Barbara's Music Studio

I offer a no charge interview/trial lesson before beginning the actual paperwoork. At that time we talk about goals, the students musical preferences and favorite music. With young beginners we notice the pattern of black keys on the piano - the sets of 2 and 3 black keys. I cover the alphab et letters A through G and try to say them backwards. Along with that we try to say our names backwards. Then we number the fingers 1 through 5 and notice that the thumbs are on opposite sides. We trace the hands and number the drawn fingers. The student will pay for a lesson book and a theory book that I will provide and prepare a lesson in both books for the next lesson. After 2 monhths of lessons I provide a binder with suplimental material regarding reading the notes on the staff, exercises for digital dexterity and solo pieces for future performances. The first books will be at the primary level moving to levels 1 and 2 after completion. After that I teach from the repertoire, assigning music that will teach the next techniques. I also use theory packets nd CDs from Music Masters at all levels. 

I studied paino theory and composition at Juilliard School of Music and voice and elocution at the American Theater Wing.  My family and i ran and operatied the Fantasy Playhouse a live musical theater and theater school from 1975 to 2000. We wrote a curriculum and texts books for our theater school. Classes met once a week for 2 hours with a student limit of 10 to a class.  Our Arts in Education Program was approved and paid for by The Board of Education of New York City and the BOCES Cultural Arts Program in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Our staff held workshops in the public schools with one or two grade levels that culminated in a performance at the end of the day.

I bill monthly at the last lesson of the month to be paid at the first lesson of the next month.

$150.00 per month for a 45 minute lesson each week.

$200.00  per month for an hour lesson each week.

Most months have 4 lessons, some have 5 and some have 3. Tuition is based on 44 lssons per year. I offer make up lessons for lessons missed due to illness, family emergancies. etc. If a make up lesson is missed, no additional make up will be scheduled.

Teaching seems to be a natural talent for me. I am a very organized person and a lesson plan seemed an obvious necessity. I began teaching at a summer camp where I was responsible for the drama, vocal and dance program. Then I established musical theater classes in my home. After 2 years I had 88 students and moved to a store front studio that my husband built into a small theater for performances at the end of each semester. At the same time, I taught music to grades K through 9 at Brandies Country Day School (A Soloman Schechter School) I was in charge of the music department at Temple Israel in Lawrence,  Long Island. I had over 1,000 students in the religious school for which I wrote worship services, assembly programs and curriculum. I had an assitant  music teacher who taught the grades 1 through 4. I also ran a "Music Club" that performed in the sanctury every month with holiday music. Please refer to the previous questions for details about the teaching program at Fantasy Playhouse. 

I have worked with children ages 5 through adult. Here in Florida, the arts programs have been eliminated from the public schools. I understand my responsibility to teach music to these children in a way that will carry them into their adult hood.  The piano and its music are 500 years old. I include music history in most lessons and relate interesting facts about the composer and the period their music was written in. My vocal students mostly study musical theater pieces and I try to include anectodes about the composers and lyricists that produced the Great American Songbook and the American Musical Theater.

It is very satisfying to teach beginner adults. They learn very quickly and if they are computer literate their fingers work very well. It's wonderful to  hear them tell me what a stress reliever practicing the piano is. They move ahead through the levels very quickly and, usually, by the second year they can play most intermediate pieces. 

On November 23, 2016 - the day before Thanksgiving - I brought several students to the Ira Goodman Senior Center in Sunrise, Florida. We performed for about 50 minutes including piano and vocal students.  I introduced each student with a little anecdote regarding the composer of their piano piece or a suggestion to use the imagination while listening to unfamiliar piano pieces as if the music was background for a music video. The audience was extremely responsive and many of the older folks came up to us afterward to share their musical experiences with us.  It certainly reminded us what we should be thankful for.

Try to think through what you want to get our of the music lessons. Sometimes you may have to adjust your goals, understanding that you may have to learn things you didn't plan on in order to accomplish the music you set your heart on. For instance, if you want to play popular music, you may not be aware that the piano accompaniment does not include the melody. If you want to sing classical music or opera, you may have to learn to pronounce a foreign language. If you love Mozart,  you will have to perfect scales and arpeggios which are the backbone of  music in the classical period. Don't be impatient. It takes a long time to learn and master any part of music. You will elarn a little bit at a time. I have enough patience for both of us.

Why do I have to take a lesson every week?  Should I take 2 lessons a week?

What happens if I didn't get a chance to practice this week?

Will you charge me less if there are only 3 lessons in the month? 

Do I pay extra if there are 5 lessons int he month?

Do  I pay to perform in the recitals? 

What extra do I pay and what is it for?

When can I play Beethoven - Fur Elise etc.