LYRIC PIANO STUDIO
PARENT INFORMATION
GROUP PIANO LESSONS
Evening class students are often tired during
classes in the first month or two. However, I have found that the situation
improves greatly through the fall- and I do not even notice it in the Spring!
1)Keyboard/Piano: Students must have a keyboard (with at least 61
keys) or a piano for regular practice at home. The minimal price for a keyboard
is ~$150. Please feel free to ask me for advice about acquiring an instrument.
2)Making up missed classes:
If your child has to miss a class, they
will usually need some form of make-up.
There are some weeks that do not require this, but most weeks do. The best
way to make-up a missed class is by swapping with a family from another day,
which I can often arrange if you give me enough notice. If you cannot swap,
the night of the missed lesson, I will send you a link to a video, explaining
the new material from the lesson. If the video does not work (either technical
difficulties or your child does not understand the material in the video),
please let me know immediately! I may need to arrange a make-up with a helper,
which will cost an additional $7 per child. These usually take place in the
30 minutes before one of the regular piano sections (Monday 5:30, Tuesday
5:30, Wednesday 5:30, Saturday 12:15). If possible, I try to schedule make-ups
on a day before your next regular piano class since most students find it
hard to do two classes back to back, but sometimes the only option is to come
to your class early in order to get the make-up in before the class meets.
I will always need to confirm this with you, since it involves scheduling
helpers to come 30 minutes early as well.
3)Watching class: Whenever possible, it is a
good idea to watch class. Even if
you already know music, this is probably a very different approach than the
way you learned. If you don't know
music, it will give you double value because you will learn some from being
in the classroom. Also, if your child is interested in practicing, you will
get ideas about how to be there in a supportive (not nagging!) way.
4)Practice: As many of you know, I offer
this final year of group lessons to bridge students up to an age when regular
practice on an instrument is more developmentally appropriate. Thus, only minimal, weekly practice
is required. I will tell the children that they need to practice
every possible day, when they are learning new music. There are some
lessons that fall between pieces, and many children will choose to take a
break from practice during these weeks. Practice sessions may be very short-
5 minutes or less. Do not worry if
this is all your child will do. They will still be able to keep up with the
class.
On the night of class,
I will send an email, with details about the practice assignment, and a link
to a video demonstrating the practice material. If the video does not work
(either technical difficulties or your child does not understand the material
in the video), please let me know immediately! Being busy or forgetting are
not excuses! Please call or email if clarification
is needed! The minimum practice takes only a minute or two a dayand
that is fine if that is all they are motivated to do- but please help them
find time to play every day. There are a few weeks in which I will actually
tell them it is fine to not practice. This sometimes happens the first week
on a new piece, when I realize that they need another week before they will
be able to remember and practice effectively.
Some students at this level are ready for
longer practices. My advice is to follow your child's lead. If they are consistently
interested, but need the support of a reminder or suggestion, go for it. I
will probably have given them a more complicated way of working with the material.
However, if they show little interest in going beyond the minimum, let it
go. It does not mean that they don't love music or don't want to study. They
just are not ready for a deeper commitment. The best way to encourage a child
to practice is for you to practice. Please, by all means practice the things
you see us do in class, and be open to sharing that practice with your child.
It is very rare for children of this age to regularly initiate practice without
the support and help of an adult on a daily basis. Notice that I said support.
I did not say enforce, nag, or force. If that's necessary, your child is telling
you that they are not ready to meet your expectations!
5)Listening: As you know, an important
part of a musical education is listening to music. I have compiled the following
list for home listening.
Baroque:
Brandenburg Concertos, J. S. Bach
The Four Seasons, Vivaldi
Classical:
Jupiter Symphony (No. 41), Mozart
Romantic:
Symphonies 9 and 6, Beethoven
Scenes from Childhood (Kinderscenen), Schumann
Early Modern:
Pictures at an Exhibition, Mussorgsky
20th Century:
Appalachian Springtime, Copland