Philosophy

Our teaching philosophy can be summed up in one short line:  The joy of making music is for EVERYONE!!

Our goal as piano teachers is to give our students a well-rounded musical education, which includes training in music theory, ear training, sight-playing, improvising skills, good playing- and practicing-techniques, and performance preparation strategies.  We also give our students opportunities to play many styles of music at the piano and to perform at recitals throughout the year.

We believe that learning piano in this way helps students learn to work patiently toward long-term goals, using problem-solving skills to make practice time productive, effective, and satisfying.

We also believe that all students deserve the same high standard of musical education, no matter what their personal musical goals may be.  Our well-rounded curriculum will give students all the tools they need to excel at the piano and enhance their enjoyment of music, whether their personal goals include becoming a musical professional, playing for personal enjoyment, or any musical goal in between. Our mission is to give our students the skills they need to reach that personal level of achievement that will give them the gift of music for life!

Providing a very positive learning environment is important to us, so we like to have a friendly, supportive atmosphere at our lessons.  We share our rules and requirements with our students at the first lesson so they will know what is expected of them.

Open and frequent communication between parents, teacher and student is essential to ensure the best possible musical experience for the student.  Our students are encouraged to tell us about their favorite styles of music, or any specific pieces they want to learn.  We are always happy to order extra solo music that students have requested.  We strongly feel that learning piano should be fun, and there’s no greater incentive for developing good practicing habits than the reward of learning to play music you really love!

Learning to play an instrument well can provide a lifetime of enjoyment, and we are delighted to be able to help all our students to reach this reward!