Lesson Fee
$40 for a 30-min private lesson
$80 for a 60-min private lesson
$80 monthly for 40-min weekly group piano lesson at Tritone Music School.
$80 for a 60-min private lesson
$80 monthly for 40-min weekly group piano lesson at Tritone Music School.
Teaching Area: classical piano, jazz improvisation, theory, aural dictation, composition and arranging
4 Main Cores of Piano Lessons
1. One song from published piano music
All students are required to learn how to read piano music because this expands a lot of possibilities. Various styles are available. Adult students who can already read and want to learn jazz may skip this section.
2. One song with chords (by lead sheets, or copied by ear)
Knowing harmony structure is key to great musicianship. I encourage all my students to learn how to play with chords. No matter what genre students are studying, this skill builds foundation to step up to the next level. A student may pick his/her favorite songs to learn. After finishing basic ear training, students will learn their favorite songs by ear, and we will help to create a lead sheet and come up with an arrangement.
3.Keyboard skill - scale, intervals, cadence, arpeggio, inversion, transposing
I create excises with an emphasis on ear training and technical skills. For beginners, I use my own method book called "Music Math Drill," published by Tritone Music School. The book has systematic approach to teach scales and harmony progressions in different keys, by having actual applications to musical excerpts and examples.
4. Repertoire
Repetition is key for a good player. Each student will have a list of repertoire, and we always come back to the songs our students learned in the past. A student's real level of musicianship ultimately gets revealed by the capacity of repertoire. We discuss how to recall certain parts of songs, and ensure to incorporate much needed keyboard skill along the way.
All students are required to learn how to read piano music because this expands a lot of possibilities. Various styles are available. Adult students who can already read and want to learn jazz may skip this section.
2. One song with chords (by lead sheets, or copied by ear)
Knowing harmony structure is key to great musicianship. I encourage all my students to learn how to play with chords. No matter what genre students are studying, this skill builds foundation to step up to the next level. A student may pick his/her favorite songs to learn. After finishing basic ear training, students will learn their favorite songs by ear, and we will help to create a lead sheet and come up with an arrangement.
3.Keyboard skill - scale, intervals, cadence, arpeggio, inversion, transposing
I create excises with an emphasis on ear training and technical skills. For beginners, I use my own method book called "Music Math Drill," published by Tritone Music School. The book has systematic approach to teach scales and harmony progressions in different keys, by having actual applications to musical excerpts and examples.
4. Repertoire
Repetition is key for a good player. Each student will have a list of repertoire, and we always come back to the songs our students learned in the past. A student's real level of musicianship ultimately gets revealed by the capacity of repertoire. We discuss how to recall certain parts of songs, and ensure to incorporate much needed keyboard skill along the way.
About Group Lessons
From my experience with Tritone Music School group lessons, I discovered beginners generally do better in group settings for the following reasons:
1. Fun environment with classmates
2. A little competitions within classmates in positive way
3. Repertoire practice gives a real meaning by playing for the classmates
4. Fosters independence by having individual practice time. Fosters responsibility to follow instructions and assignments.
5. Fosters a good sense of rhythm by playing together.
6. Boosts confidence by helping newcomers.
7. Affordability for parents as long term commitment.
I highly recommend to consider group lessons. All group students receive direct instruction from me, with help of an assistant teacher.
1. Fun environment with classmates
2. A little competitions within classmates in positive way
3. Repertoire practice gives a real meaning by playing for the classmates
4. Fosters independence by having individual practice time. Fosters responsibility to follow instructions and assignments.
5. Fosters a good sense of rhythm by playing together.
6. Boosts confidence by helping newcomers.
7. Affordability for parents as long term commitment.
I highly recommend to consider group lessons. All group students receive direct instruction from me, with help of an assistant teacher.
Materials For Lessons
I believe it is a teacher's responsibility to teach students about supporting musicians and people who work for the music industry. Photocopying sheet music and burning CDs are illegal. I do not use any photocopied music in my lessons. You must purchase sheet music for lesson and performance use.
Because of the nature of my lesson's study, students do not need to buy any lead sheets (except jazz fake books for jazz lessons). Instead, I ask my students to legally own a CD or mp3 of the source we are learning. If it is your, or your child's, favorite song, you must buy it and support the artist!
Because of the nature of my lesson's study, students do not need to buy any lead sheets (except jazz fake books for jazz lessons). Instead, I ask my students to legally own a CD or mp3 of the source we are learning. If it is your, or your child's, favorite song, you must buy it and support the artist!
Practice and Assignments
Please encourage your child to practice in a positive manner. Please encourage your child to play piano at least 5 days a week. Short practice every day is much more effective than one long practice. Please be informed that the most effective time to practice is right after a lesson and the following day, rather than right before a lesson. Also, please make lots of requests to play the songs your child learned in the past, and always praise his/her performance. Family is the best audience, and children will get motivated to play.
On the other hand, I respect children's independence. I prefer parents not to get involved in assignments. If parents correct their child’s mistakes all the time, often I cannot tell how much their child can actually read music and understand music theory. Let the child have some mistakes, so that I can really see what needs to be done as a whole, rather than a quick fix. It's important for a child to learn on their own without "spoon-feeding."
It's ok not to finish an assignment that your child is having a problem with, or cannot do independently yet. I will positively discuss with him/her what is comfortable and fun to practice, and try to find the best way to plan assignments. In the long run, this will save you time, and your child becomes a better learner. He/she naturally develops a sense of responsibility and self-confidence, and as a result, starts to listen better in lessons.
On the other hand, I respect children's independence. I prefer parents not to get involved in assignments. If parents correct their child’s mistakes all the time, often I cannot tell how much their child can actually read music and understand music theory. Let the child have some mistakes, so that I can really see what needs to be done as a whole, rather than a quick fix. It's important for a child to learn on their own without "spoon-feeding."
It's ok not to finish an assignment that your child is having a problem with, or cannot do independently yet. I will positively discuss with him/her what is comfortable and fun to practice, and try to find the best way to plan assignments. In the long run, this will save you time, and your child becomes a better learner. He/she naturally develops a sense of responsibility and self-confidence, and as a result, starts to listen better in lessons.