Hope Piano Studio at Bathurst and Steeles

(*Updated on April, 2019)

Admission Acceptance to the Hope Piano Studio is based on an interview with the prospective student and the parents.  During the interview I will ask questions about the child’s schooling, extracurricular activities and desire to learn the piano.  Transfer students will be asked to play some pieces that they have been working on.  I am not looking for talent or any special ability- only a desire to learn and a family that supports in a healthy way.

All students are required to have an acoustic piano at home.  Beginning students with an 88-key keyboard may be accepted under the condition that the families are planning to purchase an acoustic piano sometime in the near future, as the commitment level of the child rises.

A transparent, ongoing communication between the student, parents and teacher is imperative for the success of the child’s studies.  For older students whose parents do not attend the lesson I hold a three-party meeting every few months to discuss progress made, things that need improvement as well as future goals.

Program and Lesson Length Longer and/or more frequent lessons are recommended for students who are preparing for RCM exams, competitions, festivals or university entrance auditions.  Students who need extra help with theory should also add 15 minutes (or more) to the lesson time.  When necessary, I will discuss it with the families on a case by case basis.

Please note that no two students are identical, and every person (both children and adults) learn at a different speed. Even siblings within a family differ radically in motivation, temperament, and learning speed. Therefore, I approach students uniquely and challenge them according to their own exceptional potential. Music is not easy, and may not always be “fun” (although I will try to make every teaching fun and easy). However, with sufficient and structured practice, it does become enjoyable to master the many different aspects of piano music.
Just like learning a new language, learning a musical language involves many basics which must be mastered before moving on to more complex applications. During piano lessons, I will cover all areas of musicianship: theory, technique, ear-training, sight-reading, harmony, performance, formal analysis, and a comprehensive study of musical literature in a progressive fashion. I truly believe that a well-rounded musical education is crucial for student’s development and progress.

Lesson Times A minimum of one lesson per week is required to be a student at the Hope Piano Studio.  Teacher and student will agree upon a weekly lesson time which will be regarded as a mutual commitment for that school year.  For young beginners, it is strongly recommended that a parent (or an adult who can assist the child when practicing) attend the lesson with the child and help him/her while practicing at home. Lessons continue throughout the summer months – lesson times are more flexible then. Lesson times are not extended for late arrivals.  To help prevent the spread of illness students should wash their hands with soap before their lesson.

Missed Lessons The lesson time agreed upon by teacher and parent is regarded as a mutual commitment for that school year. There is no adjustment made for an occasional student absence. The tuition charged covers not only instruction time, but time spent planning, attending student’s recitals, etc. Cases of extended illness or other extenuating circumstances will be considered individually. Missed lessons due to snow storm will be made up at a mutually convenient time.

Semester  The 2018-2019 year is broken up into four sessions:

Termination of Lessons If the student should decide to terminate lessons at any given time during the year, the studio requires a TWO WEEK WRITTEN NOTICE. Such notice must be delivered to the teacher personally. The studio will not accept/recognize e-mails nor telephone messages as documentation for said notice. Regardless of when appropriate notice is given, the student shall be financially responsible for the following two weeks/lessons, whether the student chooses to attend or not.

Class Concert There are mainly two annual class concerts (Spring and Winter/ Place: TBA)

Suzuki Piano Program for Young Beginners (Ages 3-7) For families who desire to start their children at a young age, I offer the Suzuki Piano Program.  The Suzuki method is an excellent program for children whose parents are willing and able to attend every lesson and practice with them at home.  Also called the mother-tongue approach, the Suzuki principle is that every child can learn to play an instrument just as every child is able to speak his native tongue through constant immersion of that language.  The children are expected to listen to the CD at home as much as possible, as much of the early learning happens aurally.  For more information on the Suzuki method, please visit http://suzukiassociation.org/about/suzuki-method,  https://suzukiassociation.org/people/jessie-lee/

Practice Hours Students who are pursuing more advanced study and preparing for exams or competitions are certainly encouraged to practice longer hours.  It is not uncommon for serious piano students to practice double the suggested minimum practice time.  Progress is directly related to quality practice time.  Motivated younger students should take advantage of their less demanding school schedule to build technical skills, repertoire and musicianship before the rigors of high school.  Students who are consistently unprepared for their lessons or do not put enough effort to work will be dropped from the studio roster.

Photo and Video Release I am planning to use photos and short videos of my students on my website hoping that these videos and posts will be helpful to other teachers and prospective students/parents. If you do not want your child’s image(s) to be used, please let me know in advance. In general, the students love to see their performance videos or images publicized; it can be a motivating and exciting factor for them to practice more seriously, thinking that others want to know what they are learning. (When publicized, the students will be identified only by their first name.)