I generally have students practicing two or three pieces a week with the goal of finishing a piece within one week. Sometimes a piece is reviewed for a second week to focus on new concepts. For each piece that a student is to practice, we discuss the goals we are working toward. Students learn better when the know what to focus on. Before a lesson is over, I make sure that the student feels comfortable with what he is striving for during the week.

Beginning students often focus on counting aloud to achieve a steady tempo and identifying the different notes and durations. Later, some of the concepts to consider when practicing are phrasing (connecting notes to each other to make a musical sentence), dynamics (playing sections at varying volumes for effect), and highlighting the melody. More advanced players often focus on more in depth artistic interpretation, theoretical and harmonic structures, song form and improvisation when appropriate.

What Is My Method?
I don’t subscribe to a famous "method". My lesson plans are tailored to what inspires the student to learn and grow. I come to my students’ homes to share my passion for music and to guide them to become better pianists. After learning basic musicianship, we often amend the core material with other music, such as current and classic pop songs, boogie woogie, blues, ragtime, classical, show tunes, movie music and holiday music.

I was taught using the John Thompson method. His motto is "Something New Every Lesson". His motto is my standard. I often use the John Thompson series of books as well as lesson books by Schuam, Bastein, Alfred, Fletcher and others. I often provide songs from other authors to reinforce a new concept. When siblings take lessons, I always use a different series of books, so that each student has their own songs.

Why Memorization Should Not Be a Goal:
Although I do realize memorization happens without consciously trying, I do not encourage memorization. I feel it is more important to stress musicality and the ability to understand the written page over memorization. I have met far too many young pianists who can play a handful of pieces very well but can’t sight read at a first grade level. I feel that these players are merely typing on a piano when they could be comprehending what they are accomplishing and expressing themselves through music.

Lessons:
Half hour lessons are given in the student’s home once a week. I believe that students are more comfortable and learn better on their own instruments. By traveling to the students’ homes, it gives the parents more time at home and allows for more flexible scheduling. I do teach during the summer. Most students also take lessons during the summer when their vacation plans allow.

Recitals:
Recitals are held twice a year, on a weekend date in the months of June and December. Each student performs three pieces. The songs are not to be memorized. The recitals begin in the early afternoon and last approximately two and a half hours with lunch being provided. The recitals are a celebration of the joy that music has provided us and are not meant to be a source of frustration. Students perform three selections that they have chosen with my assistance. These pieces are often songs that they have learned since the previous recital through the normal course of learning and are not songs chosen to be specifically for the recital.

Practice:
Students are encouraged to practice every day, even if they are not able to dedicate their standard amount of time for that day. It is important to at least ‘say hello’ to the piano every day so that we don’t get rusty. I realize that weekend getaways, homework and other activities make practicing everyday difficult. I suggest that the students practice extra prior to a missed day and extra after the missed day to help compensate. The amount of time that a student should dedicate to the piano varies due to the age and experience of the student. I have yet asked a student to regularly practice for more than a half an hour a day.