FAQs

How much should my child practice a week?
Just 30 minutes per day will set your child up for success. Some students find it easier to do an hour every other day. More serious students, those preparing for a performance, or for other events should be practicing an hour daily.

 
I am an adult with no musical experience, is it too late to start piano lessons?
It’s never too late to start your musical education. Many adults missed out on taking music lessons in their youth for a variety of reasons. Whether it is for relaxation, personal enjoyment, or for a specific purpose, learning an instrument is a rewarding experience for all ages. Although it might be a little harder from the start, stick with it and you will be surprised how much you will get out of it.  Older students are often the most successful as they have the time to practice and the will to get a lot from the lessons.
Is it okay if I only have a keyboard?
Keyboards are fine for students just starting out. It is fine for beginning piano students to start off on a keyboard You won’t start out using the full key spectrum and children are often too short to reach the pedals anyway. After the student transitions to intermediate level, I would recommend purchasing a piano. Alternatively, a full size keyboard would suffice, preferably with weighted keys. You can find more information about choosing a suitable keyboard in the Useful Links section.
What age should my child begin his or her lessons?
The question of readiness is very individual. Some children are ready to start lessons at 3 while others should wait until 5 or 6 years of age. A good rule of thumb is to look at their attention span. You can get a good sense of this from reading a book with them for 30 minutes straight.
What do I do if my child won’t practice?
This is a problem for many parents, especially at first. It is the parent’s responsibility to help support the daily practice schedule. Even the best teacher in the world won’t help if a child won’t practice.
For more tips and idea, please see my tips on How to Get Your Child to Practice.
 I am concerned about the costs of purchasing a piano.

Parents should never be put off from giving their children piano lessons due to cost of a piano. Pianos come in many shapes, sizes, and prices. You can always opt for a keyboard or a used piano. There are often very good pianos for low prices in classified ads in newspapers and other resources. They are often vintage or very highly quality while being gently used. There is even a website where you can adopt a piano for free. Please see the Useful Links section.
Do you offer performance opportunities and how do I get involved?
I am a strong believer in encouraging performance as it is a big part of learning how to play! We have several annual recitals for different levels of students. We are always looking for new chances for students to play which is why I search for community events, competitions, and festivals where my students can show off their skills. Students can be entered into a recital after around 3 months of playing. If they have taken lessons before they are welcome to enter sooner. They can be entered into the other programs as well after gaining a minimum competency level.