An Introduction to Piano for Older Beginners

In this 4-week introductory course, students will learn how to identify white and black key notes, play songs by ear and using notation, and play games to strengthen their knowledge of the instrument.  Students will need their own instrument at home, which can be either a piano or keyboard with at least 60 keys.  No prior piano experience is expected or required.

I am a Kodaly-certified teacher with over 17 years of experience teaching piano, and I have designed my curriculum for this class, which I will provide in digital copy at no cost to you.  My philosophy is that learning is best when it’s fun, so in addition to skills, I also include interactive games in each class.

Over the course of four classes, students will learn:
•	The parts of the piano and how best to hold their hands while playing
•	How to identify 2 and 3 black key groups and use them to play pentatonic songs, including some “game songs” that I have adapted to use while playing games as a group
•	How to identify different notes that the teacher sings and to play them on the piano (student singing is optional)
•	How to look at simplified piano notation, interpret it, and play familiar and new songs on the piano
•	How to take songs previously learned on black keys and play them on white keys instead
•	How to have constructive discussion surrounding each other’s playing, using the “I noticed, I valued, I wondered” framework

The songs I have used in this curriculum are in the public domain and are either folk music or classical art music.  Tools learned in this class will translate well to any genre of music students prefer to learn!  I will offer ongoing private lessons, as well, for any student who wants to continue.