What is the difference between semi-private and group lessons?Private, as the name suggests,
is a private piano lesson.
Semi-private is for 2-3 students
I designed the semi-private lesson
to make music lessons more affordable
for families with more than one child.
Brother and sister or cousins can learn together.
Mom and/or Dad can learn with their child/children.
A grandparent can learn music
with their grandchild/grandchildren.
As a teacher, what are your expectations?
I expect students to arrive on time for their lessons.
I expect students to bring their materials.
I expect students to be courteous and respectful,
both of their teacher and of the pianos/keyboards.
What happens if a student forgets their book/materials?
If I have a book available
they may use that for the lesson.
However,
they may not write notes
in any book I may have available.
It's very important for them to remember their materials
as the student or I will make important notations as needed.
If I do not have a book available for use
we will spend the lesson time
on scales and finger exercises
(which are normally a part of lesson anyway).
I am not prepared for my lesson.
I didn't practice much this week.
Should I skip class and not come until next week?
I understand that there may be many reasons
why a student may not get enough practice time in each week.
I, myself, came from a family with five children
with a father who worked swing shift,
which meant he slept during the day some weeks.
And back in my day,
electronic instruments with headsets
just weren't an option for practicing.
And with today's busy lifestyle,
I understand that there's not always enough time for practice.
But please,
do come,
even if you didn't practice.
One of the things about learning to play the piano
is learning how to make the best of practice time.
You see,
it's not always about trying to fit practice time
into your busy schedule.
Sometimes
it's just about the quality of your practice time.
And sometimes
what you need are the correct practice skills.
If you didn't practice too much this week
this may be the opportune time
to brush up on good practice technique at your lesson.
Besides,
you'll quickly find
that I am not the piano teacher who scolds and gets angry.
I want you to enjoy music as much as I do.
Please be aware
that I know some weeks the lesson will go better than others.
That's just the nature of things.
My child is coming to lessons right after school.
Is it all right to bring a snack?
Sorry.
Absolutely no food or drink
is allowed at the keyboards and pianos.
If a child arrives with gum/candy/food/snack
they will be asked to put it away
until after class.
If they arrive eating
(chips, for example)
they will be asked to wash their hands
before sitting down to piano/keyboard.
What if I can't make the lesson?
Can you reschedule the lesson?
A make-up lesson for a missed lesson will only be given
if you have to miss due to an illness or some sort of emergency.
Please note that we do not give refunds.
You are paying to reserve your studio time.
Make up lessons are offered
when there is a 5th week in the month.
This means that you can only make up a missed lesson
about once every 3 months or so.
If you miss more than that
you will lose your lesson
(and your money) for that day.
If you must cancel your lesson,
please give a 24 hour advance notice.
Please note that the make-up lesson
will not necessarily be held
at your normal lesson day or time.
What if the teacher must cancel the lesson?
If I have some sort of emergency
and find that I must cancel a lesson
I will do my best to reschedule that lesson ASAP.
If this is not possible,
I will adjust your fees for the following month.
What are the benefits of semi-private / group piano lessons?
First of all, it can make the lessons much more affordable,
especially with more than one student in the family.
Another benefit is, like any classroom setting,
students may learn from each other.
Students also tend to be more relaxed in a group setting.
It's often easier for a student
when they see someone else is learning the same piece,
or struggling with the same piece, as it were!
Can we share the semi-private lesson
with another family
to help make classes more affordable?
If there is another family willing to do that
you may share the semi-private lesson.
However,
there are certain regulations we MUST abide by.
Please contact me
and I will explain this in detail.
Please remember that a semi-private
is for 3 students maximum.
Do you teach piano for groups of more than 4 students?
I would be open to teaching groups of up to 8 students,
however, there are requirements that must be met.
It may be necessary to offer such a group lesson
in another venue,
like a church social hall, for example.
I am open to such an endeavor
and I do have the instruments available
to offer just such a class if there is an interest.
Please contact me for more information about group piano lessons.
I've never seen group piano lessons before.
Do you have experience in that type of class?
Yes, I do.
I've taught group lessons for several years now
in Detroit at COMPAS(Center of Music and Performing Arts Southwest).
I also taught at the Garage Cultural,
Center of Music and Visual Arts,
which is also located in the city of Detroit.
Each Students learns at their own pace
and headsets are used when necessary
to help with concentration.
Group classes can get noisy!
Like any classroom setting,
students often learn from one another.
The group lesson can be a much more relaxed setting,
a much more fun setting.
Do contact me if you are interested
in learning more about hosting
or being part of
a group piano lesson.
Why do you call your studio "Little Piano House?"
Since we first moved to the City of Wyandotte
we have always called it "La Casita,"
which in Spanish means Little House.
Our home studio
is actually a small house located on our property
just behind the main house.
Traditionally, I believe,
these small houses are called in-laws quarters.
Once I put the pianos in the little house
to form our home studio
we quickly started calling it
the "Little Piano House."
The little house
is our creative studio, our creative space.
And now we share our "Little House" with you
to share the gift of music,
the art of learning to play the piano.
Where are you located?
The Little Piano House Studio
is actually my home studio.
It is located in the City of Wyandotte
near Wyandotte's Roosevelt High School.
You can contact me for more information.
