PRACTICE

How much practicing is required?

Because I see music study as language acquisition, I think it’s very important to:

  • 1. Set up a regular time of day, with as minimal interruptions as possible

  • 2. Start daily with scales to focus thinking

  • 3. Practicing should start at 15 minutes per day for the youngest beginners, adding 5-10 minutes per year of continued study.

  • 4. Part of the lesson time weekly will be to address issues that arise at home around practicing, i.e. motivations, balance with high school demands, problem solving.

Which method books do I prefer?

For the beginner, I prefer Donald Waxman Pageants series, along with Julie Johnson Preparatory Theory book. Other books I might suggest are: Celebration Harris Perspectives, Beyer, Piano Town, Faber Adult. 

For students who are transferring from another teacher, I will generally try to stay with the books already in progress, unless they are Bastien or Alfred series books. I will recommend some new books, Clementi, Schumann, Bach based on the student’s experience and preference.