Practical Lessons
We provide practical lessons for beginners, intermediates and advanced students of all ages.
Students will build a repertoire of songs according to their grade level. We use John Thompson's Modern Course for the Piano for our beginner students, followed by the Celebration Series Piano Repertoire and Etudes, according to the grade level provided by the Royal Conservatory of Music's Piano Syllabus. Students are also free to explore and learn other pieces of their choice.
In addition, we provide technical skills training, ear training, and sight reading practice within the lessons. All of these skills are beneficial when learning pieces, and they help shape students in becoming well-rounded musicians.
Theory Lessons
We provide theory lessons for elementary, intermediate and advanced levels.
We use Keyboard Theory by Grace Vandendool for students who have no experience with music and theory, followed by the Elementary Music Rudiements by Mark Sarnecki for students learning intermediate theory. For students who wish to learn advanced theory, we use the Royal Conservatory of Music's Celebrate Theory textbooks and practice exams alongside other textbooks.
For beginners, theory will be incorporated into practical lessons. Reading, understanding, and playing music go hand in hand, so it is crucial that students learn them concurrently.
Exam & Performance Preparation
We provide instruction and mentoring for students who wish to prepare for a RCM exam. We use the RCM syllabus to ensure that our students fulfill all the requirements of the exam. We make professional judgements and advise students as to when we think they will be ready for an exam based on our assessment of them. We guide our students through the process of registration and ensure that they understand what is to happen on the exam day and how they will be marked.
We also offer performance coaching. We provide tips and practice on performance etiquette, stage presence, and ways to overcome stage fright. We strive to have our students feel secure and confident in themselves before any exam or performance.
