Can someone learn piano by taking one lesson each week? Yes and no. Yes, they will absolutely learn to play the piano by taking lessons each week! And no, that’s not the whole story. No one can learn to play the piano through weekly lessons alone. Learning a musical instrument is exactly like learning to read. When beginners learn to read, they need guided instruction from a family member or teacher, and they also must practice daily in addition to that instruction to see any real progress. Reading also happens to come with extra daily reinforcement that happens naturally – through school, work, emails, texts, YouTube, social media, TV shows, games, signs, flyers, books, articles, meetings, and the list goes on. So that daily exposure, plus daily focused practice, produces a competent reader in a few years time. And it produces a master a few years after that. That's exactly how any student must approach learning an instrument: by practicing and exposing themselves to music every day (or nearly every day). So in short, yes: a student will learn to play the piano through a combination of weekly instruction AND near-daily practice to reinforce that instruction.
How long should a student practice each day? Students ages 8 and older should practice at least 20-30 minutes every day, or nearly every day. Teens and adults should aim to increase this practice time to 40-60 minutes per day, if their schedule allows. Players 7 and younger should attempt to practice 10-20 minutes as close to every day as possible with a parent or guardian sitting with them and guiding their practice.
How long is a lesson, and what's included? Lessons are 30 minutes each week with your private instructor, and generally include note reading, rhythm exercises, piano technique, music theory, relevant stories, performance practice, and assignment discussions. The skill level of work, amount of work assigned, and practice requirements will be different for each student, and those details will be assessed within the first month. 1-hour lessons are also available, and can be divided by or 3 students. Any lesson duration and split will be personalized to fit each student's needs.
How does the "online" part work? For online lessons, students will set up a laptop or tablet on either side of their piano or keyboard, and connect to their lesson via a one-on-one Zoom call. I have a high resolution front-facing camera as well as a 4K camera over the piano keys, so students can simultaneously see my face and my hands as I'm demonstrating and explaining coursework. I will also have a digital copy of their specific music book and sheet music ready at each lesson to quickly screen share and mark for clarity. And there's no need to have fancy tech on your end! Before your first lesson, I will provide easy, detailed instructions on how to best adjust your internet and Zoom settings to enhance your lesson experience.
Do I need to get books or supplies? Yes! I will give you a list of books or supplies as they are needed and the best places online or locally for you to purchase them.
How young can I start my child? I usually recommend students to start piano lessons no earlier than 7 years old. However, special considerations can always be given for those with significant interest and ability, or for students who will have a parent, guardian, or older sibling sitting with or near them throughout the lesson.
Is it hard to start or re-learn piano as an adult or teen? In my experience, when teens and adults are able to carve out regular practice time each week and remember to be patient with the process, they end up learning at a much faster pace than my younger students. It really all hinges on whether you can set aside at least 20 minutes or more each day to dedicate to piano. If you can do that, you'll see results just as quickly (if not quicker) than a younger player!
Do you require a certain type of piano or keyboard? As long as it plays music and works properly, we can work with any kind of instrument, brand, or model. For an acoustic piano, the ideal condition would be that it's in tune (usually recommended to do once or twice a year), it has an accompanying seat, and there is a convenient place to display music. For keyboards, the ideal instrument would have 88 functioning “weighted” keys, an accompanying stand or table, a seat, and a place to display music.
When do you teach? Lessons are available Mon-Fri between the hours of 2-6pm EST, except for major holidays and occasional travel days. There is an online calendar (going live soon) with lesson time slot openings where you can sign up for and reschedule lessons, as needed.
Do you have an attendance policy? I completely understand the headache of juggling busy school and work schedules, so my attendance policy is more lenient than most. You can reschedule your lesson any time up to 10 minutes prior to your lesson time (though advanced notice is much preferred, when possible). And while I don't issue refunds for cancelled lessons, your make-ups never expire, and can be scheduled during mid-week openings, on school staff days, or on public holidays (other than Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's).
How much is tuition? Tuition is calculated per semester, based on the number of lessons scheduled at the rate of $45 per half hour lesson. Each lesson includes 30 minutes one-on-one instruction per scheduled week, personalized curriculum planning, preparatory practice, finding and creating teaching materials, transcribing student song requests into level-appropriate sheet music, production of audio and video homework demonstrations, compiling relevant coursework, maintaining student homework pages, and helping with mid-week assignment questions outside of the regular lesson.
1st semester: September-January
2nd semester February-May
3rd semester June-August.
Do you have a contract I need to sign? Once you've signed up for lessons, I will send you a copy of my studio and lesson policies via an online survey. Then, you will simply need to acknowledge that you've read, understand, and agree to them. That's it!
Will you have a recital? Yes, but not in the traditional sense. Starting in the summer of 2027, instead of everyone gathering in a performance hall on a single afternoon, each student (if they choose!) will take their music out into the real world: a retirement home, a coffee shop, a corner of the boardwalk, a hospital lobby, the backyard at a family barbecue, a place of worship, anywhere. Wherever there's an audience, that's the venue. Anyone can record the performance, and then the video will get shared back with the studio and (optionally) posted and shared with family or friends. This type of recital is all about building confidence and engaging with the community around us, not about the polish of a performance. A keyboard on a patio counts, a slightly shaky recording made with an iPhone, or an audience of one or two at a loved one's bedside. Playing for a live audience and sharing your music with the world is the ultimate goal.