Parents are encouraged to participate in a 5 week crash course. The purpose of this course is to provide you tools to help your children get the most from their piano lessons. You can sign up for the entire course or individual courses. Contact me for the registration fee. (Offered fall term or by request. Minimum class size is 2)

Week 1 Topics: Keyboard geography, the inside of the piano, rhythms and note values, intro to staff reading, quick games to play at the keyboard to help children learn note names, introduction to reading notes on the staff.

Week 2 Topics: Benefits of piano lessons, How to help your child practice the piano (setting up practice time, equipment, assignments, communication, what good and bad practicing sounds like, fostering good habits) how I track assignments, fall projects, other ways to support music education, continued work at the piano with pieces.

Week 3 Topics: Hands on experience with building scales, duets with scales, theory books, my year-round program including discussion on events offered through the Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association. More work at piano with pieces.

Week 4 Topics: Practicing strategies for solving issues with pieces. How to prepare for a recital, continued work at piano with the pieces we have been working on.

Week 5 Topics: Overview of Musical Time Periods and characteristics, Listening recommendations, Performance venues for children, What to expect as students move past method books. Continue to work on pieces. Celebrate!