Welcome to Piano Lessons!

Welcome to the world of music! As you prepare to start lessons (either as a new or returning student), I encourage you to read through these ideas to help set you up for success.

1. Why should I commit to piano lessons?

Well I'm glad you asked! First I will say it is not worth it to commit to piano if you hope to be able to master it right away or if you think it will only ever be easy. You have to commit to piano lessons because it takes hard work and time in order to make progress. But when you are commited to practicing consistently and working through challenges, you will experience rich rewards. Here are just a few fruits of pushing through the challenges of piano:

• You will learn how to stay committed to something and be able to work through challenges

• You will come to understand the world and language of music

• You will be able to enjoy playing music in numerous genres for your enjoyment and to benefit others

• You will grow in a love for the gift of music

• You will have a wonderful means to serve others and bring God glory

• You will have access to other avenues such as other instruments, career options, and other musical experiences

  
  

2. What can I expect in piano lessons?

My goal in piano lessons is to set students up to with the skills and a love for piano that last the rest of their life.

• I seek to give students the tools they need to continually progress in lessons and eventually be able to progress as musician on their own.

• I focus on working through songs that teach important concepts and are enjoyable to play on your own or for others.

• I teach students to play performance pieces, chord charts, and even songs by ear. I also focus on teaching music terms and basic theory to help students be able to read music and understand the language of music.

• I enjoy using games and challenges to make learning engaging.

• I work with students to help them discover their unique interests and talents as musicians.

  
  

The unique gift of music lessons is that, becuase they are one-on-one, I can work with students at their pace and level. We can slow down on concepts that are challenging and breeze through other easy concepts. Finally, while I as the teacher make the final decision on what music we work on in lessons, I welcome any song suggestions from students.

3. What are your hopes and goals in piano lessons?

I as your teacher will have goals and objectives for you in lessons, but I also love to work with students to meet goals they might have in lessons. These could include:

• Learning specific songs

• Learning a specific music style

• Working towards a certain performance goal

• Preparing to study music in college or for a career

4. How can I succeed in piano practice?

Follow this guideline as you seek to create a practice habit:

Split up practice (5-10 minutes on each task, short breaks between [drink water, get up and walk around,etc.])

Teacher notes. Be sure to let the teacher notes guide your practice time.

Enjoy and explore. Practice primarily, but also spend some time making up songs and playing for fun.

Play less, practice more. There's a difference between playing around and practicing. You can enjoy and explore the piano as I said above. But when you are practicing, stay focused on your assignmets, and don't get distracted. You will progress faster if you seperate practice and playing around.

Slow is the way to go. It's been said: slow practice =fast progress, fast practice=slow progress, no practice=no progress. Don't try to perform a song right away. Work through assignments slowly so you don't miss details or practice mistakes.

5. Things to consider in setting a practice habit:

• When do I have the most energy or attention for practice?

• When do I have the most time to practice?

• Should I practice in two segments or all at once?

• How can make piano part of my routine? Options: Practice piano right after another activity (homework, after school snack, first thing in the morning or after school)

I hope this resource helps you prepare for success, and I look forward to working with you in the music studio soon!