Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do I need to buy a piano, or is a keyboard good enough?
Students who do not own a piano generally will not have a weaker finger technique and a narrow dynamic range. It is important that right from the first piano lesson, the student is developing good technique and ear. For beginners to Grade 4, a good quality digital piano is fine, such as the Yamaha Clavinova range. If you want to learn the music of the masters I'd recommend investing in a good quality upright piano. Yamaha and Kawaii are popular and reliable, but there are oher good brands too.
If you want to progress beyond the intermediate level (above Grade 6), then a good quality grand (or a tall upright) is the way to go. I know it's expensive, but practising on an instrument that is capable of a wide range of tone colours and dynamics increases sensitivity in the student, and having a wonderful instrument inspires students to practise. In my studio, all students, from the beginner level, have the opportunity to learn on a grand Kawaii piano. If buying is too expensive, there is the option of renting. Also, make sure that you get your piano tuned regularly (about every 6-12 months). You can ask me to recommend to you a good piano tuner.
2. How long do I need to practise for?
This is different for every student, according to age and abilities. The most important aspect of piano practice is consistency and achievement (making practice a routine and keeping clear goals, or in one word, QUALITY).
However, we can't have quality practice without an appropriate quantity - spending too little time is like putting a kettle on, and switching it off before it boils the water; the time you spent is wasted because it was not enough. I believe that if you're going to do something (and pay for lessons for it), you should do it well.
Here are my guides for how long to practice - these are minimum times for daily practice; feel free to spend more time if you need or want to.
• Beginners to Grade 1 - 30-40 minutes.
• Grade 2-4 - 40-50 minutes.
• Grade 5-6 - 50-60 minutes.
• Grade 7-8 - 60-90 minutes.
For more advanced levels such as the Certificate of Performance and Diplomas, practice usually ranges from 2-4 hours daily (or close to daily) for the committed student. The time spent practising is reflective of the student's ability to manage their time, their quickness to learn and apply concepts, and the thoughtfulness of their practice.
I require students to practice at least 6 days a week. When practice is too sparcely spaced out, progress will become stilted due to lack of proper revision. Do the work assigned each week. Then lessons will be more fun and you will learn faster.
3. Are exams important?
I think exams have a number of functions for the piano student, primarily, as a motivating factor in practice. This does not mean that you should practise only because an exam is coming up. You should be practising because you love to play the piano, want to make great improvements and increase your understanding and appreciation of music. Nevertheless, when you have something tangible like an examination certificate to work towards, you feel like your practice is yielding real results, and you have something to show for your year of work.
Exams are also useful for the comments written by the examiner. Examiners are experienced teachers or performers and will shed new light on your playing (or confirm the things that I've been telling you!). The grade you receive is surprising at times. Not only is the exam situation potentially nerve-wrecking, examiners can be varied in their opinions, and this affects the mark and comments on your result sheet. However, most examiners hold similar standards when assessing a student. I have rarely seen a good student do badly, so a bad grade is not something to be worried about if you are a diligent student who practices well.
5. What is your policy on missed lessons and payment?
Please visit this page for more information.
6. Where can I buy music books and CD's?
The local music shops such as Castle Hill Music Centre (Castle Mall), Dural Music Centre (Dural business park) and Carlingford Music Centre usually have necessary books in stock. If they don't they should be able to order it in. It is best to give them a call before you visit to check if they have the items. Other music shops around the city are Allans Music (Pitt St. Sydney), and Zephyr Music (Hume St. Crows Nest). I get most of my music from Zephyr music because they seem to be most reliable and have the largest range of music books available.
CD's may be bought from the mentioned music shops, especially the larger ones, but Fish Records is a shop that specialises in selling classical music. Another option that I find cheaper and more convenient, is to buy Itunes cards and buy music from the Itunes store. There is a huge range of music that is readily available that you can purchase online.
Castle Hill Music Centre
289 Old Northern Rd
Castle Hill NSW 2154
(02) 9634 5851
Dural Music Centre
Newline Road
Dural Business Park 2158
(Behind Dural McDonalds)
(02) 9651 7333
Carlingford Music Centre
320 Pennant Hills Rd
Carlingford NSW 2118
(02) 9873 2333
Allans Music Sydney
228 Pitt Street
Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9283 7711
Zephyr Music
51 Hume Street
Crows Nest 2065
(02) 9439 8900
7. Why do you still practise piano when you're a teacher? (a 7 year old asked me this)...and how important is it for the teacher to have a performance degree or diplomas?
Playing the piano is one of those skills that need regular practice to maintain and improve. You never reach the point of being "good enough" - unless you are content with not progressing. Therefore, as a teacher, I am constantly updating my skills as a performer and increasing my knowledge of music. There is so much to learn about music.
My best piano teachers were advanced pianists and continue to practise the piano, despite being experienced teachers and examiners. There are teachers who don't practise all that much - these teachers probably specialise in teaching beginner/lower intermediate levels and young children, and don't need to have stellar pianistic abilities to do so. Still, I believe that beginners and young children's futures in music are dependent on the quality of their training. A second-rate teacher should not be chosen because they are cheap and the student is only a beginner. Much time and talent can be saved by finding a great teacher, who is also a good pianist.
A piano teacher who has a music degree and/or a couple of diplomas in piano performance will have a wealth of pianistic as well as musical knowledge to impart to their students. The kind of piano training a student receives is a reflection of the teacher's training, values and knowledge. You may regret choosing a cheap bad teacher, but never a good expensive one.
8. What are some useful websites I should know about and can visit for more information about music or learning to play the piano?
Piano Education: http://www.pianoeducation.org/index.html
Australian Dictionary of Biography: www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/adbonline.htm
Oxford University Press: www.oup.com/online/omo/
Australian Music Centre: www.australianmusiccentre.com.au
Classical Music Archives: www.classicalarchives.com/timeline.html
Ear Tests and Drills: www.dolmetsch.com/musictheory43.htm
Blitz Books: http://www.blitzbooks.com.au
Music Theory and History Online: www.dolmetsch.com/theoryintro.htm
Ricci Adams' Music Theory: www.musictheory.net
Theory Can Be Fun: users.netconnect.com.au/~wfw/theory.html
Metronome: www.8notes.com/metronome/
Performance Practice Dictionary: books.google.com/books?id=_w32_CqDNWkC
Practiceopedia: www.practiceopedia.com
Succeed with Music: www.succeedwithmusic.com
Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference: www.appca.com.au
Australian Piano Buyers' Guide: www.pianobuyersguide.com.au
Keyboard Companion Online: www.keyboardcompanion.com
Listen To Your Hands: www.listentoyourhands.com.au
Scale cards: www.scalecards.com
ABRSM: www.abrsm.org - Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
AMEB (NSW): www.ameb.nsw.edu.au
NSW Board of Studies: www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au
Trinity College London: www.trinitycollege.co.uk
2MBS-FM Youth Development Programs: www.2mbs.com/Content_Common/pg-Education.seo
Australian National Eisteddfod: www.nationaleisteddfod.org.au - May-October
Australian National Piano Award: www.pianoaward.com.au/index.html
Galston District Eisteddfod: www.galstondistricteisteddfod.com.au - October
Ku-Ring-Gai Concerto Competition: www.kpo.org.au/concerto_comp/information.html
McDonald's Performing Arts Challenge: www.sydneyeisteddfod.com.au - June-September
Muswellbrook & Upper Hunter Eisteddfod: www.muswellbrook.nsw.gov.au/Eisteddfod/eisteddfod_main.html - April-October
Northern Beaches Eisteddfod: www.northernbeacheseisteddfod.com.au - May-June
Parramatta Eisteddfod: www.eisteddfodparramatta.org.au - May-June
Ryde Eisteddfod: users.bigpond.net.au/dawn - June-August
Yamaha Australian Youth Piano Competition: www.yamahamusic.com.au/yaypc
Students who do not own a piano generally will not have a weaker finger technique and a narrow dynamic range. It is important that right from the first piano lesson, the student is developing good technique and ear. For beginners to Grade 4, a good quality digital piano is fine, such as the Yamaha Clavinova range. If you want to learn the music of the masters I'd recommend investing in a good quality upright piano. Yamaha and Kawaii are popular and reliable, but there are oher good brands too.
If you want to progress beyond the intermediate level (above Grade 6), then a good quality grand (or a tall upright) is the way to go. I know it's expensive, but practising on an instrument that is capable of a wide range of tone colours and dynamics increases sensitivity in the student, and having a wonderful instrument inspires students to practise. In my studio, all students, from the beginner level, have the opportunity to learn on a grand Kawaii piano. If buying is too expensive, there is the option of renting. Also, make sure that you get your piano tuned regularly (about every 6-12 months). You can ask me to recommend to you a good piano tuner.
2. How long do I need to practise for?
This is different for every student, according to age and abilities. The most important aspect of piano practice is consistency and achievement (making practice a routine and keeping clear goals, or in one word, QUALITY).
However, we can't have quality practice without an appropriate quantity - spending too little time is like putting a kettle on, and switching it off before it boils the water; the time you spent is wasted because it was not enough. I believe that if you're going to do something (and pay for lessons for it), you should do it well.
Here are my guides for how long to practice - these are minimum times for daily practice; feel free to spend more time if you need or want to.
• Beginners to Grade 1 - 30-40 minutes.
• Grade 2-4 - 40-50 minutes.
• Grade 5-6 - 50-60 minutes.
• Grade 7-8 - 60-90 minutes.
For more advanced levels such as the Certificate of Performance and Diplomas, practice usually ranges from 2-4 hours daily (or close to daily) for the committed student. The time spent practising is reflective of the student's ability to manage their time, their quickness to learn and apply concepts, and the thoughtfulness of their practice.
I require students to practice at least 6 days a week. When practice is too sparcely spaced out, progress will become stilted due to lack of proper revision. Do the work assigned each week. Then lessons will be more fun and you will learn faster.
3. Are exams important?
I think exams have a number of functions for the piano student, primarily, as a motivating factor in practice. This does not mean that you should practise only because an exam is coming up. You should be practising because you love to play the piano, want to make great improvements and increase your understanding and appreciation of music. Nevertheless, when you have something tangible like an examination certificate to work towards, you feel like your practice is yielding real results, and you have something to show for your year of work.
Exams are also useful for the comments written by the examiner. Examiners are experienced teachers or performers and will shed new light on your playing (or confirm the things that I've been telling you!). The grade you receive is surprising at times. Not only is the exam situation potentially nerve-wrecking, examiners can be varied in their opinions, and this affects the mark and comments on your result sheet. However, most examiners hold similar standards when assessing a student. I have rarely seen a good student do badly, so a bad grade is not something to be worried about if you are a diligent student who practices well.
5. What is your policy on missed lessons and payment?
Please visit this page for more information.
6. Where can I buy music books and CD's?
The local music shops such as Castle Hill Music Centre (Castle Mall), Dural Music Centre (Dural business park) and Carlingford Music Centre usually have necessary books in stock. If they don't they should be able to order it in. It is best to give them a call before you visit to check if they have the items. Other music shops around the city are Allans Music (Pitt St. Sydney), and Zephyr Music (Hume St. Crows Nest). I get most of my music from Zephyr music because they seem to be most reliable and have the largest range of music books available.
CD's may be bought from the mentioned music shops, especially the larger ones, but Fish Records is a shop that specialises in selling classical music. Another option that I find cheaper and more convenient, is to buy Itunes cards and buy music from the Itunes store. There is a huge range of music that is readily available that you can purchase online.
Castle Hill Music Centre
289 Old Northern Rd
Castle Hill NSW 2154
(02) 9634 5851
Dural Music Centre
Newline Road
Dural Business Park 2158
(Behind Dural McDonalds)
(02) 9651 7333
Carlingford Music Centre
320 Pennant Hills Rd
Carlingford NSW 2118
(02) 9873 2333
Allans Music Sydney
228 Pitt Street
Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9283 7711
Zephyr Music
51 Hume Street
Crows Nest 2065
(02) 9439 8900
7. Why do you still practise piano when you're a teacher? (a 7 year old asked me this)...and how important is it for the teacher to have a performance degree or diplomas?
Playing the piano is one of those skills that need regular practice to maintain and improve. You never reach the point of being "good enough" - unless you are content with not progressing. Therefore, as a teacher, I am constantly updating my skills as a performer and increasing my knowledge of music. There is so much to learn about music.
My best piano teachers were advanced pianists and continue to practise the piano, despite being experienced teachers and examiners. There are teachers who don't practise all that much - these teachers probably specialise in teaching beginner/lower intermediate levels and young children, and don't need to have stellar pianistic abilities to do so. Still, I believe that beginners and young children's futures in music are dependent on the quality of their training. A second-rate teacher should not be chosen because they are cheap and the student is only a beginner. Much time and talent can be saved by finding a great teacher, who is also a good pianist.
A piano teacher who has a music degree and/or a couple of diplomas in piano performance will have a wealth of pianistic as well as musical knowledge to impart to their students. The kind of piano training a student receives is a reflection of the teacher's training, values and knowledge. You may regret choosing a cheap bad teacher, but never a good expensive one.
8. What are some useful websites I should know about and can visit for more information about music or learning to play the piano?
Piano Education: http://www.pianoeducation.org/index.html
Australian Dictionary of Biography: www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/adbonline.htm
Oxford University Press: www.oup.com/online/omo/
Australian Music Centre: www.australianmusiccentre.com.au
Classical Music Archives: www.classicalarchives.com/timeline.html
Ear Tests and Drills: www.dolmetsch.com/musictheory43.htm
Blitz Books: http://www.blitzbooks.com.au
Music Theory and History Online: www.dolmetsch.com/theoryintro.htm
Ricci Adams' Music Theory: www.musictheory.net
Theory Can Be Fun: users.netconnect.com.au/~wfw/theory.html
Metronome: www.8notes.com/metronome/
Performance Practice Dictionary: books.google.com/books?id=_w32_CqDNWkC
Practiceopedia: www.practiceopedia.com
Succeed with Music: www.succeedwithmusic.com
Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference: www.appca.com.au
Australian Piano Buyers' Guide: www.pianobuyersguide.com.au
Keyboard Companion Online: www.keyboardcompanion.com
Listen To Your Hands: www.listentoyourhands.com.au
Scale cards: www.scalecards.com
ABRSM: www.abrsm.org - Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
AMEB (NSW): www.ameb.nsw.edu.au
NSW Board of Studies: www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au
Trinity College London: www.trinitycollege.co.uk
2MBS-FM Youth Development Programs: www.2mbs.com/Content_Common/pg-Education.seo
Australian National Eisteddfod: www.nationaleisteddfod.org.au - May-October
Australian National Piano Award: www.pianoaward.com.au/index.html
Galston District Eisteddfod: www.galstondistricteisteddfod.com.au - October
Ku-Ring-Gai Concerto Competition: www.kpo.org.au/concerto_comp/information.html
McDonald's Performing Arts Challenge: www.sydneyeisteddfod.com.au - June-September
Muswellbrook & Upper Hunter Eisteddfod: www.muswellbrook.nsw.gov.au/Eisteddfod/eisteddfod_main.html - April-October
Northern Beaches Eisteddfod: www.northernbeacheseisteddfod.com.au - May-June
Parramatta Eisteddfod: www.eisteddfodparramatta.org.au - May-June
Ryde Eisteddfod: users.bigpond.net.au/dawn - June-August
Yamaha Australian Youth Piano Competition: www.yamahamusic.com.au/yaypc