Music With Debbie
About
I have been teaching many years. I started when I was 14. I have a Masters in music. I play organ and piano at a church plus sing in a semi-professional choir. I believe as a performing teacher it makes me more understanding with performance problems. In my studio I have a studio class/performance for the students so they have the opporunity to play for others and listen to others. I will try to run fun workshop classes using Orff instruments. I give the opporunity for those student who want to to do exams with the Royal Conservatory Music Developmental progam. I teach students with learning disablities. During the year end recital I will play a piece on the Organ.
I love seeing students achieve learning a new skill and the joy they get from playing music well. I love when my exam students come back and tell me they passed with honors and to see the pride in their face. I know that this is a life time skill and how they can enjoy it for the rest of the students life.
Highlights
No reviews (yet)
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
It depends on the age of the new student, where they are in their music study and whether the student is going to do traditional reading or add Suzuki with the lessons. With an older student I will ask them what their goals are and set out a plan on how to get their. With both younger and older students I like to get to know them a little at the first lesson. With a beginning students I start with working on posture and the geography of the piano.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have an ARCT from the Royal Toronto Conservatory of Music in piano and theory. I have a Bachelors of Science degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in music, learning styles and theory. I have a Master in Music Education. I also have a Masters in Orff and Level I in Kodaly
When I started teaching piano my teacher mentored me. I also taught music in the schools and taught Suzuki piano and choir at a community school of the arts. The music teachers would work together and bring in people to improve our teaching through inservices and workshops.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
I charge $60 an hour but prorate for portions of the hour. I do not charge for the studio class that are every 6-8 weeks. I do charge a $10 per student fee for the final recital.
Students are responsible for buying books either on their own or through me.
When students take exams for piano or theory they pay the exam fee.
How did you get started teaching?
When I was 13 my piano teachers studio was getting very large and she wanted someone to take over teaching her beginning theory students. Since I received honors on my lower level theory exams I started teaching. A few years later my teacher recommended to some of her waitlist students to let me teach them piano. That's how I got started. I went on to finish my training with the conservatory and then onto university.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked with many students through the years from students with learning disablities to those without. In the public schools I also taught music to the special education classes.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I haven't had a student do an exam for a few years. Last year one of my students did an intermediate exam on piano. She received an honor with distinction. A few months later she did a theory exam and received the same. I was blown away.
I also have a student with learning disablities. When she learned her first song with an alberti bass in the left hand I was so proud of her. She worked so hard to be able to do that.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
First ask about what training the teacher has done.
Second, the teaching experience. A teacher who has taught has learned/trained through that experience. What type of experience the teacher has.
Third, try a lesson and see how the teacher and student react to one another. With a one on one lesson the teacher and student needs to be able to work together.
Fourth, and an important one for me is having the parent(s) at the lesson, especially for the first year or so.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Again this depends on the age of the student. Older students should be able to talk about goals, practicing, the type of music they would like to play, and to take exams or not.
Younger students should talk about practice time, exams and about music they like.