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To be on the safe side, I would say 6-7 years old, while some kids can start at 5. Children can be very different in their development at these ages.
For meaningful piano lessons, a child should be able to:
– know the alphabet and numbers.
– be able to sit for at least 15 min and follow the teacher’s directions.
– possess certain fine motor skills and cognitive abilities.
That’s why I always conduct a complimentary assessment before making a determination about whether a child is ready for piano lessons.
Yes, I welcome adult students, complete beginners or people who had some childhood experience and want to return to the piano. It is never too late to learn and pursue your call.
Yes, Music Smart offers IN-HOME piano lessons in Richmond Hill- Ontario and the vicinity.
Online lessons definitely work. I have excellent results online with intermediate and advanced students. However, I don’t recommend the online format to beginners where frequent corrections of position/technique require student-teacher proximity.
For in-studio piano lessons, Music Smart teams up with ArtGate Studio.
Contact ArtGate Studio directly.
Depending on the age, level, and learning goal, piano lessons can be 30, 45 and 60 min long. Visit Lesson Duration
Visit Pricing.
Yes, there is a reduced rate for members of the same household.
Visit Music Smart Policies.
The general guidelines are:
– at least 10-15 minutes for young beginners (5-7 years old).
– 30 min to 1 hour above 7 years old.
– 1 hour or more for intermediate level and above; several hours are required for the competitional level and demanding repertoire.
However, it is better to practice a little than not at all if finding time is difficult. Thus, you can have several shorter sessions during the day. Another answer is “practice for as long as you can stay focused and engaged.”
How often? Ideally, every day. Make a habit of spending time at the piano. More importantly than “how long to practice” is “what and how to practice”. Of course, I will teach you smart practice strategies so you can optimize your work.
You need an instrument so you can practice. It could be an acoustic piano (the traditional wooden instrument with strings and hammers inside) or a digital keyboard. Acoustic pianos should be in good shape. The newer the better, as the old ones tend to have functional problems. Digital keyboards are very diverse in price and quality. Not all of them are suitable for meaningful piano work. Find a large selection of pianos at Cosmo Music Store.
Your digital instrument should have:
– 88 weighted keys
– dynamic response
– realistic sound and feel
– at least one pedal – Sustain
– reasonable speakers for proper volume and sound quality
– stand for the piano and music notes.
See the previous question.
I recommend piano books according to the student’s level, curriculum, learning goal and repertoire preference. A book set might include songs, technical exercises, music theory topics and quizzes, note spellers, sight reading, etc.
Visit the Piano Books-Programs section. More material is available in the online Music Smart Library.
RCM – Royal Conservatory of Music – is a prestigious Canadian music education institution which provides an excellent music curriculum and a standardized system of examinations. Visit RCM.
Yes. Levels 1 to 10.
Not necessarily. I work with many students who choose not to take exams and still achieve good results. The reason to pursue exams is to have official recognition of your progress along with structured goals in your piano work. Additionally, completion of level 8 RCM counts as high school credit. Higher levels 9, 10 and ARCT lay the ground for a possible music career.
Absolutely. I firmly believe that you should feel connected to the music you play. That’s why I consider my students’ musical preferences and provide suitable arrangements for their favourite songs. Find some of them in the online Music Smart Library.
There are various levels of proficiency in music theory. You need a certain minimum to make sense of musical terms and signs. It is like knowing the rules of the road and traffic signs when you drive. Understanding notions like scales, intervals and chords makes music more recognizable, predictable and ultimately easier to play.
It depends on how proficient you want to be, the amount of practice you put in, and how effectively you practice. Generally, it takes about 3-4 years to reach an intermediate level where you can play music that’s meaningful and enjoyable. However, I’ve also witnessed some dedicated students reach this stage in as little as 1 year.
Please visit Your Piano Teacher page.