Frequently Asked QUESTIONS

How old do I have to be to start learning? I have taken students as young as 5 and as old as 70, but what I currently offer is geared toward teens and adults. Pre-teens and children may be considered.

How much do lessons cost? $120/hour. This price is very different from most piano teachers, and that’s because I offer a very different service than they do. I teach students how to sing and play piano, which involves learning chords, reading lead sheets, using sheet music to figure out difficult sections, adapting sheet music that doesn’t meet our needs, and much more.

There are tons of other teachers who offer lessons for young children, beginners, classical music, and more. I encourage you to find the type of piano teacher you are looking for! You can check out other piano teachers in Lethbridge, follow YouTube videos, or try apps like Yousician.

How long are lessons? 30 to 60 minutes, depending on your preference and my schedule.

How much do I need to practise? Daily practise is preferred, but I have also had success with students who only play piano during their lessons (though these students progress very slowly).

Where are you located? I teach in my home which is in West Lethbridge in Sunridge. I can also teach online, but it’s difficult to create a setup that allows me to both see the student and demonstrate things to the student.

When are you available? I have a variable schedule, so let me know when you’d like lessons and I’ll let you know if that works for me too. In general, I could take students between 9am and 9pm Monday to Friday.

Are the lessons private or in groups? I generally teach each student privately but can teach groups of two for $70/hour each and groups of three for $50/hour each.

What can I learn to play? We will work on singing and playing piano–so that could mean pop music, rock, country, ballads, church music, and musical theatre.

Do I need to know how to read music? Not necessarily. It’s helpful, but it’s not crucial. It will also depend on how good your ear is. We will work on both skills, but you aren’t required to learn in one particular way. We will probably still use some sheet music and adapt it as needed.

Do I need a piano? Yes, you will need an acoustic piano or a digital piano with weighted keys and touch-sensitive keys.

What else do I need?

• a book bag is very handy to keep all of your books together,
• an empty notebook or FJH Student Assignment Book (from Long & McQuade),
• a 1/2″ or 1″ binder for loose sheets (we will have a lot of these),
• hard-soled slippers or clean indoor shoes.
• other materials as needed.

What are your qualifications? I have been playing the piano ever since I can remember, but I started taking piano lessons at age 9. I have a Bachelor of Education (majoring in music) and a Bachelor of Music (majoring in piano) from the University of Lethbridge. I completed my grade 9 RCM examination in 2003 (performance, theory, and history!) and played grade 10 RCM pieces during my Bachelor of Music. I taught piano for five years in high school but had to quit when I moved to Lethbridge because I didn’t have a piano or a car! I started up again in 2010 and have been loving it ever since. 

I also have over 20 years of performing experience as a pianist and singer-pianist.