Mother Tongue Approach:  Children learn music just like they learn language: by ear. Through constant listening in a nurturing home environment, children become fluent communicators long before they know how to read. Using the Suzuki approach as a starting point, the parent and I work together to nurture the child’s musical ear and guide them to play piano with physical ease and sensitive musicality from the beginning. Once children have experienced music through the senses and discovered musical symbols and notation through hands-on activities away from the piano, reading at the piano is a natural outgrowth of what they already know.

Parent participation: Parents play a vital role in helping students grow as piano players. One parent is expected to attend each lesson and support practice at home. Parents can expect to be involved in the lesson by taking notes and sometimes playing along. I also provide resources for parents in the form of reading material and occasional parent workshops.

Private Lessons & Group Class: Suzuki students participate in BOTH. Private lessons provide individual instruction with Anna focused on piano playing skills. Group classes provides the opportunity to collaborate with peers while developing musicianship, pre-reading and ensemble skills. Group classes are held approximately every other week on Mondays and Thursday evenings during the academic year. 

Listening – Students and their families listen daily to their Suzuki recordings as well as all other types of music that they love.

Building on the musical foundation established through the beginning years of study, I launch intermediate/advanced students and transfer students into early adulthood as life-long music lovers, music makers and, sometimes, music professionals.

Course of Study: I work with intermediate and advanced students to assess their current technical and musical skills and to make a plan for study based on their goals and interests.   Using classical piano repertoire as a foundation, we cultivate skills as expressive and purposeful musicians. 

Studio Class: Studio classes are held twice a year for intermediate and advanced high school students. 

Collaborative Piano: Intermediate/Advanced students are encouraged to participate in at least one collaborative musical ensemble each year. Some students like to play duets with another piano student from the studio. Others have accompanied an instrumentalist in a student recital or served as the pianist for their school choir.

Additional Performing Opportunities: In addition to studio recitals, students may elect to participate in other performing opportunities from the informal (Downtown Playathon, First Fridays, Retirement Communities) to the more formal (HMTA Festival, District Auditions).