Curricula
All students will work towards reading music fluently, developing aural understanding, and playing with a healthy technique.
Lessons for all ages and levels are highly individualized, based on the student's age, experience level, interests, and available practice time.
Students are encouraged to ask questions and discuss difficulties with the teacher as much as possible. Lessons are not a time for perfect performances - they are an opportunity for student and teacher to work together so the student can achieve his or her goals.
Details for specific learning categories are listed below.
Taubman Retraining
All students will be trained in healthy movement according to the principles of the Taubman Approach. Retraining is for those students who have been previously trained in other forms of technique and found themselves somehow limited. Retraining lessons focus intensively on learning new habits of movement that will override the old, limiting ones. At the end of the process, students will find that they are able to play passages with ease that they had previously thought to be beyond their technical ability.
Young Beginners
Students can begin lessons as young as four years old. At such a young age, most lessons at the early stages will focus on musical concepts, following directions, and increasing attention span. A strong emphasis is placed on making the learning experience fun, with lots of games and other activities. Students will have a few short songs they can play within the first two months of lessons.
Older beginners will move at a more accellerated pace that accommodates their increased understanding. As young students gain reading proficiency, they will be offered the opportunity to explore many genres of music.
Adult Beginners
Adult lessons are catered to the student's desires. After a basic music reading proficiency is achieved, and principles of healthy movement have been discussed, the student will be guided towards whatever genre of music most interests them.
Students who wish to play popular music will learn to read chord symbols and to adapt arrangements to fit their playing level. Those who wish to play classical or traditional music will be given pieces that gradually increase in technical ability until they have reached their goal repertoire.