A typical lesson starts with a quick talk about how the week’s practice has gone. This way my content and approach is relevant. I teach the ‘ingredients’ of any new music with a range of varied activities, before opening the book! This is a powerful and fun way of learning.
I plan lessons designed to develop musicianship skills in these key areas: sight-reading/theory, listening, creativity, technique, performing and playing with others. With teenagers, I like to:
Every lesson aims to include something new. We finish by , summarising ideas and setting targets for the coming week.
Individuals respond to different ways of motivating them, so I don’t employ a one size fits all method. A few ways of motivating my teenage students to practise are:
Once my students have laid down good solid foundations in playing, reading and listening, I encourage them to start taking practical examinations in piano, with either the ABRSM or Trinity College examination boards. I also teach theory as part of the lessons.
Many of my students achieve very high marks in their exams and enjoy the sense of pride of having recognition they’ve reached a certain level. Taking exams can be a great motivator. I like to make sure that my students have a fantastic all-round musical education and really positive exam experiences when the time is right for them, rather than a conveyor-belt approach to exams. In between the grades, I give a broad range of pieces and develop all their musical skills to take them to the next level.
Every child is different, but very generally I’ve found that from age 7 children have the concentration, physical and mental skills to get the most out of ‘formal’ individual lessons.
I offer 30, 45 and 60 minute lessons. Most children start off with 30 minutes, and I would reccommend that once they begin work on graded music exams, a 45 minute lesson is ideal to cover all the aspects of the exam requirements.
Acoustic (‘real’) pianos are ideal, as they have full keyboards with fully weighted keys. This gets more important the more advanced the student is! Digital pianos can be a more affordable and reliable alternative- make sure it has a full keyboard (88 keys) and fully weighted keys, with a sturdy stand. Keyboards are ok for the very first few lessons but are essentially a very different instrument from pianos. I ask all my students to have regular access to an instrument to practice on before starting lessons with me.
Most children come weekly at the same time, to fit in with their other activities and routine. You then have your own ‘slot’, but if you need to swap I’ll do my best to arrange this for you. I combine my private teaching with school-based tuition, so all term-time lessons take place after-school and Saturday mornings.
Older students and adults sometimes prefer to come fortnightly or less frequently, and for these students I have a few slots that I rotate between students.
I enjoy a very busy teaching diary, so all lessons take place in my home in West Didsbury. I hope you’ll find it a comfortable, welcoming and spacious environment to learn in, away from home distractions. It is well-equipped with a lovely Schimmel upright piano (and fully adjustable stool and footstool for the littlest of legs!) for you to play, and lots of additional resources at my disposal to tailor lessons to each student.
Quality and enthusiastic practice is more important than clock-watching. It really depends on the age of your child and the level they’re at. Regular practice (aiming for daily, but practically at least 4 times a week) is so important to maintain progress and enjoyment. Please consider whether your teen has the time and space in their life to commit to this before embarking on lessons. By now, you won’t really need to be sitting with them whilst they practise, but support, encouragement and providing them with a suitable environment to practise in go a long way!
A typical lesson starts with a quick talk about how the week’s practice has gone. This way my content and approach is relevant. I teach the ‘ingredients’ of any new music with a range of varied activities, before opening the book! This is a powerful and fun way of learning.
I plan lessons designed to develop musicianship skills in these key areas: sight-reading/theory, listening, creativity, technique, performing and playing with others. With teenagers, I like to:
Every lesson aims to include something new. We finish by , summarising ideas and setting targets for the coming week.
Individuals respond to different ways of motivating them, so I don’t employ a one size fits all method. A few ways of motivating my teenage students to practise are:
Once my students have laid down good solid foundations in playing, reading and listening, I encourage them to start taking practical examinations in piano, with either the ABRSM or Trinity College examination boards. I also teach theory as part of the lessons.
Many of my students achieve very high marks in their exams and enjoy the sense of pride of having recognition they’ve reached a certain level. Taking exams can be a great motivator. I like to make sure that my students have a fantastic all-round musical education and really positive exam experiences when the time is right for them, rather than a conveyor-belt approach to exams. In between the grades, I give a broad range of pieces and develop all their musical skills to take them to the next level.
Every child is different, but very generally I’ve found that from age 7 children have the concentration, physical and mental skills to get the most out of ‘formal’ individual lessons.
I offer 30, 45 and 60 minute lessons. Most children start off with 30 minutes, and I would reccommend that once they begin work on graded music exams, a 45 minute lesson is ideal to cover all the aspects of the exam requirements.
Acoustic (‘real’) pianos are ideal, as they have full keyboards with fully weighted keys. This gets more important the more advanced the student is! Digital pianos can be a more affordable and reliable alternative- make sure it has a full keyboard (88 keys) and fully weighted keys, with a sturdy stand. Keyboards are ok for the very first few lessons but are essentially a very different instrument from pianos. I ask all my students to have regular access to an instrument to practice on before starting lessons with me.
Most children come weekly at the same time, to fit in with their other activities and routine. You then have your own ‘slot’, but if you need to swap I’ll do my best to arrange this for you. I combine my private teaching with school-based tuition, so all term-time lessons take place after-school and Saturday mornings.
Older students and adults sometimes prefer to come fortnightly or less frequently, and for these students I have a few slots that I rotate between students.
I enjoy a very busy teaching diary, so all lessons take place in my home in West Didsbury. I hope you’ll find it a comfortable, welcoming and spacious environment to learn in, away from home distractions. It is well-equipped with a lovely Schimmel upright piano (and fully adjustable stool and footstool for the littlest of legs!) for you to play, and lots of additional resources at my disposal to tailor lessons to each student.
Quality and enthusiastic practice is more important than clock-watching. It really depends on the age of your child and the level they’re at. Regular practice (aiming for daily, but practically at least 4 times a week) is so important to maintain progress and enjoyment. Please consider whether your teen has the time and space in their life to commit to this before embarking on lessons. By now, you won’t really need to be sitting with them whilst they practise, but support, encouragement and providing them with a suitable environment to practise in go a long way!