Music teachers sometimes overemphasize the importance of learning to read music early.  Would you teach a baby to read before it could talk?  Should a teenager study dance notation before learning to dance?  Musicians need to train their ears, their vocal cords, or their hands, and to develop the sense of music that tells them when to sing or play what (Pete Seeger).

The piano is the most popular instrument for young children ages 5-9 to study.  Our culture has long recognized that piano lessons help students develop the foundation for how to listen to music, what to listen for in music, how to think about music, and how to interpret the musical page.

Because of this reality, it's only natural that adults like to share their piano lesson experiences with us.  Unfortunately, far too many adults report negative feelings about piano lessons or the fact that they still cannot play pieces that they enjoy hearing or singing.  The comment most often shared, however, is that they quit piano and now regret it.

So what's the answer to this conundrum?  At Music Moves for Children, we believe that research during the last 50 years about how children best learn music offers an excellent solution.  Using a remarkable new method that builds on Orff, Kodaly, Suzuki, Dalcroze and Taubman, and is based on the theories of Edwin Gordon, our students benefit from instruction that is modeled after how we learn language (listen, speak, think, read, write) and helps them learn to hear what they play and play what they hear. 

At lessons, instruction focuses on four key areas:  audiation skills, keyboard technique, keyboard exploration, improvisation and creativity, and keyboard pieces.  Instruction is more activity oriented rather than coaching/performance oriented.

Our Piano Transitions class for preschoolers or kindergartners will help your child get off to the best start with a solid musical foundation.  Piano Lessons offer first graders and older a more formal lesson experience, and will help them continue to develop functional, lifelong, musical skills.

And will your child quit?  Yes, the reality is that most students do quit.  But we believe that our approach helps students enjoy lessons and encourages them to study for a longer period of time.  And when they do stop piano lessons, they will have developed musicianship and an understanding of music that will help them participate in other music activities at a deeper, more meaningful level throughout their lives.   When they are grown and have children of their own, we expect that music making will continue to be a part of their lives.  At holiday parties, they will be able to play Jolly Old St. Nicholas and other Christmas carols without the music...and with harmony....starting on any key!