Posted by
hkrcac
15 yrs ago
Hi,
For beginners learning piano, is it better to go for Private lessons at home?
For the different centers like Tom Lee Music etc. do you have any children learning at the centers and can you recommend any center in particular?
Thanks.
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Hi, it really depends on teachers i think. I would suggest to learn piano at home as most of my students enjoy learning piano at home to save travelling time. The room in music shop is SO tiny. I don't enjoy teaching in a small room like this! For home visit piano lessons, u can visit www.grandpiano.hk
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Moreover, parents told me that the teachers from the music shop are unstable. They may leave or change after few months!!!
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As a piano teacher of over 20 years from Canada and Hong Kong, I think NO child should take piano lesson at home. Because.... they can't focus as much as if they were at the piano teacher's place. (studio or home of teacher).
I have experimented it alot, when a child's parent was out of town, and arranged for 1 -2 lessons for me to home visit, I noticed SIGNIFICANT difference in the child's focus, and efficiency. They are too comfortable and distracted at home.
Also, not to offend anyone, but to be honest, excellent teachers will NOT do home visits. They don't have the time and certainly don't need the hassle of wasting time for transport. Also, I find that during each lesson, I have a lot of teaching materials, and books and CDs and pens, and markers, metronome, and stickers for reward that I need.... cannot possibly move all that to a student's home.
Regarding your question about Tom Lee Music and music centers, can't say that ALL are not good, if you happen to get a GOOD teacher, stable, and experienced, then it's ok. However, problem with taking lessons at these centers are the lack of flexibility in schedule, or make up classes, and the room that you are in is typically a capsule room, and the pianos (Tom Lee is better, uses Yamaha)..but often the pianos used in the capsule room are terrible pianos.
Just my opinion.
How old is your child? I would say 4-5 years old is the BEST time to try private lessons. Any younger, go to My Musikbox, or Tom Lee's Yamaha courses to get a feel whether your child likes music/piano or not.
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cinderella.57, in my experience, ask any parent whether LOCATION is an issue regarding the lesson. (Not just piano lesson, ANY lesson).
The location is a VERY key factor in considering lesson with that teacher or not, the type of piano (quality), and of course, the qualifications/personality/experience of the teacher is the MOST important.
You can have the most patient and dedicated teacher with a child, but at home, with the "comforts" of being at home, in one hour, the child will go to the bathroom, get a glass of water, walk around the flat/house, answer the phone, take out toys/books/something to show the teacher...etc.....
BTW, I believe if the teacher was an experienced teacher, unless you ask the parents to buy a library of Cds, books, and teaching materials, HOW are you supposed to carry all the things you might need for a lesson to the student's house?
The piano teachers I know who do home lessons, they only bring their pencil case, and reward stickers, and perhaps help the student buy books when the time is necessary.
Piano- try going to a center, play on the pianos that are provided in the capsule rooms, out of tune, not properly working pedal, not soundproof properly, tall students can't even stretch their legs!
Location NOT big issue ? Disagree.
It might not be the MOST important factor, but it definitely is one of the biggest factors for parents when considering a teacher.
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Exactly! Cinderalla. All my students are learning piano from home. Parents are really pleased! As long as you know how to handle children and understand them. Make it fun and they will be fine!
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MayC
15 yrs ago
Katetam and Chillifontain, you are both correct.
When I was younger decades ago ;-) , I had piano lessons both at my home and my teacher's home.
Before the age of 7, I had piano lessons at my teacher's house because as Katetam said, I couldn't concentrate at home. There were too many distractions. My mum was around so I played up (crying etc). My sisters were playing in the background and my eyes kept wandering to see what they were doing.
When I turned 7, mum decided that I could have lessons at home because we were older and I could concentrate better. I was also beginning to appreciate music because I could play nicer pieces so my self-discipline from learning at home was better.
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Kateman, can you let me know where you teach piano? My little girl is turning 5 end of this year and I am trying to find a piano centre for her. We don't have a piano at home and don't intend to get one unless we are absolutely sure that she likes piano. I live in the eastern side of HK Islands.
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paris2003 - My daughter went to My MusikBox for group piano lessons when she just turned four, and she's still there but now taking private lessons. I wasn't sure if she'd like playing the piano either so I let her take the group class so she could see other kids playing the piano too. It turned out that she really liked it and that's why now I've let her take private lessons and bought her a piano! (before we just did out practicing on a keyboard).
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I've heard of My Musikbox too, one of my close friend brings her daughter there for the group piano class and the daughter loves it. My friend told me her little girl not only enjoys the lesson, she enjoys the practicing session at home too! Of course, credit goes to my friend too cuz she goes to the class with her. Give it a try!
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Those of you who have enrolled in My Musikbox, did you go straight into MusikPiano? Or did you start with the My First Touch programme? Thanks!
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Mayafox - My daughter didn't take the My First Touch program, I think that one is for younger kids. My friend's son (who's just turned 3) has been taking that class for a while though.
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Hello~
Yes, very young children (below age of 4) will benefit from group music classes but not so soon on keyboard as they're not ready for it too soon. They can begin ofcourse, but progress will be slow, there wouldn't be much of a difference in development of motor skills of the smaller muscles (fingers). After that, one on one classes have an advantage because they get full attention and the classes will be structured according to that single child's needs. That said, private one on one classes are offered by many individuals, it is an important time for the child to grasp basics so finding an appropriately qualified and experienced teacher is essential. Best to be one that has a degree in teaching because, we all know, the ability to perform well is not related to the ability to teach :)
If you're still looking for a teacher you could try:
http://www.classicalpiano.webs.com/
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KateTam, I agree with you, for all the reasons you listed!
Regarding group vs private lessons, I would highly recommend group classes for 4-5 year old age group, and these are just some of the reasons why:
More Motivated - "I can't/don't want to do it, but my friends can so I'll give it a try."
Quicker Pace - Parents and students know they need to keep up with the group. In individual lessons, students commonly repeat the same pieces for several weeks due to lack of practice.
FUN! - It's fun to learn in a group environment, just like school. We are social beings after all. We take advantage of the group environment to learn through singing and games. It's no fun to sing/play on your own!
www.mymusicplayground.com
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