Piano Lessons in Palmdale, CA

Instruments: Piano

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
This depends solely on the child's piqued interest. I always recommend parents to explore with their child's interest at the age of 6. Find someone from the community or a friend who has a piano. Get the child to sit in on a piano lesson or play on one. Otherwise, the best approach is when the child has grown and develop an understanding of learning.

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Create a schedule with a set time for practice. This must be encourage by the teacher and parent(s). Always set a minimum of time; for example, 10 minutes everyday would keep the students from forgetting, 15 minutes a day would help the student to learn, 20 minutes a day will keep the student busy, 25 minutes a day will allow the student to slowly progress, 30 minutes a day will improve the student's overall understanding and ability on the piano. Of course this continues to increment, but pace is of the utmost importance here. If the student does not know what to cover for practice, they should ask their teacher for a spreadsheet. The spreadsheet should include a box chart for topics of 'what to practice' for each subject such as techniques, sight-reading, solo repertoire, and music theory. The instructions should be simple and straightforward so that the student knows what to do. It should also be visible for the students to read and clip near their piano for practicing.

When will I start to see results?
This differs from one student to another. I have had some student play the piano and begin to grasp the fundamentals within two weeks. Other students progress at a slower pace taking them 4-10 weeks before results settles in. One thing I can be sure of is that if the student consistently practice, they'll achieve results. Within a year, the student will begin to take off with results as long as they keep up with a consistent schedule.

Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
No, what gravitated me towards music was film music and sound from the world we live in. I grew up watching a lot of random movies, shows, cartoons, and video games. There are tons of music from any of those genres, yet there are also thousands of sound produce within those work. Because of that, I decided to try out music. However I did have a teacher inspire me to go further into classical music later on. Hence why I began to dedicate my study for music and teach.

Why did you choose your primary instrument?
I chose the piano because of an uncle of mines. He used to visit us a lot and bring by a keyboard. He would play it and sing for us whenever he visited. And simply because the piano was very versatile and complete in terms of sound range.

What musical accomplishments are you most proud of?
I am most proud of all the performances I have been involved in. Especially my Junior and Senior Recitals. However at the moment, I am proud of finishing my degree and teaching piano.

What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
Musical interpretation and techniques.

What does a normal practice session look like for you?
Normal practice sessions for me are usually two to four hours depending on my schedule. I cover what is necessary for self improvement and practice my lesson plans.

If you have a Music Degree, what is it in (Performance, Education, Musicology, Theory, Composition, etc) and why did you choose that degree?
I have a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance and Composition. I chose this degree because at first I was interested in composition. Performance and Composition being together was the curriculum when I studied at CSUSB, in a sense, it was required to be a performance major to study composition. However I ended up being a full time piano performance major. It was because I was inspired by my peers and teacher.

What is your dream piece to perform and why?
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto no. 2 in C minor, Op. 18. When I first heard of this piece, I felt the anguish, depress, and heroic emotions from the composer. The story behind this piece is much bigger than just the achievements and outlook of the beautiful piece. It is a heartfelt piece for me. My biggest dream is to learn and perform this piece.

If you weren't a musician what do you think you'd be doing instead?
If I wasn't a musician, I would probably be sitting in a desk working on computers. I had also major before minoring in computer science when I was studying undergrad for my music degree.

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