"My daughter Elise started playing piano with Vanessa when she was 7 years old. My daughter is now 12 years old and loves music and I give the credit to Vanessa. She looked forward to her lessons, loved Vanessa, wanted to please her, wanted to do well and did do well. Vanessa has a spark that inspires children and I am so grateful she was our first piano teacher."

- Cindy Reysbergen
Mother of Elise and Carl

Piano Lessons
  Tuition: $25 per half hour, paid monthly
   
  Philosophy: It is amazing how far-reaching the benefits of piano study can be for young people. Studying music helps bolster a child’s math, reading, and critical thinking skills while developing creativity and discipline. Because every student’s needs and interests are different, every lesson will be individually tailored. The curriculum is delivered and discussed with candor and humor. Students are treated with respect and encouraged to push themselves. Piano study should increase a child’s confidence, creativity, and love of music.
   
  Curriculum: Piano curriculum is based on the Bastien Piano Basics program. At every lesson, students learn to read music and develop musicality by working on theory exercises. Using first the Bastien Piano books and then supplementary “fun” books, students put their skills to work, playing songs appropriate to their level of accomplishment. Many pieces include an optional teacher part, giving students an opportunity to play with another musician – an important skill for any pianist.
   
  Practice: The single most valuable work any piano student can do to excel is PRACTICE. Each student will be given a practice book which includes room to note their assignments, as well as a place to record the days and amount of time devoted to practice. While each student’s needs differ, the key to successful practice is consistency. Ideally, a beginning student should practice twenty to thirty minutes a day, five days a week. Parents can best help young students by encouraging this consistency and setting up a routine. Once a student has taken a seat at the piano, however, parents are encouraged to allow practice to be relatively independent.