Turner Music

    I offer a free Meet & Greet lesson for new students where they can come to my home, meet me, and do a mini lesson.  This allows the student and their parents to experience my style of teaching and my home environment before deciding if I will be a good fit for them.  It also helps the student be much more relaxed at the first real lesson.

     My methods for teaching a new student depends on their age and previous piano experience.  If they are brand new to piano, I begin by teaching the letter names of the keys and the finger numbers, etc. Toy props and silly sayings help speed this process. I then follow the seqence of instruction in our main lesson book, adjusting speed and detail to the ability of the students.  A beginner classics book, a children's songs book, and a basic technic book follow when skills progress appropriately.

       Students with previous piano experience are encouraged to bring the books they used before, and to play some of their favorite songs that they already know.  We review as needed, continue in their old books, and gradually add in the series I usually use.

       I constantly assess strengths and weaknesses of all my students, and strive to build well-rounded, knowledgable musicians who can not only play piano, but also understand the basic music theory behind what they are playing.  This understanding simplifies note-reading and greatly aids sight-reading skills.

     I am always interested in what a student wants to play, and do my best to find their favorite songs written to their performance level for them to enjoy.

            My B.A. in Music Education and Music Theory, the ORff, Kodaly certification, three years of classroom music teaching, many years of my own personal piano lessons, raising my own children, home-schooling my children for several years, and 38 years of private piano teaching combine to make me a skilled, imaginative, creative, compassionate, encouraging, positive, and enthusiastic teacher.  I love what I do, and I am very good at it!

      I charge $30.00 for a 30 minute lesson and $60.00 for an hour lesson.  There is a also one-time $30.00 registration fee.  Books are an additional cost, added as needed as the student progesses through various skill stages.

      During my student-teaching time in college, I began working individually with some of the high school choir students. This led to private lessons after I graduated.  I also  taught one of the teachers in a school where I taught general music.  When I left full time teaching to be home with my children, I began to seriously persue private teaching, and have continued to the present. 

      I have worked with a great variety of students: ages 2-65, "average," extremely gifted, slow learners, autistic, ADHD, shy, out-going-- just about every kind I can think of.  Each bring their own challenges and their own rewards.  I value every one.

         A 9-year-old boy started piano lessons in the fall of 2019.  He was excited to learn to play and practiced faithfully.  He is an "average" learner-- neither slow, nor especially gifted at piano-- but he enjoyed it, and he made steady progress.  Last July he played an American folk song, and it sounded like a REAL song!  Not just the disconnected, struggling plunking of keys (like a beginning student,) but a connected, (legato,) beautiful SONG!  I was so excited!  I told him he sounded like a real pianist now: like someone who knew what they were doing, and not a just a beginner.   He beamed!  I beamed! We high-fived!  These moments bring special joy to teaching!

        I would tell them to look for a teacher who is qualified, (degreed,) who has experience, whose goals are in line with your own, and who has a teaching style you are comfortable with.  A student who wants to play for enjoyment may not want an intense, demanding instructor, but a student who wants to do competitions and persue a performance career will want a teacher who will push them harder and be more demanding.   Students on the college level may not have the luxury of a friendly relationship with their instructor, but young children do need to feel comfortable and safe with their teacher and the environment.                                                                            I always tell potential students and parents that I am offering a service, and they are the consumer.  They should be happy with the product they are purchasing. I may be the best teacher for them, or someone else may be a better fit.  If they think I am the right teacher, I ask them to give it a month for the student to learn some basics and give it a fair try.  Then we can reassess if they want to continue or to move on with no hard feelings.  

        Do you have an instrument to practice on? (either a keyboard or acoustic piano)  What are your goals for piano lessons?  Can you commit the time necessary for lessons and for practice?  Can you afford tuition and books?