FAQ

First, congratulations for asking the right questions! An involved and supportive parent is certainly a requirement for any child’s success at the piano. I’d like to share two articles from my friends Diane Hidy and Elissa Milne. There are the very best articles I’ve seen on these topics, and I think they are invaluable to any family considering piano lessons.

• How to Choose the Best Piano Teacher
• 10 Things You Should Do BEFORE beginning Piano Lessons.

We know that every student learns differently, so we do not follow a one-size-fits-all approach to piano education.

We take time to learn about your student, and use materials and resources to help them engage and learn in the very best ways.

We believe piano lessons should be fun, creative, and engaging.

We are immersed in the piano pedagogy community, and are active in our pursuit of new ideas, best resources, ways to engage and help students learn, and how to make piano practice productive.

We want young piano students to have a strong grasp on technique, musicality, and music theory. Because we want to produce well-rounded musicians, we include instruction in aural theory (ear training), composing/arranging, and music technology applications as well.  We also teach how to play pop music, church music, chord charts, and lead sheets.

We believe students cannot be successful without practice support from teacher and parents. Not only do we provide detailed instructions on how to practice, we show the student and parent how to practice, and record audio and video so the student can listen/watch at home and refresh their memory on how to practice during the week. We also use a special app to make this connection between what happens in the lesson and what happens at home – it allows both student and teacher to record video and get feedback between weekly lessons.

You can get a better idea of what a lesson looks like with videos on our Facebook page.

Pianos are not required for KiddyKeys classes.

All other students must have an instrument at home. Without one, they will be unable to progress through their lesson material, wasting your time and money. Think of it this way – would you send your child to baseball practice without a glove? Or to tap class without tap shoes? Then don’t try to do piano lessons without a piano!

Acoustic pianos are hands-down the best instrument to learn on.  (If you do not have an acoustic piano and would like to purchase one, I highly recommend purchasing a used piano from local piano technician John Freel. His prices cannot be beat because delivery, first tuning, and a one-year warranty are included.)

Digital pianos are also acceptable. The only requirements are 88 full-size keys and touch sensitivity (weighted action, graded hammers, and other terms) so that when your child pushes harder, it gets louder.

It is important to not only learn to press the right keys at the right time but to learn the skills of sound production. Please be sure to have an appropriate keyboard stand and adjustable bench, as proper technique flows from proper posture.

I do not recommend X-style stands as they can not only be unstable (and unsafe in houses with children 5 and under) but they prevent proper posture.

Recommended Digital Pianos:  Casio Privia, with furniture-style stand and Yahama P-115, with furniture-style stand.

No, we offer lessons on a tuiton-based model. Lessons are charged by the school year. This ensures students receive lessons on a regular basis and have the greatest opportunity for success over a period of time. With beginning students, it is especially important to have consistent weekly lessons.

Lessons are charged by the school year. This ensures students receive lessons on a regular basis and have the greatest opportunity for success over a period of time. Tuition may be paid in equal monthly payments, by semester, or by school year.

2024-2025 School Year

Tuition:

• $120/month for weekly 30 minute-lessons for beginner students

• $170/month for weekly 45-minute lessons for older or intermediate students

Tuition and registration not only pays for the weekly lesson time, but also includes preparation time, curriculum planning, instrument maintenance, studio libraries, studio licensed materials, printed materials and supplements, teacher continuing education, and professional organization memberships.

We understand taking on private music lessons can be a financial burden on some families and we never want to turn someone away! For this reason, we offer a select number of spots at a reduced tuition rate in partnership with MusicLink Foundation. MusicLink Foundation reaches out to low income families by linking these students with professional music teachers willing to reduce their fee to make the lessons more affordable for the child. You may fill out an application here to see if your family qualifies for a reduced tuition.