Lessons
for Children 7-11
Piano lessons improve physical coordination. Improve hand-eye coordination since the hands and fingers must work independently. As lessons progress, even the foot becomes involved when the piano pedals are introduced. Playing piano is an activity that will improve coordination.
Reading sheet music requires mental concentration and creativity to translate both notes and musical rhythm. That translation is simultaneously interpreted by playing keys on the piano. Critical thinking skills are constantly being reinforced as the brain quickly interprets and tells the hands and feet how to respond by playing the right notes at the appropriate timing. In other words, reading music and playing it, makes the brain think on its feet, which conditions it to respond the same way in other situations outside of piano lessons and practicing.
Why children should take piano lessons
Playing piano and math are highly intertwined. By understanding beat, rhythm, and scales, children are learning how to divide, create fractions, and recognize patterns. It seems that music wires a child’s brain to help better understand other areas of math. As kids get older, they’ll start reciting songs, calling on their short-term memory and eventually their long-term memory. Using a mnemonic device to do this is a method that can later be applied to other memory skills.
Playing piano help children develop coordination and motor skills, as they require movement of the hands, arms, and feet. This type of instrument is great for high-energy kids. Keyboard instruments demand different actions from your right and left hands simultaneously. Learning to play piano not only helps kids develop ambidexterity, but they also encourage children to become comfortable in naturally uncomfortable positions. Enhancing coordination and perfecting timing can prepare children for other hobbies, like dance and sports.
Playing piano allows kids to sense/express emotion. Changes in tone, changes in volume, changes in melody. It’s incredible how much “feeling” can be involved listening to, and playing, a piece of music! Piano lessons help kids learn, and experiment with their feelings and the feelings of others in a healthy way.
Learning to play piano teaches children about delayed gratification. Playing piano teaches kids to persevere through hours, months, and sometimes years of practice before they reach specific goals, such as performing with a band or memorizing a solo piece. Private lessons and practicing at home require a very focused kind of attention for even 10 minutes at a time. Group lessons, in which students learn to play the same instruments in an ensemble, also improve patience, as children must wait their turn to play individually. And in waiting for their turns and listening to their classmates play, kids learn to show their peers respect, to sit still and be quiet for designated periods of time, and to be attentive.
Piano lessons offer a forum where children can learn to accept and give constructive criticism. Turning negative feedback into positive change helps build self-confidence. Group lessons and performances help children understand that nobody, including themselves or their peers, is perfect, and that everyone has room for improvement. Presenting yourself in public is an important skill for future life experiences. This skill is easily transferable to public speaking.
By learning about and playing piano, kids can discover how music plays a critical role in other cultures. Children learn that music comes from every country in the world. Although the modern-day violin has roots in Italy, learning to play it exposes children to classical music popularized by German and Austrian musicians. The piano can accompany a wide repertoire of styles, including classical and jazz (which originated in the American South). It’s important to familiarize children with other cultures at a young age because this fosters open-mindedness about worlds and traditions beyond the ones they know.
What You'll Need
Pricing
| DURATION | PRICE |
|---|---|
| 30 minutes | $25/lesson |
| 45 minutes | $35/lesson |
| 60 minutes | $45/lesson |
Testimonials
from students
We were fortunate enough to have Vera teaching our children this last year. We had 4 children (ages 8 through 17) doing lessons and Vera has done well with each age and level. She was able to teach them a lot in her time with them. They each looked forward to their lessons. Vera is well educated and skilled in both teaching and music. She has also done a very good job of balancing encouragement and constructive criticisms. Each of our children and myself recommend Vera Alder highly.
I always loved the piano but thought I had missed my chance to learn to play until I met Vera. With her masterful teaching, patience and understanding of adult learning styles (even seniors) I am learning to play piano and understand music at a deeper level than I could ever hoped. Never give up it gives us hope and brings blessings to our lives.
Mrs. Alder had my 5th grader reading music in no time, and allowed him to choose some of his own pieces from day one. His confidence and love for music exploded under her direction.