faq

I give virtual lessons and I also travel to my students homes to give lessons. For in person lessons, my teaching schedule is carefully coordinated around neighborhood zones in West Los Angeles, the West San Fernando Valley, the Conejo Valley. If you are in one of those neighborhoods, and our schedules don’t match up for in person lessons, perhaps virtual lessons could be an alternative.

My rates vary, depending on several factors. Contact me for a quote. 

An actual piano is ideal, as it has all the capabilities the instrument offers. That being said, there are many very good digital pianos/keyboards available these days. The best types have 88 keys, are weighted, and touch sensitive.

If you have a smaller (less than 88 keys) keyboard and are just trying to figure out if your child will like piano, this is a fine way to start. If they do continue, after several months they will need to “graduate” to a fuller instrument, either electric or acoustic.  

Yes I do. While my recitals are not mandatory, I strongly encourage participation. Recitals provide a great goal to work towards and a way to mark progress. Each performance experience builds on the next.

Ah, yes, the question that has probably existed as long as pianos themselves (about 320 years!) And there’s no getting around it; if you want to improve, you have to practice.

What does that practice look like? That will depend on the age and level of the student. The best practice schedules are consistent and part of a weekly routine. Sometimes that consistency is achieved because the student plays every time they walk past the piano. Other times it’s because the student knows Monday, Wednesday and Friday are their practice days. These are things I address on an individual student basis.

Additionally, I also offer students enrollment in Better Practice App, which is a web based program that helps me keep track of students’ practice and assignments in between lessons. https://betterpracticeapp.com/

Yes. The main platforms I use for online teaching are Zoom and/or FaceTime.

General requirements for a successful virtual setup include; a good internet connection, a laptop/tablet/phone with a view of the student and the keys. This is usually as simple as the device on a chair on some books.

If you really want to get fancy, there are tripods available on Amazon for tablets and phones.

I teach ages 5 to adults in their 80’s.

Children younger than 5 can sometimes be ready for piano lessons, but that needs to be evaluated on an individual basis.

For children younger than 5, a toddler/group music class can be a great way to explore and learn musical concepts and fundamentals while engaging the child’s natural sense of play.

For adults of any age, playing piano, whether for the first time or returning is a wonderful way to keep the brain sharp by coordinating fine motor skills with learning something new. And the best part about starting as an adult is that you already know so many things that make acquiring this new musical skill much more straightforward than it is for a child. The most difficult thing I find for adults is managing their own expectations and being patient with themselves while they learn.

Yes. Some of my students do Certificate of Merit, but certainly not all. It’s a program of study that is best discussed on an individual basis, as the level of commitment from both parents and students is significant.