Weekly Lessons
This is where the magic happens. Weekly lessons can be 30 minutes (suggested for children 7 and younger), 45 minutes (suggested for students that are 8 or older; and/or have been taking lessons for at least 6 months), or an hour long (reserved for students in middle school through adulthood).
During our weekly lessons, we will build your skills in sight reading, music theory, technique, and of course, learning pieces to play on the piano.
We will work primarily in a course of carefully curated books that fit the student's goals, age, and experience level. We will supplement those books with other works such as those written by Nicole or pieces the student requests to learn.
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Here's what a typical lesson looks like:
- Warm up with technique skills and add new ones (scales, chords, cadences, etc)
- Present pieces that were practiced throughout the week
- Learn new and relevant theory and musical skill(s)
- Sight reading exercises
- Work on new pieces
- Finish off with a fun game and talk about any questions student may have
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Semiannual Recitals
The studio hosts 2 recitals a year. These come at no extra cost and are included when you take lessons from Nicole. Recitals happen mid-year and during the holidays. A rehearsal will be held prior to the recital to give students a chance to play in front of their peers and practice playing on the Grand Piano.
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Piano recitals benefit students by building confidence, motivation, and discipline through performance experience and achieving a tangible goal. They create a sense of community among the peers, allow for emotional expression, and provide valuable feedback and opportunities to learn from peers. Additionally, recitals help students develop time management skills, perseverance, and public speaking abilities, while offering a chance to share their musical passion and create lasting memories.
Evaluation Opportunities
Nicole has experience coaching students through the AIM [Achievement in Music] Program. This is a 3x/year evaluation program hosted by the Utah Music Teachers Association. Students work through 10 levels of a wide variety of musical concepts to develop proficiency in all aspects of musicianship.
The categories that students study and are therefore tested on include:
Performance
Technique
Keyboard Skills
Theory
Ear Training
Music Listening
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