This ongoing, once-a-week class is for students learning piano or a combination of piano and singing who need longer than half hour lessons weekly.  I tailor my lessons to the individual, and I have been helping students achieve their musical goals for over a decade.

Piano:  Early intermediate students may work through the higher levels of a method book such as Faber’s Piano Adventures or the Alfred Basic Series if they have already completed the earlier levels.  We will follow the series and we will also learn music theory and technical exercises at the appropriate levels.  I will meet intermediate/early advanced students where they are and we will go from there.  I can prepare students for Royal Conservatory of Music exams up to Level 8 or ABRSM up to Grade 6, or we can just use the RCM or ABRSM material in class without exams in the mix.  Students who want to learn their favorite songs from the radio, we can do that too provided you have already done some work in a method book and can read sheet music!  Not sure?  No problem, I am happy to consult on materials and goals.

Piano/Vocal Combo:  For experienced piano players who love to sing, I offer a combo lesson where I teach students to comp themselves!  Here we will learn a different type of piano playing that is focused on building chords and chord progressions so that you can sing your favorite songs while playing chords as an accompaniment.  Students will learn all about building chords on any given scale, chord qualities, chords in root position and their inversions, broken and blocked chords, how to read chord symbols, Roman Numerals, and lead sheets, how to transpose to a key that fits your voice, and we will practice coordinating the voice and piano.  For combo lessons, students should have already had at least 2-3 years of private piano lessons and be at least 10 years of age. 

Piano/Vocal Separate but in the Same Lesson:  For students who are learning to play piano and sing, but haven't put the two together yet, we can do two-in-one lessons!  This is a common request I have received over the years, and it works great.  We will spend one half the class on piano repertoire and technique, and the other half purely on singing.  This is a great option for students who eventually want to learn to sing and play at the same time but aren't quite ready, or for those who are interested in both piano and singing as separate activities.

Theory:  Music theory is always taught alongside piano, and we will generally work through a theory workbook at the appropriate level for the individual student.  If you don't have a book you're working in already, I can recommend one based on the student's experience level and age.

There is really no limit to what we can achieve in our music classes.  The most important thing to me is that students are having fun and enjoying the process of learning music!