designed based upon many years of teaching piano. These materials are printed up in convenient bound lesson books which are provided to each student. Since these books contain copyrighted material, it is necessary for each student to purchase the master lesson books. The student will not work out of these master lesson books but rather use the provided bound lessons. This way the student completes only the lessons that are necessary and in the precise order I have found to work the best. If a student decides to stop piano classes then they may choose to keep the master lesson books they purchased or the books can be sold to another beginning student through Piano Class For Kids.