How do I enroll or get onto your waiting list?
Here’s the link to the registration form… REGISTER , or click on the “Enroll Today” circle at the very bottom of this page.
Do you offer online piano lessons and classes?
Yes! Online lessons are held via Rock Out Loud Live, which was designed specifically for virtual music lessons. Students learn and progress just as if we were having lessons together in my Bay Area studio, except with the freedom to learn from anywhere! I also offer a 100% virtual option for those students who need even more flexibility and convenience. All you need is an iPad or a laptop computer with an Internet connection. Many of my students who started off with lessons in-person are LOVING the convenience and in-person feel of my virtual lessons and are planning to remain online now that they know my online lessons are just as effective and fun as they were in person!
How do you teach piano online?
Really, just like I do in person! The first priority is maximizing sound quality and reducing sound latency, so I hold online lessons over Rock Out Loud Live (which is designed specifically for music lessons), providing students with a far superior music lesson experience than Zoom or other conferencing platforms. The second priority is providing students with excellent views of my hands, so students can clearly see what’s being taught. I utilize three cameras: one of me for when I’m talking with students, a second overhead to zoom in on my hands when demonstrating concepts on the keyboard, and a third with a full view of the keyboard when I wish to demonstrate a piece. Combining exceptional sound quality with multiple camera angles provides students with an amazing live lesson experience – from the comfort of your own home!
Do you offer in-person piano lessons and classes?
No, all lessons are online, taken from the comfort of your own home I’ve found that my students are doing just as well learning online, and even better, than they were when they were receiving in-person lessons. I’ll be happy to meet with you on Zoom to walk you through my online lesson set-up. Just use the form at the bottom of the page to get in touch with me.
What’s included with monthly tuition?
So much! In addition to regular weekly lessons or classes, students receive access to my studio’s private, online social community, where students can ask questions between lessons, participate studio projects or challenges, and share music with each other. Students are also invited (though not required) to participate in performance opportunities, held either in-person or online.
Do I need to have a piano or keyboard?
Yes, the student definitely needs to have a piano or keyboard to use at home to practice what was learned during the lesson each week. The home keyboard should have 88 keys, weighted keys, and a sustain pedal. I suggest looking for a keyboard made by Yamaha or Casio (check out the Privia line – the S1000 is amazing for the price!). You may be able to find a great price on a starter keyboard or by purchasing a used one through Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist – just be sure to test the instrument out before taking it home to ensure all the keys and features work!
Are your piano classes good for teens?
Yes, my approach to teaching piano is excellent for teens! Teens want to play great-sounding music… right now! Teens have a huge variety of reasons for learning music.. for a hobby, personal development, relaxation, an artistic outlet, to play their favorite music, to compose and write their own music, to make music for YouTube videos, to learn to play while singing, to play in a band, or maybe as a safe space to process emotions. Before we begin lessons, let’s talk about your teen’s goals, so we can focus on their specific areas of interest.
Do you teach adult students?
Yes! Teaching adults is my specialty! Adults come to me with many different goals and often a limited amount of free time. Quite a few of my adult students have told me that their weekly time with me is “like therapy”. Please reach out to me to let me know what your goals are.
Can I learn with my child in a shared lesson?
Yes! I’ve had many parent/child shared lessons over the years, and they’re super fun! Making music together can be such a great way for a parent and child to bond and spend quality time together. And I think it is so important for our kids to see us learning new things. It can help instill the value of education and learning throughout life. But more important, it’s just a fun thing to do together.
When are classes offered?
Classes are offered on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, primarily in the mornings with some afternoon and evening times available.
Do you offer in-home lessons?
While I don’t travel to student homes to teach piano lessons, I do offer lessons online, so you can easily learn piano in the comfort of your own home. All you need is an iPad or a laptop computer and an internet connection!
Do you hold recitals?
Students are given the opportunity to perform through small social gatherings, public piano popups, and video performances. While participation in these events is encouraged, it is not in any way required. I know not all students want to perform in front of a crowd, and I’m totally OK with that!
Do you prepare students for piano exams?
The focus in this studio is on creating music and developing well-rounded musicians who love to play, not pass exams. If exam prep is what you are looking for, there are many other teachers in our area who can help you out with his goal.
Do you accept transfer students?
Absolutely! My approach to learning piano is excellent for students who have been learning piano the traditional way (recently or long ago), but now are looking for something different. Sadly, the traditional, reading-only/performance-focused, exam-prep approach traditionally used in piano lessons fails many students who might otherwise thrive musically. Please reach out to me, and we can discuss whether or not my approach would be a good fit for your child. To learn more about my program, head HERE.
Are students taught how to read music?
Yes! Musical literacy is an important skill! Imagine being an actor and not being able to read a script. When the student is showing signs that they are ready to begin the reading process, we jump right in. Since students have such a solid musical foundation before reading is introduced, and reading is only introduced when the student is developmentally and musically ready, most students learn to read at an accelerated rate. When will this happen? It depends! Some are ready within the first months of lessons, while others may not be ready for years. Every student is unique!
Why hold off on reading music?
Reading notes from a page is only a small component of overall musicality and the ability to play the piano. Just as we talk and communicate verbally for many years before we learn to read words and books, we should allow ourselves plenty of time to “speak” and become fluent in the language of music before diving into reading notes and musical scores.
Can you imagine only being able to talk while reading from the pages of a book? Or teaching a child to talk by first having them master nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns, conjunctions, prepositional phrases, etc., as well as periods and exclamation points…. all before they are allowed to have a conversation? No – that would be crazy! And, unfortunately, that’s how piano has traditionally been taught.
The truth is that we learn to talk by listening to spoken language, experimenting with the sounds we can make with our voice, learning to shape those sounds into words, and eventually speaking freely in sentences and having conversations with others. Natural music acquisition works the same way. The most natural way to learn to play an instrument is to listen to music and to play music, which is what we’ll do together at first in our lessons.
