I am thrilled that you and your child have chosen to explore the piano with me!

Although I am a professional violinist, I love teaching children the joys of playing the piano. Playing the piano has brought enrichment to my own life and I believe it is the best foundational instrument for any new musician. It is the perfect instrument for most children because it delivers satisfaction through beautiful sounds right from the start.

Playing the piano provides instant gratification and technique building that helps in transitioning to other instruments in the future. In fact, at the collegiate level, music majors take courses in piano throughout their studies as a requirement for earning their degree. Instrumentalists of all kinds use the piano to bring depth and perspective to music theory, enhance ear-training, and to compose. Piano truly is a foundational instrument!

I enjoy teaching piano using the Piano Adventures series by Faber & Faber. I have used many different method books to teach piano throughout the years and the Piano Adventures series teaches children to use fingers on all different notes rather than getting stuck in one position. The music is fun and goes at a steady pace. Incorporating music theory and technique into piano lessons is also important. Students also use the accompanying Piano Adventures books for theory and technique. Piano students learn major and minor Scales in 1, 2, and 3 octaves, arpeggios, chords, as well as the traditional Hanon Piano Finger Excersises.

My piano students quickly learn to listen for the piano in popular songs they hear on the radio, which inspires them greatly! My piano students are allowed to choose popular songs to incorporate into the steady stream of traditional piano repertoire that builds their appreciation for great piano music and skills for beautiful technique.

The list below is not a list of prerequisites. Each will be worked on while your child is a music student. However, if your child is already displaying some of these qualities, wonderful! As they say, “If the shoe fits, then wear it!”

Choose piano if…

Your child shows interest and is drawn to playing the piano in your home
Your child enjoys and takes notice of the sounds of the piano on the radio or in live settings
Your child would like to play an instrument in the school band or orchestra later in life
You’d like to challenge your child to concentrate and focus
Your child enjoys puzzles, brain-teaser games, patterns, mathematics, reading
Your child is a creative thinker
Your child is comfortable interacting with adults in a one-on-one setting
Your child wants to sing along to piano songs