PRACTICE


Regular home practice is essential for student success.  Ideally, students should aim for at least 5 days of practice each week.  Short, daily practice sessions are more effective than one or two long sessions per week.  Practice is most effective when it is goal-oriented as opposed to time oriented.  Teachers will help your child, in class, to establish appropriate short and long term measurable goals.  Students will bring a binder and all of their books to each lesson and the teacher will write helpful notes on the pages assigned to aide them at home.   The students assigned pages will be marked with tabs and dates.   Assignments will also be emailed to parents/students.  The most important time for students to practice is right after their weekly lesson in order to solidify what they have just learned.  Research has shown that retention of new knowledge drops to 60% after just 24 hours.  It's not a good idea to wait until the end of the week, then "cram" practice right before a student's next lesson.  Parental involvement at home is crucial for student success.  Please help your student to establish and stick to a practice routine, and see that practice time is free of distractions.  If you are the parent of an elementary age student, please plan to sit with your child for at least a portion of their practice time.  Older students can use encouragement too!  Students enrolled in Comprehensive Group lessons will have already learned most, if not all, of their pieces in class and will only need to "rehearse" to perfect them.  To find more helpful hints on practice, log on to your account and click on the "library and downloads" tab.



EQUIPMENT


Keyboards


All students must have an accoustic piano or digital piano for home practice.  The quality of your student's home instrument plays a significant role in their potential success/motivation.  Acoustic pianos should be tuned at least once a year and kept in working order.  if you prefer a digital piano, please invest in a full-sized keyboard (88 keys) with weighted, touch-sensitive keys and pedals.  Beginner students can start on a 61-key keyboard.  The studio has a few loaners, so please inquire if you need one.  I am happy to help locate good, used or new pianos and digital keyboards for my families!


Violins


All students must their own violin that they bring to the lesson. 


Metronomes


Late beginner students will begin to use metronomes as a practicing aide.  There are many free metronome apps for smart phones and tablets and most digital pianos have one built in.  


Ipads


Ipads are NOT required, however, students do have access to them in the studio where they are able to utilize many apps to help with performance, practice, ear training, theory and keyboard harmony.  Many apps are free and those that normally cost money are free due to my studio license so always check with me before purchasing an app.  Please let me know if you have an ipad so that I may send you invitations to apps that you or your child might use in the studio and find helpful at home.  (Click on the Resource tab on the homepage for a list of Ipad apps used in the studio).