ART PIANO - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How long should my lesson be?
Recommended lesson lengths are as follows:

  • 30 minutes for Elementary ages (pre-k to grade 6),
  • 45 minutes for Middle School (grades 7-9),
  • 60 minutes for High School students and Adults.

    • Am I committed to taking lessons for the whole school year?  No.  However, if a student is planning to terminate their lessons, a month's notice is preferred. Also, once tuition is paid, it is non-refundable.

    How can I get my child to practice?
    Good practice habits need to be established when the student begins lessons.  This regularity of discipline is more important than sheer natural abilities which give great results only in the beginning stages of study.
  • Have a "routine" that surrounds practicing (right before or after a meal or other daily activity)
  • Keep a chart or other incentive program.  Even if it is something simple such as a "Piano Calendar" onto which a sticker is placed for each practice session.  This works for adults, too!

    • How much practicing is necessary? It depends on your goals.  It is important not to get caught up in the number of minutes and setting timers, though sometimes it is helpful for planning purposes.  Five minutes of focused practice is better than 20 minutes of soggy fingers.  Generally, the daily practice should be about the length of your weekly lesson.  It is sometimes more productive to split the practice up and have two sessions in a single day.  Increased frequency of practice has tremendous benefits over sporadic albeit long sessions at the piano.

    Can parents attend lessons?  YES!  In fact this is strongly encouraged.  Parents who sit in on lessons are able to help their children's practice sessions stay productive especially for younger beginners who need help reading assignments and remembering what was taught in the lesson.  For middle school aged students parents should at least eavesdrop from the next room to increase their awareness of  lesson progress.  This also helps to keep the communication flowing between the parent, teacher and student during these critical years of transition into young adulthood.  For many students "visitors" can provide the very positive effects of audience stimulation. 
    What about younger siblings?      This too is strongly encouraged as it provides natural incentive for younger players and budding musicians.  For very young siblings, however, if it becomes distracting to the student, it might be necessary to limit the "visiting time".

    Please email us your questions!