Piano Lessons in Renton, WA

Instruments: Piano Voice Keyboard

Why did you choose your primary instrument?
I always loved piano. My parents both played and when I was three, we got a big old upright and I immediately started playing songs by ear. I also always loved to sing. But I did not start studying voice till college after discontinuing trumpet. I heard the other voice majors practicing art songs and opera arias in different languages, and I wanted to do that. So I changed my major to voice.

Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
My high school band director was a phenomenal musician. I was a trumpet player and the only girl. (I don't play any more, so I don't teach trumpet.) I was always first chair; he never discriminated based on gender. So I developed confidence in my playing.

When will I start to see results?
You will begin to see results immediately, but if you are an adult learner, you might have unrealistic expectations. Keep in mind that adults can reason and analyze better than children and that most adults cover material much faster than children do. So don't get discouraged at first, when your brain is first learning to coordinate your eyes, hands, voice, etc. Give it at least six months and observe how far you have come.

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
Before a child can read, music lessons should just involve "play" - singing, improvisation, dancing, playing rhythm instruments. Most children are ready to begin reading music around the age of 8, some a little earlier. Always present music lessons as a fun activity, without giving your child a sense pressure. You may need to be physically present and support your child during practice, Always stay positive. Let the child progress at the pace they choose. If your child is begging for lessons, definitely start lessons then.

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Schedule regular practice times, but also allow yourself to practice spontaneously. Spend a few minutes relaxing and/or improvising before you begin. Practice in short, regular sessions, and take breaks if doing longer sessions. Throughout your practicing, refresh your posture and stretch. Breathe. Your practice goals will differ depending on where you are in a piece of music. Sometimes you will need to practice small section; don't just run through a piece over and over again or you will 'program in' errors. Let yourself do a runthrough at the end of your sessions if you want; otherwise save run-throughs for after you have mastered technical difficulties. When you get close to a performance, imagine you are playing for an audience. Always encourage yourself. When you make errors, just let it register without being hard on yourself. Then calmly try again. Repetition is your friend if you take time to reflect between repetitions. There is so much more to say about practicing - I need to write a book about it!

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