Music

Music is a universal language that elicits many different emotions. Creating music, whether you write it, play it, or sing it can be a very satisfying, rewarding, and uplifting experience. In my opinion, music, like art, is good for the soul. My instrument of choice is the piano. I love to play it and I love to teach others how to play it.

I went to school in that wonderful time when art and music were an important part of the public school curriculum. I know it’s a sign that I’m getting older when I say, “Those were the good old days”! We put on light operas and musicals and had a wonderful time. It brought students together in a positive, creative way. I believe every student should have the opportunity to delve into the wonderful world of music if they choose to do so. I know it helped build my self-confidence, which was sadly lacking when I was a child. It lit up my youth as nothing else. Perhaps it can do the same for your child…or for you. Piano lessons are not just for children…they are for anyone who has wanted to play the piano and has decided to “go for it”!

If you have a child who expresses an interest in music, I encourage you to nurture that interest by finding a suitable teacher. If you are an adult who thinks it is too late to learn to play an instrument, please reconsider. It’s not too late. It can add a new, creative dimension to your life.

I teach Piano lessons and Decorative Painting lessons (classes) in my home, located in a Los Angeles suburb called Hacienda Heights, California. My home is less than a mile South of the Hacienda Blvd. exit from the 60 Freeway. Please see the Contacts page if you would like to get in touch with me. The following cities (or parts of) are within 10 miles of our home:

Arcadia	Covina	Glendora	La Puente	Placentia	Santa Fe Springs
Azusa	Diamond Bar	City of Industry	Montebello	Pomona	Temple City
Baldwin Park	Downey	La Habra	Monterey Park	Rosemead	Walnut
Buena Park	El Monte	La Habra Heights	Norwalk	Rowland Heights	West Covina
Cerritos	Fullerton	La Mirada	Pico Rivera	San Gabriel	Whittier

I speak English and, unfortunately am not bilingual. This is something potential students need to know.

PIANO LESSONS – MY WAY

1. "Get to Know You" meeting This is the first step and it's free!. Whether the potential student is a child or an adult, this free meeting is extremely helpful. It gives us a chance to get together and chat, ask questions, discuss goals, and basically acquire enough knowledge about each other to help us make our decision...to start piano lessons or not. Usually these meetings last from 20-30 minutes.

What I need to learn from this meeting before I accept a student: (1) Is the student ready to start piano lessons (e.g., maturity, hand size, etc.)? (2) Do I think our personalities are such that we'll enjoy working together? (3) Does the prospective student seem to have a real interest in taking piano lessons? (4) Is he or she willing to commit to practicing on a regular basis, or do outside activities make this impossible? (5) Is the parent or guardian willing to attend each piano lesson and become involved in the learning process along with their child? (6) Does the student have a piano or an appropriate electronic keyboard (synthesizer)? The optimum electronic keyboard should have a full-sized keyboard, keyboard dynamics (this means when you press the keys hard and it sounds loud...press them softly, and it sounds soft). It also requires a music holder, pedal, bench (preferably one that is adjustable to suit the height of the student).

Note: I would be happy to refer you to a reputable business that rents and sells pianos if you don't have one. If you prefer an electronic keyboard, I can provide you with in-depth written information to help you select the appropriate keyboard. If you wish, I might be able to accompany you to the store to help you make your selection.

2. From experience, I've learned that a 45-minute lesson is an ideal length for most students unless they are 7 years old or less, or have a medical condition such as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Of course, optimum lesson time varies from student to student, but generally, 45 minutes applies to most students.

3. Music Books, etc. I start with the basics. Generally, new students begin with John Thompson’s method books, Schaum's technique-building FingerPower series, note spellers, and rhythm workbooks. I also provide supplementary guides and exercises. Some students, particularly younger children, become bored practicing strictly scales and exercises. To counter this, I provide some specially selected pieces to help keep their interest and give them some sense of the potential enjoyment that awaits them.

4. Learning to play the piano is work There is no doubt about it. Success requires a positive attitude, perseverance, dedication, discipline, a desire to learn and practice, practice, practice! Initially, students learn the intellectual aspects...reading notes, learning the note values, how to count, what are dynamics, and the very important technique of playing legato (smooth and connected.) Though they understand all these facets of playing music, getting this information from the brain to the fingers is more of a challenge. Keeping a positive attitude and understanding that this is what is to be expected for beginners will help the learning process.

Learning to play the piano can be fun too. For example, when a student learns to plays a composition well, I sometimes accompany them on a synthesizer. The student is the soloist and the simple beginning tunes sound quite pretty with the added accompaniment. Besides being enjoyable, this introduces students to ensemble playing right from the start. It prepares him/her for whatever musical opportunities arise in the future, whether playing in a school band, accompanying music at church, playing in a rock band, etc.

5. Progress CD’s: I feel it is important for a student to be able to have a record of their piano progress. Sometimes it’s difficult for a student to hear what they are doing incorrectly when they're playing the piano, even after I’ve explained the problem to them. When they are not playing, but instead are listening to what they recorded, they are more likely to be able to “hear” the problem, and therefore, correct it. (If they can’t hear their mistakes it’s difficult or impossible to correct them!) It also helps them develop an “ear” for music.

At the end of the year, (depending on when a student starts lessons), they will have their own CD that tracks their progress from their first recording on. We discuss this in depth at the "Get to Know You" meeting.

6. To help students learn rhythm (the heartbeat of music), I sometimes accompany them with a drum machine at the lesson, rather than using the traditional metronome. It sounds better, it’s easier to keep the rhythm steady when accompanied by a drum-like sound, and it’s more fun! Metronomes, however, are a very helpful aid for a student to use at home to perfect their rhythm.

7. I require that a parent or guardian sit in on each lesson so they can take an active part in their child’s musical studies. To meet this requirement, I am willing to change lesson times, when necessary, if given adequate notice Why is parent involvement important? It helps the child to learn. As a teacher, I hear the student just once a week. The parent or guardian, on the other hand, can listen to some, if not all of the student’s practice time. At the very least, parents can encourage their children to practice! Gentle, positive encouragement is invaluable to help the student progress.

If I find that a student is not progressing due to lack of practicing, I discuss this with both the student and the parent. Bottom line...actions speak louder than words. Not practicing enough can be caused by a variety of reasons. Here are some common examples: (1) School homework is more than expected; (2) the student is just being a kid who is a little bit lazy and needs some encouragement from a parent or guardian; (3) a favorite television show is on...it takes precedence over practicing; or (4) the student has decided that learning to play the piano isn't what he or she expected.

Whatever the reason, the lack of practice time needs to be addressed. Priorities need to be considered. If there is not enough time to practice on a regular basis, it is best not to continue piano lessons.

Again, if you are interested in getting additional information on piano lessons, please use the Contacts page to get in touch with me.

MY MUSICAL BACKGROUND

Fortunately, a family friend, who was a musician herself, advised my parents to get me a more experienced piano teacher. I was introduced to Lucille Vogel Cole, who was a concert pianist in Europe in her youth. She had a wonderful teaching studio in her home in Pasadena, California … complete with a stage, two Steinway grand pianos, and a room large enough to hold over a hundred people for recitals. For talent to truly bloom in a student, a good teacher is absolutely necessary. A student needs a guide on the journey of discovery. Mrs. Cole was a wonderful guide for me.

My parents couldn’t afford to pay her normal fee so Mrs. Cole generously gave me a partial scholarship for my lessons. When I was 12 years old, I auditioned to be the youth soloist with the San Gabriel Symphony Orchestra. What a thrill to learn that I had won. I can still picture how it felt being on the stage with the orchestra, the bright lights, and the audience.

I studied with Mrs. Cole until I was 21 years old and I am very grateful for the experience. During the years I studied with her, I played in recitals every year or so. These were very stressful because they were close to two hours long and I was the only soloist. I fought stage fright and never felt calm before a performance. I played on the radio, had my picture in the newspaper, and performed in a variety of concerts. As with all things, I had my successes, I had my failures. But what an experience it was.

I attended Pasadena City College and received my AA degree in Music. Their Music Department was absolutely fantastic. I learned so much in the two years I spent there. Mr. Robert Heckman, the choir teacher, took me under his wing and helped me improve my interpretation of the various piano solos I was learning. He helped me to put my soul into the music and enhance a melody so that it ebbed and flowed to create a lovely effect. He was one of the most gifted teachers I ever studied with and I will always be grateful for the time he spent teaching me more about the beauty of music.

My music education was spent almost exclusively on classical music. As I matured, I decided to branch out. I started singing and accompanying myself on the piano. Singing romantic ballads and bluesy songs is a lovely break from classical music. Now, thanks to my husband’s knowledge of computers and synthesizers, we are able to record accompaniments that include a wide range of instruments. It’s something we enjoy doing together.

I recently recorded a CD of my favorite classical pieces. It’s about 70 minutes long. Some compositions are done strictly with the piano, as the composer intended. Others, I made my own. For example, I took liberties with this CD. I didn’t care what mainstream classical critics would feel about it. I wanted it to represent my interpretation of my favorites. For example, I added strings and a counter melody to the ever-popular “Moonlight Sonata” by Beethoven. I added voices to Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy. I included “Horizons”, one of my own compositions and also a non-classical boogie composition. Creating this CD with my husband was a wonderful adventure. I couldn’t have done it without him.

I made a decision when I was 21 years old that performing and traveling on concert tours was not the life for me. Instead I chose teaching and I've been doing it part time for over 25 years. It has been a great joy to teach students who love music and are willing to invest the time and effort it takes to play the piano well.