COVID-19 Guidelines
Please do not come into the building if you are feeling unwell or if someone in your household has or has been exposed to covid. Choose an online or asynchronous lesson instead. Please visit www.MacPhail.org for the most up-to-date covid guidelines.
Practicing
It's probably no surprise that I love to practice; there is so much amazing music I want to play! But like many kids, I didn't always want to practice when I was younger, so I really do understand when students find it difficult to practice. During lessons, students learn to practice effectively so piano can be the rewarding, creative outlet we all want it to be!
It's important to make regular practice part of your daily routine. Make sure the space around the piano is organized, well-lit, and comfortable. Look at the assignment sheet and plan out the week's practice schedule. Parents, check in a few times during the week and listen to the assignment. If you don't know much about music, that's OK - just show interest. Play classical music in the background at home and attend concerts as a family. See the Resources page to access Spotify playlists created for students in my studio.
Students, at each lesson you will receive a personalized assignment sheet listing goals and practice suggestions for the week. Please refer to this sheet often. Every piece we play moves through three basic stages:
Let's be honest: 30 minutes of unfocused time at the piano is not practicing. Keeping a Practice Journal can promote engaged, creative, focused, positive practice by helping students identify goals, develop self-assessment and problem-solving skills, and increase students' ownership of their musical journey. Read more about Practice Journals by downloading the appropriate PDF below.
It's important to make regular practice part of your daily routine. Make sure the space around the piano is organized, well-lit, and comfortable. Look at the assignment sheet and plan out the week's practice schedule. Parents, check in a few times during the week and listen to the assignment. If you don't know much about music, that's OK - just show interest. Play classical music in the background at home and attend concerts as a family. See the Resources page to access Spotify playlists created for students in my studio.
Students, at each lesson you will receive a personalized assignment sheet listing goals and practice suggestions for the week. Please refer to this sheet often. Every piece we play moves through three basic stages:
- The Basics: rhythm, notes, & fingering
- Refining the Sound: dynamics & articulation
- Artistry: expression & tempo
Let's be honest: 30 minutes of unfocused time at the piano is not practicing. Keeping a Practice Journal can promote engaged, creative, focused, positive practice by helping students identify goals, develop self-assessment and problem-solving skills, and increase students' ownership of their musical journey. Read more about Practice Journals by downloading the appropriate PDF below.
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Instrument
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Every student must have a piano in their home. A high-quality digital piano is an acceptable alternative to an acoustic instrument. I myself have a Kawai digital piano in my own home. Kawai's CN, CA, and DG lines are excellent instruments which should serve any piano student well for many years. If you plan to purchase a digital piano, be sure it has 88 touch-sensitive, weighted keys and a functioning set of pedals (una corda and damper). Cheaper keyboards (with fewer keys, no pedals, etc.) are not appropriate for piano study.
Acoustic instruments purchased from a reputable music store (such as Schmitt Music) will last a lifetime and beyond with proper care. If you choose to obtain a piano from another source (such as an auction or Craigslist), it is wise to pay a professional to look over the instrument first. Acoustic pianos should be tuned at least twice a year (when the weather changes). See the Resources page for a list of qualified tuners and technicians. |
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Supply List
If you are a new to my studio but have played piano before, please bring all the books you have used in the past year to your first lesson.
For Online Lessons, please keep the following by the piano:
Students participating in Crescendo should purchase a copy of The Royal Conservatory of Music Piano Technique Book, 2008 edition, published by Frederick Harris Music.
I encourage all students to use Spotify, with or without a paid subscription. I've created several Spotify playlists for students, which may be accessed via links on the Resources page.
For Online Lessons, please keep the following by the piano:
- All your piano books and sheet music
- Sharpened pencils with good erasers (NOT PENS)
- Colored pencils
- Post-it notes
- 3 dice
- A deck of cards
- 8-12 Legos, coins, erasers, or other small manipulatives that can be placed on the piano keys without falling through the cracks
- A plastic, Solo-type cup for rhythm work
- A metronome
- A music dictionary (I like the Essential Dictionary of Music published by Alfred, but any "pocket" dictionary of musical terms will work)
Students participating in Crescendo should purchase a copy of The Royal Conservatory of Music Piano Technique Book, 2008 edition, published by Frederick Harris Music.
I encourage all students to use Spotify, with or without a paid subscription. I've created several Spotify playlists for students, which may be accessed via links on the Resources page.
Student Absences
Because specific times are reserved for specific students and my teaching schedule is full, a student who does not attend a lesson will simply miss the benefit of that lesson. Be assured your tuition pays for far more than the actual lesson time; I will use that time to plan for students' progress, research materials, reply to parent emails, etc. There are no refunds, discounts, or makeups given unless I am unable to teach the promised number of lessons. If you must miss a lesson, please let me know in advance and consider one of the following options:
Live Online Lessons: You are always welcome to have a live online lesson via Zoom at your regularly-scheduled lesson time. Simply email me in advance to make arrangements.
Asynchronous Video Lessons (aka Email Lessons): Prior to the lesson you will miss, email me audio or video of the student playing the week's assignment. Send pictures or scans of any assigned workbook pages, as well as any questions you have about the assignment. During your regular lesson time, I will provide written and/or video feedback and a new assignment. Please use Google Drive or YouTube to share videos with me, as the files will be too large for email.
Self-Guided Lessons: My primary goal as a teacher is to train students to be independent learners. A self-guided lesson is an excellent opportunity for students to show how much they've learned! Set aside a block of additional practice time the length of the lesson. If your child is young, ask them to show you how I have them practice in the lesson (be sure to reference their assignment sheet). Students can keep a written practice journal using these ideas in addition to those in the PDFs above:
Live Online Lessons: You are always welcome to have a live online lesson via Zoom at your regularly-scheduled lesson time. Simply email me in advance to make arrangements.
Asynchronous Video Lessons (aka Email Lessons): Prior to the lesson you will miss, email me audio or video of the student playing the week's assignment. Send pictures or scans of any assigned workbook pages, as well as any questions you have about the assignment. During your regular lesson time, I will provide written and/or video feedback and a new assignment. Please use Google Drive or YouTube to share videos with me, as the files will be too large for email.
Self-Guided Lessons: My primary goal as a teacher is to train students to be independent learners. A self-guided lesson is an excellent opportunity for students to show how much they've learned! Set aside a block of additional practice time the length of the lesson. If your child is young, ask them to show you how I have them practice in the lesson (be sure to reference their assignment sheet). Students can keep a written practice journal using these ideas in addition to those in the PDFs above:
- Set a specific goal for the practice session/piece/section. “I want to get better at the song” is not a specific goal. “I will solidify the right hand fingering so that I can play the right notes, rhythm, and fingering at a steady tempo” is a specific goal. Ask yourself, "What is the next step for this piece?" Record the piece and listen to it, making notes in your score as you do so.
- Make a specific practice plan. “I’ll play it a few times” is not a practice plan. “I will say the fingering out loud, then play the passage with the metronome slow to fast to be sure I've got it" is a practice plan!
- Follow your practice plan.
- Evaluate your progress. Did your plan work? Do you hear a change? If not, what else can you try?
- Plan tomorrow’s practice. Based on what you accomplished today, what will your goals be tomorrow?
Illness
If your child is too sick for school, they are too sick for piano lessons. Please choose one of the options above if your child is ill.
Teacher Absences
I am committed to my students and will make every effort to be ready to teach at your lesson time. In cases of severe weather, illness, or family emergency, I reserve the right to teach online. Any lessons I miss that cannot be taught online will be rescheduled or refunded. If you decline the offer of an online lesson at your regularly scheduled lesson time, no further make up or refund will be offered.
Fall 2021 Studio Policies - Printable File
| Studio Policies Fall 2021 |