Here are answers to some common questions I get about music lessons. If you don’t see an answer to one of your questions, please contact me and I will be happy to provide one.
Yes! When I tell parents music lessons are one of the most exciting and life-changing gifts you can give your children, I mean it! Studies have shown that musical training contributes to academic success, hones discipline, promotes perseverance, increases patience, boosts self esteem, and improves brain development! I invite you to Google search “music lessons and brain development,” and you will find numerous articles reinforcing your decision to enroll your child in music education.
I teach piano and drums.
Yes. All lessons I teach are private, one-on-one lessons.
Lessons are taught at my home studio located in San Jacinto.
I specialize in teaching children and teens (about 7 years of age through 18 years of age).
Sure, but first let me explain how my lessons are structured.
I teach in “seasons” that begin in June and continue through May the following year. “The Season” is comprised of Summer Session and School Session. Summer Session has 6 flexible lessons from June through August, and School Session and 33 regularly scheduled weekly lessons from September through May. So, “The Season” has a total of 39 lessons.
I ask all students to commit to 39 lessons from June-May (6 Summer Session lessons and 33 School Session lessons). Each student’s place is held in the studio schedule and guaranteed for the year.
All lessons are available in 45-minute or 60-minute blocks of time. Once the 45 minute or 60 minute time slot has been chosen, it must be adhered to for the entire season. In other words, switching from a 45 minute to a 60 minute lesson (or visa versa) is not permitted during the season. Students must wait until the start of the new season to switch the length of their lesson.
I take a total of 6 weeks off during School Session: 1 week in November (Thanksgiving break), 2 weeks in December (Christmas Break), 1 week in February (President’s Week), 1 week in April (Spring Break), and 1 “to be announced” week. Tuition amounts take into account these weeks off.
Summer Session tuition is paid in 3 equal payments, and School Session tuition is paid in 9 equal payments.
Important: Tuition is dispersed into monthly installments for the benefit of the families I serve. If lessons are terminated before the end of the season in May, families may still be responsible for the remaining amount due for the full season.
Please understand that tuition covers far more than the time spent with the student during the lesson. Tuition also covers lesson prep time, administrative time, teacher experience, studio expenses, studio scheduling, communications, instrument acquisition and maintenance, office supplies, taxes, insurance, utilities, printing costs, student incentives, among other items and activities. Tuition does NOT cover books or additional materials your child may need. See the following charts for tuition amounts for Summer Session and School Session:
Summer Session (June 1st – August 31st)
45 min lesson - $90.00/month (per child)
60 min lesson - $120.00/month (per child)
School Session (September 1st – May 31st)
45 min lesson - $165/month (per child)
60 min lesson - $220/month (per child)
Tuition is prorated if starting mid-season.
During Summer Session (June-August) students receive 6 “flex” lessons that may be scheduled in advance around your family’s summer plans (I recommend evenly spacing them out and scheduling 2 lessons in June, 2 lessons in July, and 2 lessons in August). During School Session (September-May) students receive 33 regularly scheduled weekly lessons. Students may choose from a 45 or 60 minute lesson.
I mentor, teach, support, and enthusiastically guide each of my students on a fun and engaging musical journey. Each personalized lesson will include a variety of activities such as note-reading, sight-reading, rhythm, scales, proper technique, understanding music theory, ear-training, musical expression, and playing music from different styles including classical, jazz, pop, and many more. My goals are to build strong musicianship skills and to develop efficient practice strategies so that students will be equipped to play any style of music that they choose.
I mentor, teach, support, and enthusiastically guide each of my students on a fun and engaging musical journey. Each personalized lesson will include a variety of activities such as note-reading, sight-reading, rhythm, proper technique, understanding music theory, musical expression, and playing music from different styles including rock, jazz, pop, and many more. My goals are to build strong musicianship skills and to develop efficient practice strategies so that students will be equipped to play any style of music that they choose.
Sure. The initial consultation will take approximately 30-45 minutes. During this time I will go over my studio policy/handbook, discuss with you your musical goals for your child, and answer any questions you may have. I also may conduct a “mini lesson” with your child. Admission into the studio is based upon each family's commitment to achieving a high level of musical skill for the child and if there is a good connection between the student and the teacher.
If I feel we will work well together, I will recommend coming for a 4-week trial month of lessons. The trial month will give us an opportunity to get better acquainted and ensure a “good fit.”
Excellent question. Parents play an absolutely essential role in their child’s success in music lessons. Parent responsibilities are as follows:
Parents must understand that learning to play piano or drums is a long-term academic process, and must be treated as such. (It is like your child learning reading, writing, or math. It is NOT like signing your child up for baseball, cheerleading, or swimming.)
Parents must understand that struggle is a part of learning. Your child will sometimes need to do things he/she may not like in order to learn for the long run, just like any other academic subject.
Parents must see to it that their child attends lessons regularly and arrives on time (absences or arriving late should be very rare).
Parents must put a regularly scheduled daily home practice routine in place for their child and see that the child adheres to it. Daily practice is vital to the child’s success on the instrument.
Parents must be involved their children’s home practice sessions. This means sitting with them during their daily practice to help them stay on task, follow written directions, check progress, etc. Younger students generally need more parental involvement than older students, but, regardless of the student’s age, some amount of parental involvement will always be needed. Like daily practice, parental involvement in home practice is very necessary for the child’s success on the instrument.
Parents must provide a well-maintained, fully functional, quality instrument (in a well-lit, welcoming, comfortable, easy to access location that is free from interruptions and distractions) for their child to practice. A cheap, poor quality, out of tune, or broken down instrument is no fun to play and will hinder your child’s learning and enthusiasm.
Once lessons have begun, parents must be very aware of all of their child’s additional activities and make sure none will conflict with daily practice or lesson attendance. Your child needs the time and energy to practice daily and attend lessons regularly.
Parents must encourage their child and celebrate his/her progress! One of the biggest differences between highly successful students and their struggling counterparts is the amount of parental support and encouragement. Parent’s enthusiasm and commitment to this endeavor is crucial to your child's success. This cannot be emphasized enough.
Parents must understand that learning the piano or drums is a journey, and, like any journey, there will be ups and downs. No matter how much your child enjoys music, there will come a time during the course of taking lessons that your child will say something like, "I don't want to practice," or "I want to quit.” Just be aware that your child's interest will not be consistent; but for your child to be successful, you will need to be consistent in your encouragement and commitment to music instruction. You will need to give your child the support and structure he/she needs to build resilience and continue. Children (teens included!) don’t yet quite have the capacity to strive, persist, and show fortitude. It is up to you to assume this on their behalf and help them carry on. Yes, it may sometimes involve frustration and “nagging” on your part, but teaching a child to stick with something and take the committed route, through thick and thin, is an important life lesson. Would you allow your child to quit math class because they found it difficult, boring, or frustrating? Music lessons must be viewed in the same manner if your child is going to have any chance at success. Remember that while there may be times of struggle, ultimately, when your child is grown and is able to play and enjoy music as an adult, your child will look back and be so glad you encouraged him/her to complete the journey. I've met many adults who regret quitting lessons, but none who regret sticking with it.
Yes. Requirements for students are as follows:
Must be 7-18 years of age when beginning lessons.
Must understand that learning piano/drums is a long-term academic process that takes many years (just like school). It doesn't happen overnight!
Must understand that struggle is a part of learning, and they will sometimes need to do things they may not like in order to learn for the long run, just like any other academic subject.
Must have a well-maintained, fully functional, quality instrument in the home (in a well-lighted, comfortable, easy to access location) on which to practice.
Must be able to attend lessons consistently and on-time.
Must be attentive, courteous, and respectful during lessons.
Must be willing and able to follow instructions during lessons.
Must be willing and able to practice the instrument for a minimum of 5 days a week (preferably 7) for the length of time prescribed by the teacher. (If the student’s schedule does not allow for this, please postpone lessons until sufficient time is available for this consistent practice routine.)
Must keep fingernails trimmed short.
Must remember to bring all materials (music books/binder) to every lesson.
Good question. The most important thing about practice is that it happens every day and that weekly assignments are completed. That being said, this is generally how much time a student should practice daily:
Beginning students: 10-30 minutes a day
Intermediate students: 30-45 minutes a day
Advanced students: 45-60 minutes (or more) a day
Please look on my contact page. At the top will be the most recent update concerning my studio and waitlist status.
Lessons are available Tuesday through Friday between the hours of 4:00pm-7:15pm.
Yes.
In order to begin lessons, students must have a well-maintained, fully functional, quality instrument in the home (in a well-lighted, comfortable, easy to access location) on which to practice.
An acoustic piano is always best; however a digital piano or a keyboard is acceptable provided it is full size, with 88 keys that are touch sensitive and weighted.
If your keyboard is portable, it must sit on a stand and have a sustain pedal (which plugs into the back). If your keyboard does not have built in speakers, you will need to purchase an amplifier for it. (Your child using only headphones will not suffice. Headphones are fine occasionally, but for the most part music should fill the house! You the parent need to hear what your child is working on in order to monitor practice and offer help as needed, and this can’t be done if your child is wearing headphones and you can’t hear your child playing.)
If your keyboard does not have a integrated music stand you will need to purchase a music stand.
Students must also have an adjustable piano bench.
Keep in mind, the quality of your child’s home instrument plays a significant role in their potential for success. A “toy” piano/keyboard, poor quality piano/ keyboard, out of tune piano/keyboard, or a piano/keyboard that has missing keys or keys that will not play properly will not suffice and will hinder your child’s learning and enthusiasm. If you are unable to afford lessons AND a quality instrument, I recommend postponing lessons for six months, and then using the savings to buy something that will be educationally appropriate and that your child will be excited to play.
Yes.
In order to begin lessons, students must have a well-maintained, fully-functional, quality instrument in the home (in a well-lighted, comfortable, easy to access location) on which to practice.
For the first several months of lessons a snare drum, drum sticks, a drummer’s throne (seat), and a music stand will do. However, once the student “graduates” to the drum set, then the student needs a full drum set (electric or acoustic) at home to use in practicing.
The drum set should have a bass drum (with a reasonable quality bass drum pedal), snare drum, at least one mounted tom, a floor tom, a hi-hat, a ride cymbal, a crash cymbal, a drummer’s throne, and all the appropriate accessories (such as drum and cymbal stands) that go along with these items.
Because the student will be drumming along with play-a-long recordings, the student also needs a music player (I recommend a CD player “boom box”) that is loud enough for the student to hear the music over his or her own playing.
The student will also need a reasonable quality music stand.
Keep in mind, the quality of your child’s home instrument plays a significant role in their potential for success. A cheap, poor quality, or broken down instrument is no fun to play and will hinder your child’s learning and enthusiasm. If you are unable to afford lessons AND a quality instrument, I recommend postponing lessons for six months, and then using the savings to buy something that will be educationally appropriate and that your child will be excited to play.
Excellent question. Learning piano or drums is not something your child is going to do for a short time, gain an easily learned skill, and then move on. It requires years of “stick-with-it-ness” to get real results.
At the very least, I ask all students to commit to 39 lessons from June-May (6 Summer Session lessons and 33 School Session lessons). However, in order for lessons to be worth the time and money invested, your child should continue with lessons until both of the following conditions are met:
Your child has reached at least intermediate level skill. This is the skill level that can bring a lifetime of satisfaction at the instrument and is the skill level where music really starts to become fun! In my experience, very little is retained long-term if children withdraw from lessons before reaching the intermediate level.
Your child has graduated high school. Before discontinuing lessons it is imperative that your child possess the ability to progress independently. I have found that by the time students graduate high school, they have typically developed the maturity and self-discipline to be able to continue their musical journey on their own.
Note: Students—provided they started lessons at an early age—usually have reached or surpassed intermediate skill level by the time they graduate high school. However, if students began lessons a little later—in their mid-teens, for example—they may have not yet reached intermediate level at the time of high school graduation. Though I primarily work with the 7-18 age group, I do allow students, if they so desire and their schedule allows it, to continue with me after high school graduation until intermediate level is attained.