Hi!  In our piano lessons, your child will progress through skills, knowledge, and application.  We will focus on using music theory and technique to improve in playing the piano.  We will use necessary drills, exercises, and pieces to learn the skills needed to play some fun pieces.  Your child can choose the aspirational piece they want to play based on their current skill level.  Then, we can work together toward building the finger agility, technical skill, music reading skills, and expressive qualities your child needs to play the chosen piece.  In my experience, having a fun goal to work toward is the key to continual improvement.

As a piano teacher, I will constantly evaluate the needs of your child.  I will assign drills and/or create them as necessary to help your child develop the skills to play what they want to play.  I teach using the full spectrum of music theory and history to ensure that students develop the abilities they need.  I can use any method books you currently possess, and work from there to continually ascend.  You will need to purchase books and sheet music as needed.  Because the class is online, please enable the original sound setting in Zoom.  You will also need to ensure that the camera can show your child's hands on the piano keyboard and can be moved to show your child's face, too.  This is crucial to the online lesson process, because it ensures that I can deliver the best possible instruction that is personalized for your child.

In our lessons, we will use proper posture, good finger/hand technique, ear training, sight reading, music terminology, finger numbers/proper finger usage, reading both the treble and bass clefs, feeling and counting the beat, and correct rhythms.  As we progress higher, we will learn about major and minor keys, the circle of fifths, scales, modes and modality, pentatonic scales, and more.  More advanced students will learn Hanon finger exercises and pieces.  Very advanced students will learn to play etudes and other difficult piano teaching exercises.  All students will learn using a variety of styles including folk songs, nursery rhymes, classical pieces, pop/country songs, jazz pieces, and other music genres.

In each lesson, I will evaluate the skills your child currently possesses and add to them.  I will plan each week's lesson based on the previous week's performance.  Each child is a unique individual, and will be treated accordingly, with care and respect.  I appreciate the privilege of teaching your child, and I look forward to our classes together.  See you soon!