Private Piano Lessons

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. One question that I am always thrilled to hear from a prospective student is "What are your qualifications?" or any question that shows the student is concerned about the quality of instruction. I recommend that even for young beginners, parents find a teacher with experience and education. Teaching beginners is sometimes the most difficult level, as the teacher needs to be able to communicate ideas in many different ways. I also advise potential students' families to meet with several teachers and not just sign up for lessons with the first available instructor. You may find that the instructors have very different approaches and personalities. My advice is to find the teacher you are personally most comfortable with who has the professional credentials you are looking for and who you believe will also help the student develop a love of music.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. I wish that my clients could observe the hours of work that go into preparing for a week of lessons. I find there is much research into teaching methods, selection of appropriate musical literature, and administrative work each week. It is a challenge to set lesson fees based on a "per hour" basis, since there is so much more than the time spent with a student. Many piano teachers have spent decades studying music, including attending college and graduate school. We attend workshops and conferences on piano teaching every year and devote quite a bit of time outside lessons to thinking about teaching, solving a student's technique issues, choosing music, etc.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. The thing I like most about my job is watching how my students progress over the years. My students have taken lessons for an average of four years. Of course, some are still beginners, and many have been taking lessons even longer. I take this very seriously and work hard to make each lesson worthwhile. It's a challenge, but one that I embrace. I want my students and their parents to be happy with their lessons and progress.

I feel so honored and humbled to work with these young people each week. It is such a thrill when they move from beginning pieces to intermediate, and then progress to early advanced music. One middle school student just recently commented to me that "it seems like it's just been two years!" rather than the four years she has been coming to lessons. It made my day!