Instrument
As a student of the piano, I expect that you have a full-sized keyboard in your home. It can be digital or acoustic, but the important part is that the keyboard has 88 keys that are weighted and that the keyboard has a pedal.
If you do not own such a keyboard or if the cost to acquire a piano is outside of your financial abilities, there are piano stores in town that will rent pianos for a reasonable monthly fee. Pianos are often available on Craig’s List or other community boards, as well.
Practice
Piano is an extracurricular activity, but one that is different than most other extracurricular activities that children engage in. I can be likened to a coach, but progress will not happen if your child just shows up for the “games” (lessons). Piano is a skill more like reading than a team sport. The more you practice, the better you get.
I think that the stereotypical way of practicing the piano is a waste of time. I don’t want you to sit down at the piano to fill your 30 minutes of practice time with the same mistakes, over and over. Instead, I make weekly assignments comprised of practice goals. Once those goals are reached, the practice for the week is completed. Students who engage in goal-based practicing are more mindful in the way they approach new challenges and they progress more quickly by practicing new skills correctly in less time.
Students who practice smarter are more successful than students who practice harder.
Music
At our first lesson, I provide students with a binder where we house weekly assignment pages, and tabs for music, composition, lead sheets, and theory. Much of what I put in student binders is from my digital library, where I have rights to the music I copy and use in my studio.
For music that I do not own digital rights to, I have a modest music library that I am happy to lend out as needed.
You will need to purchase any music that falls outside of these two categories. When that is the case, I will do my best to procure what you need using my piano teacher discount and then I will pass the savings along to you. You will rarely have to pay list price for music if you purchase through me.
