Piano on the Pond

 

What Music Does for Students

 

It is my belief that humans are capable of music learning, regardless of their diverse abilities and learning styles.  In my piano studio, a sequential blend of piano technique, theory, repertoire-building, improvisation, and performance is offered to all private piano students in a safe and respectful learning environment.  Students are specifically taught the art and mechanics of practice technique to ensure their continued progress.  As a coach also, I encourage my students to make goals for themselves, to anticipate their successes, and to make conscious choices.  Through formal music study, students form a unique musical identity, one that broadens their communication skills to include a world of musicians.  Piano students also strengthen their abilities to focus for extended periods of time, improve fine motor, visual motor and auditory discrimination skills, and form critical evaluations of their own and others’ performances.  All of these skills reinforce learning experiences in school and across their lifetime of learning.

 

 

Supplies and General Information

 

Students bring to all lessons a spiral binder for lesson assignments and any books and other materials they are studying.  I purchase music books and papers necessary for study and include the charges on the subsequent lesson statement.  All piano students are expected to have unrestricted access to a piano for practicing purposes.  Each student’s in-home studio needs to be as quiet and free of distractions as possible.  My personal preference is that students work on a well-tuned and regulated acoustic instrument or a good-quality electronic piano.  Small keyboards with a reduced keyboard, no weighting to the keys, and no pedal do not give students the technical experience of piano-playing, and progress is limited.

 

When students come to their lessons, they should come in the front door at their lesson time and wait quietly in the foyer.  I request that students remove their street shoes before coming into the studio.  Students are welcome to bring slippers or to take their lessons in stocking feet.  Once the pedal is being used, hard-soled slippers will give better support and comfort to the foot.  Two gentle Cavaliers will likely be very happy to greet you also, but they are secured away from the entrance, and are not allowed in the piano studio area.

 

Parents may wait on the front porch, or with prior arrangement, sit in on students’ lessons, and should remain quiet throughout the lesson.  Small children should not accompany parents, as from past experience, I’ve noted that they tend to be a distraction that affects the quality of the lesson. Due to fluctuations in Covid transmission, teacher and students are to currently wear well-fitted masks, and all additional people are to wait outside or on the front porch. Street parking is allowed. Additionally, instruments are sanitized between lessons.

 

I generally teach lessons on a high-quality Roland electronic piano, but for more mature students, lessons are taken on my grand piano as well.

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For those who are uncomfortable with face-to-face in-person lessons or have difficulty with travel distance or other circumstances, lessons can be taken electronically in my piano studio room on the ZOOM format.

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Recitals

 

All students perform memorized selections in our annual recital. An additional  repertoire class is open to students only. Beginners (less than 6 months) may opt out of public performance until their skill acquisition is adequate for performance.

 

 

Lesson Payment

 

A monthly statement will be e-mailed prior to the first lesson of each month.  Please call, text or email for information about the current rates and family and retired-senior discounts. 

 

 

Referral Program

 

Any student who refers another student to my studio will receive a free lesson after the referred student attends a first lesson.  This offer stands for as many referrals as a student provides and can be accommodated.

 

 

Missed Lessons

 

All scheduled lessons for the month must be paid for, unless otherwise agreed.  Any lessons cancelled late (less than 24 hour notice) will be forfeited unless otherwise agreed.  Students will have one week in which to make up the missed lesson based on my availability, after which, it will be forfeited.  Should I be unavailable to teach a scheduled lesson, it will be rescheduled if possible; if not, the charge will be credited to the following month’s account.

 

 

Termination of Piano Study

 

A decision to discontinue lessons may be made at any time by myself or the student, in which case one month’s notice will be given.  If this period is not honored, any fees paid for the month will be forfeited by the student.

 

 

“Music gives a soul to the Universe, wings to the mind,

flight to the imagination, and life to everything.”  Plato