The Piano Practice Curriculum

*We study the four musical periods - Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Contemporary - and their composers. Students play a piece from each period.

*Scales, theory and technique are utilized in every lesson. Computer games are used occasionally to test a student's knowledge of theory.

*Two recitals are held each year at no cost to parents.

*For late elementary students and above, the first few months are spent learning how to compose music. What better way to learn theory than using it's practical application! The compositions are put on a CD and a book is created and made available for purchase at the final recital.

*The rest of the year focuses on learning a challenging piece to be performed at the year-end recital.

*The studio is transformed to include a total of four pianos. Each student is paired with another student to learn a duet. After practicing on their own, they come together at our once-a-month group lessons to rehearse together.

*For ensembles, each student is paired with a small group of students of similar ability. Each is assigned a different instrument from an orchestra and plays that part on their piano. This year has become a student favorite!

*The studio is transformed to include a total of four pianos. Each student is paired with another student to learn a duet. After practicing their respective parts, they come together at the once-a-month group lessons to practice together.

*Each student is assigned to a group of students of similar ability. They are given an ensemble piece to learn. An ensemble is a group of 4-6 students who are each assigned a different instrument from an orchestra. They play this instrument on the piano. They practice together at the group lesson each month. This has become a favorite year for the students!