Frequently Asked
Should I go with the half hour lessons or the full hour lessons?
Beginners should always start with half hour lessons. As students become more advanced, they may benefit from full hour lessons in order to give adequate attention to both technical skills and musical repertoire. In general, I do not recommend full hour lessons for anyone younger than high school age. However, I am happy to do a half hour of piano and a half hour of voice for any age.
How old do I have to be to start taking lessons?
There is no good answer to this question as each child is different. Many voice teachers say around 9th grade because of all the changes that occur to the voice during puberty. However, I think taking voice lessons during those changes can be very helpful, so I happily take younger students. Maturity is sometimes a barrier for elementary age students that have trouble focusing and practicing, but sometimes it is great! If your child is at least 5 years of age, starting to read simple words, and you are able to maintain his/her focus for a movie, a few short books, etc. then they will do just fine!
Do you teach adult students?
Yes I love teaching adults! Learning new skills as an adult has so many benefits mentally and spiritually. As for piano students, be prepared that if you reach a certain level of proficiency I may refer you to another pianist, but I’m happy to get you started.
What about other instruments?
My main instrument in college was Horn in F (commonly called the french horn). I love teaching horn students (beginner-advanced) and I can also teach beginning trumpet. Lessons are very beneficial for students who are involved in a band program, particularly those in the process of changing from trumpet to horn. As for other band/orchestra instruments, I feel that my skills are a little too rusty and I would encourage you to find another teacher.
What if I only want to sing pop music (or music theatre or any other specific genre)?
My teaching philosophy hinges on the thesis that students are more successful when they are exposed to a wide variety of music styles. I believe that limiting your musical repertoire limits your opportunity for learning and musical growth. Therefore, we will study a variety of music genres and styles. Keep an open mind and you will be successful.
What are the expectations for practice time?
It is recommended that students practice approximately 20-30 minutes per day. The amount of time and effort you put into practicing will determine your success. Make sure that you are focused on specific goals when you practice for the best results. I will write down “practice notes” for you in order to help with this. Be aware that consistent lack of practice and preparation may be grounds for dismissal from the studio, as it can eventually get to a point where the student is not advancing at all from lesson to lesson. It is important to remember that QUALITY is better than QUANTITY when it comes to practice. For example, 5 minutes of focused, intentional practice of a specific technique is much more useful than 30 minutes of singing or playing a piece beginning to end with lots of mistakes. Part of going to lessons is learning how to be efficient in your practice time, so expect to talk about this in your lessons.