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Piano Lessons

Piano Beginners (New Students)

basteinYour first day of piano lessons is an exciting time. There are just a few things you will need for your first lesson:

  1. Piano Books (Bastien Piano Basics – Primer Level – Piano, Performance, Technic, & Theory)
  2. A small notebook or memo pad for keeping your weekly assignments in
  3. A pencil
  4. (Optional) A small electronic metronome

For new piano students, I prefer to start with the Primer Level books by Bastien. These books and metronomes are available at Lindner’s Music in Watertown or you can find them online at Amazon.com.

Bastien’s Piano Basics Primer Level Books
Basic Electronic Metronome

Returning Students

If you are a returning piano student and you are in the middle of a series of books already, bring them along to your first lesson and we will evaluate how those books are working for you and try to pick up where you left off. If I feel the books aren’t serving you well, I might recommend switching to another series.

Recitals

All students will be working on pieces for a recital at some point in the year. I am hoping to have one at Christmas time and one at the end of the school year each year. This will be at a concert hall somewhere in Watertown and will be a great time for parents, grandparents, and others to experience the hard work all the students have been doing throughout the year. Students will be performing 2 pieces for the recital. One will be memorized and the other site-read. They will also be expected to dress nicely as they would for a school play or concert. Information about the recitals will be sent out to the parents well in advance.

Prices & Fees

Standard 1/2 hour private piano lessons are $18. For students that wish to have more one-on-one time, 1 hour lessons are also available for $36/hour. We require a minimum commitment of one month (either 4 or 5 lessons) for our lessons.  See the Payments and Cancellation page for more information.

PAYMENT

Payment is due on the 1st of each month.  Students are required to pay for either four or five lessons in advance. This will be determined based on the number of times your scheduled lesson day occurs within the upcoming month. New students who join on a date other than the 1st are required to pay for four lessons in advance with any balance remaining deducted from the following month’s lesson fees.

PAYMENT METHODS

We accept Credit/Debit Card, Check or Cash.  Payment must be received on or before the 1st of the month.  It is preferable that students pay for their upcoming month’s lessons on their last lesson day of the preceding month.

FAQ

How often/long should my child practice?

I recommend practicing at least 10-15 minutes each day for beginners.  Advanced students will find that those needs increase with time.  Nothing ever improves without practice!

How old should my child be to start piano lessons?

This is a question that piano teachers hear a lot. Like languages and many other things, the earlier the child starts, the more fluent he or she will become. With that said, there are some things I like to see that make it easier for the the child to get started and feel successful.

    1. They should be able to count from 1-10 and recognize the numbers 1-10 on the printed page.
    2. They should be able to recite and recognize the letters A-G
    3. They should be able to do basic addition.

Most children between 6 and 7 years old are ready to start lessons.

What if my child has special needs?

As the parent of a child on the Autism spectrum, I understand that all children are unique. I have no problem working with children that struggle in a normal classroom setting or even have trouble sitting for extended periods of time. I’m willing to give it a shot no matter what!  I personally feel that if music touches a child’s soul, even the most challenging personality will find it soothing and be willing to give their best during lessons.