Good Ideas to Start the Year

Even if you have had lessons before, there is a need for a few reminders.  I hope these ideas will help you as much as they help me.

TIPS TO GET THE MOST OUT OF PIANO LESSONS

Arrive on time for all lessons. Attend all lessons.

Always bring all materials, including assignment notebook. For most students, this works best by having a bag specifically set aside for piano books. Students, not parents, should pack their bags the day of or day before lessons. Be responsible for what you bring.

 Keep your home instrument in good working order. If you don’t have an acoustic piano, get one or begin budgeting for one now. Have it tuned by a reputable technician.

Schedule a regular practice time, and hold your child accountable to that time. Practicing should be a routine (like chores / brushing teeth /etc.), not a constant battle. Many students thrive by practicing in the morning before school. If your child’s practice time doesn’t seem to be working, consider why - is he hungry? tired? - and try another time of day. Remember that one of our jobs as parents is to help our children form healthy habits. It may take 2-3 weeks of consistent reminders to form a new practice habit.

Check in with your child’s practice. This doesn’t mean you must practice with him/her. Simply ask your child a couple of times throughout the week,” Are you reading your notebook? or What does your notebook say about that piece?”

Sit in on your child’s lesson once per semester to see how things are going. Check in regularly with your child’s teacher to keep in touch. If you have a repertoire suggestion, by all means offer it. If you notice your child particularly enjoying some part of piano, by all means share!

 Offer positive feedback on your child’s practicing when you hear improvement. Rather than criticizing mistakes, try asking questions like, “Do you think slow practice would help on that section?”

 Remember that most practice sessions won't sound like a concert. Students will often need to repeat small sections of music to get better at them. You may be tired of hearing the same thing again and again. That’s ok.

Avoid commenting on your distaste of a piece that is in progress since it is  hard to judge how wonderful a piece will sound when it’s brand new! Your child takes cues from you and (in most cases) will not be motivated to play a piece about which you have been negative.

 Encourage your child to review old pieces  frequently , and have your child perform regularly for you, grandparents, friends, relatives, etc. If you have older relatives living in a retirement facility that has a piano, ask if your child can play for them there - they usually love it!

Have students watch themselves perform or practice. They might be surprised by what they hear! It’s also easy to share video of performances (at home or elsewhere) with friends and family out of town via youtube or similar sites. Take your child to live musical performances of all genres. There is very little in this world that rivals good, live, musical performance.