Students are learning to play an acoustic instrument, and there is no substitute for the real thing. It is best to have a piano at home for students to practice on, as well as an adjustable bench. This is a big investment for parents, but you can look for used pianos or even lease pianos for a period of time to help with the cost. Check out our local Piano Distributors and Steinway Piano Galleries and talk to a salesperson for more information.

I ask that parents are present for student piano lessons. Every week, students will learn one or two small new skills during their piano lessons, and then rehearse and practice those skills at home independently. Especially my younger students will need more support with this independent practice. Many parents don’t play a musical instrument themselves, and it is helpful to watch and listen so that you can help your child practice independently at home.

Daily practice is absolutely essential for music students. While there is no set amount of time that students should practice, I encourage students to practice every skill taught during lesson every day of the week. For most beginning and intermediate students, this means between 20 and 40 minutes of focused practice every day. As students develop and get older, this practice will get more and more independent, but children often need their parents’ support in the early years. It is good to have a daily routine time for piano practice, such as right after dinner.

Most beginning and intermediate students have a book for scales and arpeggios, a method book, a music theory workbook or two, and another repertoire book. Students also need a weekly planner that they bring to each piano lesson. Every week, I write a practice assignment in the students’ planner, and ask that students (and maybe parents) write down what and how they practiced each day of the week. In their first piano lesson, I provide students with all of these books, and occasionally students will have to order some more materials.

Students need to experience the arts if they are going to enjoy making music. Just like young athletes often watch sports on TV or go to sports events with their parents, it is important for young musicians to regularly attend live concerts, recitals, or watch performances on television or listen to great music in the car. This gives children something to practice for, and a vision of what they can ultimately do with the skills that they learn in piano lessons.