Our Teaching Philosophy

Music is a complex art and science – even a universal language. Music students have the privilege of learning a secondary language. The ability to create music at the piano is a talent which will develop over time as a means of self-expression and communication with others. The goal of music study is not necessarily to become a concert pianist one day, but to share and enjoy the gift of music.

It is our aim to equip piano students with a solid understanding of music. In order to help beginning students develop into competent musicians, we focus primarily on reading music with additional practice in ear training. The “mechanics” of music can be understood even at a very young age and serve as a foundation for all subsequent music study.

We strongly emphasize music theory as the basis for understanding what we are doing at the piano. We consider development of a healthy technique an important part of each lesson. Proper technique taught at the beginning will prevent “bad” habits from forming and will prevent possible injuries.

It is our wish to cultivate a love for music in our students, and we seek to encourage students to express themselves through music. Good artistry will be inspired in every piano lesson. We teach only music that the student loves. This will vary from time to time and our goal is to find out what he or she likes and to use that to expand and broaden the musical palette into various tastes and styles that will continue to develop over time. We want each student to become a lover of music and to understand and appreciate good music. Motivation is a key focus and we have created various incentives that make practicing and learning more fun and creative.

Finally, we give many opportunities for students to play for others, as well as to perform in formal events. The ability to play piano is a wonderful privilege and can bring hours of enjoyment and accomplishment to musicians of every age!