What will my private lessons be like?
You will arrive at your scheduled weekly appointment time for a private, one-on-one lesson with me. You will have weekly assignments which you are expected to work on over the week. This means you will have some songs, scales, and exercises to practice, and some written theory homework to prepare for your weekly lesson. Older students can expect to also have additional assignments periodically, including sight-reading, music-analysis, and listening assignments.
The weekly lesson will include review of last week's songs (including duets with the teacher, incorporation of drum beats, keyboard sounds, and accompaniment for younger students), review games for the youngest set, scale and chord review, creative applications of music theory, detailed introduction of new songs/assignments, and an end-of-lesson "sticker evaluation." Students up to the age of 14 have the opportunity to earn 3 stickers per week, which are then put on their incentive chart on the wall. For each chart that is filled, students get a music-themed prize from the prize box. Bonus stickers can also be earned through bonus assignments.
How much practice is expected?
In order to make measurable progress at any instrument, independent practice outside of the lesson is a must. Students should practice daily, the same length as their lesson time. So if you are a 1/2 hour student, you should practice a 1/2 hour every day (although 15 - 20 minutes a day will do for the first few months). If you are a 45 minute student, you should practice 45 minutes every day.
Do I have to play in recitals?
Yes, you can expect to play in 2 recitals per year, and play 2 - 3 songs at each recital. I do sometimes waive this requirement for adult students. Some ask me why I make recitals required. Some teachers offer a recital for only their very best students, while I make all of my students perform. Why? Performing offers goalposts that students can work toward. Students not only put forth the most intense effort when a perfomance is coming, but they gradually gain artistic and personal confidence with each public performance experience. This confidence carries over into life, and students understand that with self-discipline and determination, they can do anything.
We also must practice performing to get good at it. So the younger students can get on stage, the better. The more performance opportunities we can take, the better. My goal is to see growth in the students’ performing skills over time. It can take years to become a seasoned, relaxed performer, but it is always a joy to see a student recover from a mediocre performance, learn from his experience, and take it to a higher level the next time. Leaving past mistakes behind and believing in a better future...that’s one lesson we can all learn from performing.
Are other performance opportunities/ competitions available for students?
Yes. I also have several extra recitals available through the organizations I belong to, including FLMF student recitals, Piano Ensemble Festival, and various local competitions. I send out regular e-mails about these additional opportunities. There are also the National Piano Playing Auditions with NGPT (National Guild of Piano Teachers/ American College of Musicians), which I encourage all students to take part in in the Spring. Offered for average and gifted students, these auditions give students feedback, or an annual "musical checkup" from an outside adjudicator, and the opportunity to build up their memorized repertoire over several years. Students get a report-card, certificate, and pin when they participate in auditions.
