Answers to commonly asked questions from the experts on Lessons.com.
How much do classical piano lessons cost?
Classical piano lessons cost$40 to $80 hourly on average. Piano lesson packages cost $150 to $360 per month for weekly private lessons in-home or at a studio. Musicians recommend in-person lessons for classical piano playing so that the teacher can correct your hand positions better.
What are classical piano lessons?
Classical piano lessons teach you the traditional playing style of music written by composers like Mozart and Beethoven. You'll also learn important techniques and how to read sheet music of classical arrangements.
How long must you take piano lessons to play classical?
You must take piano lessons for 1 to 2 years with consistent practice to play simple classical pieces. Some people can make faster progress if they practice more often or have prior musical experience.
How long are classical piano lessons?
Classical piano lessons are 30 to 60 minutes long on average. The amount of time varies according to the teacher's style and the abilities of the student.
How do I find the best classical piano lessons near me?
Find classical piano lessons from private instructors by looking through the listings here on the Lessons website. Local music schools sometimes offer virtual lessons online as well.
Prior to hiring a local piano instructor, you should always:
Secure a minimum of 3 lesson cost estimates to get a clear comparison.
Read their ratings on sites such as Lessons and Google.
Talk to students on their references list.
Collect a written agreement and a lesson timeline before lessons begin.
Wait until after your preliminary sessions to start pre-booking for a month of lessons.
What question do I ask when choosing classical piano lessons?
When you're searching for a piano teacher, be sure to ask these questions:
How many years have you been teaching piano?
What is your formal music education background?
Which classical music composers are your favorites?
What is the typical age range of your students?
Do you offer a trial lesson, either for free or at a discounted rate?
If I don't have a piano, what type of keyboard should I get for practicing?
How much practice should I be doing outside of our lessons?
What textbooks do I need, and what's their cost?
Do you give assignments or pieces to memorize after each lesson?
Can you adapt your teaching style based on the individual student's needs?
What should I bring with me to our lessons?
How many different piano genres and styles can you teach?
Can I get a written copy of our agreement and the payment terms?
What is your policy for cancelling a lesson?
Will I be able to choose some of my own favorite songs to learn?
Reviews for Mountain View classical piano lessons
Recent success stories from people in the Mountain View area.
Philip B.
I always wanted to learn how to play the piano but as a middle-aged man with no appreciable musical experience, I was nervous about how I'd fare. I opted not to self-teach as I didn't want to pick up bad habits. Last January I began looking for a piano teacher. I chose Toby primarily for her credentials and experience. Her composition work (an area I want to later explore) and selection of keyboards also influenced my decision as one day I'd love to be able to play the numerous synthesizers I've accumulated!
We began with a trial lesson, which was relaxed and enjoyable. We determined that a weekly, one hour lesson would work well. Over six months in, any initial fears I had have been allayed and I'm overjoyed with my progress. I quickly discovered that playing with two hands wasn't the insurmountable challenge I imagined it to be and that I do indeed have rhythm. I'm playing pieces from the Piano Adventures Level 3A book and am on my way to tackling some beginner/intermediate songs. A recent exercise involved improvisation around Greensleeves. Improvisation is one of Toby's great strengths and I learned a number of valuable techniques from her.
Toby encourages steady progress, offers constructive feedback and puts great emphasis on aspects such as dynamics and sight reading, often overlooked by beginners and the self-taught. Each music piece is carefully chosen to advance my learning and technique and I enjoy them immensely. Toby keeps me accountable and I have found that practicing at home for 45 minutes to an hour each day has yielded great results. Toby is responsive and she has offered flexibility when needed.
Just three months in, I was already confident enough to play at Toby's formal recital held at Union Church of Cupertino. I performed beyond my expectations and I was amazed and delighted by the performances of both her child and adult students.
Toby also holds informal adult recitals at her home, which are a great opportunity to meet like-minded folk and share positive feedback and affirmations in a relaxed setting. Toby will also perform some of her compositions, such as Chasing Circles, which are very impressive.
Overall, I highly recommend her. Playing the piano has become my favourite hobby, which is surely a testament to her teaching abilities.
Matoush Melodies Piano Academy
- Justin U.
“Dr. Seong has been one of my most influential teachers I’ve had in my piano instruction and playing. She reinforced my foundation of understanding and truly brought out expressivity in my playing that I had never considered myself capable of performing. Patient, kind, and nurturing, Dr. Seong helped to foster my love of piano playing and her expert guidance is inspiring. I grew leaps and bounds in the time that I took lessons with Dr. Seong, and still refer back to things she taught me in our lessons years later.”
Dr. Seong Piano Studio
Winters W.
I have three daughters and they all took lessons at Stephanie’s Studio. Even after college, my older two still love playing piano and my youngest is still taking lessons here. I’m grateful that Stephanie let them grow up with music and pleasure. This will be a precious gift for them throughout their lives.
Stephanie’s Piano class
James F.
I have been taking piano lessons from Laura Michelle Agigian for 2 years. I am 78 years old and Laura Michelle has been adept at giving me the lessons that somebody of my age requires. Even though I had some lessons as a kid my knowledge was lacking. My prior lessons were of the classical type of instruction. See a written note and play it. In the beginning if you asked me to play a C chord my response would be, "What's a chord?". Now I have a working knowledge of most chords and their inversions and extensions. I still have a lot to go, but she has adapted well to teaching somebody that has an aging brain and body, like me. I would recommend her to anybody.
Jazz/Pop Expressions
Kimmi H.
I feel incredibly blessed to have had Nora's musical influence through out my life. Nora is deeply committed to instilling a deep understanding of music through historical context, music theory as well as the expression of music through her students' connection with music. From Nora's experiences growing up in Russia, her understanding of European history and her natural curiosity for historical culture, her life experiences culminates in the practice room to bring meaning to the music that were written in times of Bach, Beethoven, Schummann, Prokofiev, to the comtemporary. I remember it to be a colorful depiction of what life was like back then, the social revolutionary movements and it's effects on music. She is then able to translate that into the musical notes on the page from form and structure to music progressions to chromatic development to style of playing and articulations. But the most important lesson I learn from her is how to express emotions through music as this is what connects us to the sounds that is being created. Although I have won awards from competitions during Nora teachings, I cannot tell you where those certificates lie but what stays with me in the last 20 years is the love of music, the trained ears for appreciating classical music, the spirit of beauty in the world by valuing music and last but not least the ability to express myself in a deeply satisfying way without using words.
Nora Ayzman
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