Three Keys to Success with Piano

With Summer finally in full swing and kids are enjoying camp and other activities, school still seems like it is in far-far-away land. However,  as parents know, now is the time to start thinking about where to spend their children's precious after school time. Music lessons, and particularly taking piano lessons is a great after-school activity.

Learning how to play piano may not be easy, but the rewards are immeasurable. There are no end of studies that prove the benefit of music education, from cognition, academic performance, life skills, and many others that help children grow into the best adults that they can be. Success studying piano comes from three key sources: Student interest, Parent encouragement and involvement, and Teacher compatibility.

Student Interest

Students should have some interest in music, either listening to it, singing in the car, banging pots, or anything that implies a musical penchant. They key is that they express an interest, that they understand it is a long term process, and that they enjoy it at least most of the time. That is not to say that they must love all music or that they are that they will not suffer the ups and downs of learning. Some children are better suited to Karate than the keyboard and you as the parent will know your child the best.

If you noticed from the above list of requirements, natural aptitude is not included. The likes of Mozart, Billy Taylor and Elton John are truly a rarity and a great many of the great musicians of the world were not born with magical musical abilities, they develop over time. If the student are fortunate enough to be one of these people, then they are miles ahead of the game. If they are like most of us with an average to good aptitude, they will likely have an even more rewarding experience through the learning process.

Parent Involvement

Few children wake up on time for school on their own, dress themselves, brush their teeth, pack their lunch and wait patiently for the ride to school in the morning without their parents encouragement and guidance to make sure it happens. The same holds true for learning to play piano. Students need to be rewarded when they do well and need to feel that they are accomplishing something valuable to justify the work they put into their studies. There will be easy times and difficult times and they need to know that they can overcome these challenges, which itself becomes the reward. The parent plays an important role making sure practicing is done, exercises are complete, and lessons are attended, balancing a bit of discipline, a bit of encouragement and a lot of patience.

Teacher Compatibility

Compatibility is often overlooked as it is very tempting to select a teacher based primarily on their location or price out of convenience. The results of which can be disastrous as the influence of the teacher on the student cannot be overstated. They teach not only how to read music and technique, they teach life-skills, confidence, the meaning behind music, love of music and appreciation for the arts, grace, balance, how to strive for excellence and achieve a higher potential.

While each teacher may be excellent in their own right, they may not be an excellent match for a particular student. Strict is not bad and neither is good - it is a matter of what the student needs. Some teachers specialize in rapid advancement which will keep the diligent and focussed student attentive and prevent boredom, others have a gentle and accommodating way for students who need a softer approach, and there are innumerable shades in between. Likewise, style, focus, and music selection each have their own spectrum and play a role in creating the right teacher-student match. Most importantly, the teacher and the student must be able to communicate and understand each other- they must be on the same wavelength!

Piano Teachers Federation

Finding the right piano teacher can be a major challenge and parents often depend on a referral from a friend or a number off of a list. Enter the Piano Teachers Federation, an online community of piano teachers where independent teachers advertise their studios listing not only their location and rates, but also their education, musical style, teaching focus, methodology, lesson details, pictures and videos. Best of all, there is no cost to use the service. Parents are encouraged to interview 2 or 3 teachers to get a feel as to how they might work with the student.