Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Now Enrolling March/April/May

I only have 2 afternoon slots available for this 3 month session on Thursday afternoons.

I have 9 homeschool openings between 9 and 10:30 Monday through Friday.

I teach children and adults

I start teaching children starting at age 6. Students must have a few reading skills. Recognizing the alphabet and numbers is important. Many parents are concerned that their children won't be interested in playing. This is the reason I run my sessions in 2 and 3 month increments. You can't tell after a few weeks whether a child is going to excel. Please contact me for more information on my contract.

Parents’ Role
Please do not compare the progress of your child to that of other children especially siblings. Just as children learn to walk and talk at different rates, they will progress in music at their own pace. Praise even the smallest accomplishments. Let your child know you are proud of them. Positive reinforcement is always one of the greatest tools in any learning experience. Let your child know that I am their friend and am there to help. Please encourage your child to practice. Make it a part of their daily routine. However don’t force them. I offer a lot of practicing incentives so they will want to practice.

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Need a piano?

UPDATE: 04/11/08

Pianos, espeically those great for beginners, are surprisingly inexpensive. If you look in the paper or online at classified ads you'll find many listed for under $1000.
Below is a little info I pulled off of Concert Pitch Piano. This site is strictly for information. They are in Canada and I'm not affiliated with them in any way. And listed below that are a few local ads from Craigslist for pianos. I can't vouch for quality of the piano or those selling because I haven't actually seen the pianos. These are to be used as leads only. I cannot be held responsible for these listings. I will update this post once a week so that all the listings are new.

INITIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Proficiency Level
In general, it's a good idea to buy a piano of slightly higher quality than you think you deserve, and then grow into it. If there are several pianists in the family, aim your purchase toward the most advanced. A higher quality piano is an excellent investment, and will hold its value well. So, if piano lessons don't work out in the family, at least you can re-sell it at a price fairly close to what you paid for it.

Space
- Upright pianos need about a 5 feet wide x 5 feet deep area (including space for the pianist and bench)
- Grand pianos need a space about 5 to 7 feet wide. The length required will range from
4 1/2 to 9 1/2 feet, depending on the model, plus another 2 feet for the pianist and bench.

Make sure the piano can be placed away from sources of heat and cold like radiators, heating vents, air conditioners, direct sunlight and fireplaces.

Money
Buy the tallest upright or the longest grand that you can afford. The longer the strings and the bigger the soundboard, the better the tone.


Craigslist Piano

Craigslist Piano

Craigslist Piano

Craigslist Piano

Craigslist Piano

Craigslist Piano

Craigslist Piano

Craigslist Piano

Craigslist Piano