Piano for Children
Ages 5+
Piano offerings for children who have completed Growing with Music includes pre-piano (ages 5-6, 30 minutes) and Piano Partners (2 children with teacher for 45 minutes). Older students can take 30, 45, and 60 minutes with teacher’s recommendation.
Piano Programs and levels
Two beginning programs are used: a pre-piano program called “My First Piano Adventures” (ages 5-6) uses keyboard exploration and key groupings to learn first songs (CD included). “Piano Partners” is for two students (ages 6-7) and teacher. The aural approach is used and children play chords/class songs, sing solfege/write notes, drum/dance, and see patterns/compose.
Private Piano Lessons
Children who have moved through pre-piano or Piano Partners may progress to private piano study at 30, 45, or 60 minutes. Appropriate repertoire (songs), music theory, sightreading, scales, and progressive lesson books are used in lessons. Students keep a practice journal (daily slow practice, 5 days a week) and earn prizes during the year.
Sharing
Four times a year the entire piano studio gathers to share repertoire and scales with one another in a supportive, positive environment, either at the home studio or an area church. (Beginning pianists may observe the first year). Students continue dictation (writing chords and melodies), sing solfege scales and songs, and share in large group movement-games with whole families.
Performance
Learning to play includes how to sit with posture, balance oneself at the bench, and enter/exit the bench. Students are taught to connect visually with the audience afterwards, and how to bow, greet the audience, and respond graciously in conversation with others.
Music Notation
Part of music literacy is learning how write notes/rhythms and take dictation (writing chords and melodies). Children enjoy and benefit from writing a simple tune they already know. Then, they copy music and start to compose their own music, using learned chord progressions and melodies. Singing the song, playing the tune and chords on the piano, and then learning to write the song and chords gives a deeper understanding of the art of music composition and develops a broad student musician.
Get Started
Steps to Enrollment
I am always glad to meet students who are motivated and interested in learning piano, despite the background. If you are interested in the program and would like to explore possibilities I would be glad to talk to you. At the very least, I can direct you to a teacher who is able to accept new students.