Piano Teaching
Discover a world of great music...
With so many piano composers and styles to choose from, students are encouraged to explore the repertoire as widely but always to select music that interests them. This approach helps sustain each student's musical interest but inspires the development of new skills and techniques along the way leading to great musical accomplishment.
Working with such a wide range of students at different ages and levels is both rewarding and invaluable: to appreciate how students learn and develop across a much wider plane and the challenges faced at advanced levels provides perspective and understanding, and help shape the learning programmes of those just starting out.
Establishing the basics
Taking your first steps as a beginner may be daunting but with a carefully-selected programme of attractive and enticing pieces, and supportive exercises to develop your technique, you will soon have the basis of a musical foundation on which to build.
We will start by learning how to sit at the piano and the importance of adopting a good hand position. After a few simple warm-up exercises to get some mobility in the fingers, we will learn our first piece together. This will be shown to you without the music, initially, to help you develop a better aural sense of the music and to make your first piece more accessible.
You will, of course, still be taught how to read music: a vital skill that gives pupils the confidence to discover new music independently; however, approaching a new piece without the music helps new students actually play something meaningful at their first lesson without being overwhelmed with reading and playing simultaneously.
To develop rhythmic awareness and listening skills further, a number of duets intended for beginners will be introduced. But, please don't worry about this: many beginners find the playing of duets really enjoyable and are surprised by just how good the ensemble sounds! Having worked with many beginners, rest assured, we will find the one that is right for you.
IMJMusic
piano | theory | accompaniment
Est. 2000
Whether you're contemplating piano lessons for the first time or returning to lessons after a long break, it's inevitable you will have a few questions. Answers to the twelve most common questions typically asked by new students can be found below.
Should you have any other queries or if you would like to enquire about the availability of a space, please contact me. I'll look forward to speaking with you soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
The usual things students ask...
Is my child too young to learn the piano?
Am I too old?
Can I tailor my lessons to suit my interests and skills?
Will I need to purchase a piano before my first lesson?
How much practice will I need to do to make good progress?
Should I buy a digital or traditional piano?
Is there any help to buy an instrument for my child?
How much is each lesson? Is there a minimum contract?
How much practice will I need to do?
Will I need a piano before my first lesson?
It is perfectly reasonable to expect that new students will want to try out a few lessons to see how they take to the piano before considering purchasing an instrument.
How long will it take me to reach Grade 1? What about Grade 8?
What can I do to help my child succeed at music?
Do I have to study music theory alongside the piano?
Do I have to take exams, participate in workshops and concerts?
