Virtual Lessons

Dear Parent(s),

I’m so excited to have you and your child(ren) start virtual piano lessons!  This letter will help you know what to expect and answer some questions you may have.  Learning to play the piano is more than just attending lessons once a week; it requires a great deal of time and commitment, not only from the student but the parent(s) as well.  In addition, virtual lessons will consist of more than just a weekly Zoom meeting.  You will need to help your child study the video lessons, practice regularly, and find ways to motivate him/her if he/she begins to lose motivation. I suggest that you try lessons for 2 months, and then decide if you would like to continue.   

How Virtual Lessons Work

Videos:

Your child will access each pre-recorded lesson via Youtube.  You will need to sit and watch each video with your child.  (You will be learning the basics of piano right along with your student!)   

Practice:

Students should practice 7 days a week.  Parents must sit with their child each day.  (Older students may be able to practice independently).  Practice will last between 10 and 35 minutes, depending on your child’s age.  The only time a student should miss a day of practice is for illness or vacation. See below for more instructions on how to practice. 

Marco Polos:

 At the end of practice each day, you will send me a short Marco Polo video of each song practiced that day.  Please state the name of the book and page number at the beginning of each video, and then record your child’s hands playing the song.  I will reply via Marco Polo with any corrections your student needs to make.  You may also send any questions at any time.

Zoom Meetings:

When your child has a sufficient grasp of what the lesson covered and has practiced sufficiently, we will schedule a Zoom meeting.  These can last anywhere between 5-20 minutes, depending on  age, attention span, ability, and how much we have to cover. Parents must sit with their child during these lessons to assist him/her, and hold the camera facing the keyboard. These meetings do not need to occur at the same day/time every week, but rather when your child is ready to move on to the next lesson.  When your child masters the content of the current lesson, I will send the next video lesson.

**An important note for parents of students who have previously taken lessons**   Because different teachers introduce different concepts at different times, the lessons must be viewed from the beginning. For example, some teachers never teach finger numbers, and I cover that in the very first lesson.  Other teachers never have students play with a metronome, and this is an important concept that we begin early on.  Other teachers never teach theory, which is a main focus of my lessons. Please do not view this as “starting over” but rather reviewing early lessons to fill in any discrepancies between teaching methods.  Intermediate and advanced students will go through the early lessons very quickly, and return to previous level within a few days or weeks.  If you are not willing to have your student review the lessons from the beginning, these lessons are not the right fit for you. 

Practicing

You must have a piano or keyboard (minimum 61 piano-width keys) in your home for your child to practice on.  Your child needs to practice 7 days a week, between 10 and 35 minutes per day depending on his/her age. I suggest scheduling a regular practice time each day, instead of trying to fit it in around other daily activities.  It is easier to have your child practice 7 days a week than it is to have him/her practice 3-5 days a week, because it becomes a normal part of each day.  Regression occurs quickly with beginning/intermediate piano students, and missing days of practice will result in forgetting what they learned and having to repeat previous lessons. This causes frustration and decreases motivation.  Consistent, meaningful practice is the single most important factor for success in learning to play the piano.  Have your piano tuned regularly (once per year), as ear training is an important part of piano lessons.

Your child must have access to a phone/tablet for practice every day.  This is a REQUIRMENT for lessons.  You must download the following free apps and be able to help your child use them (see attached instructions) : Marco Polo, Tempo SlowMo, SpeakBeat, and a free metronome app. 

Payment

Lessons are $70/month.  Payment is due on the first lesson of each month.  You may pay with cash, check, Paypal, Venmo, Zelle, or through an approved Homeschool Charter.   There are no refunds or “credits” given for missed time due to vacations, illness, etc.

Recitals

Performing in front of others is an important aspect of becoming a proficient piano player.  We will have 2 recitals each year, one in December and one in June.  Recitals will be held at via Zoom.  It is very important that you and your child attend the recital.  We will schedule it several weeks in advance and on a day that everyone can attend.  I encourage students to invite siblings, extended family, friends, teachers, etc.  

Other

·Please inform me if your child has any special needs, learning disabilities, or other diagnoses so that I may adapt my instruction accordingly to accommodate his/her needs. 

·Your child will use 2 books for practice (see attached).  If you’d like to begin lessons before your books arrive, I can email you copies of the pages you’ll need.  You also must have access to a working printer, as I will send worksheets and flashcards to accompany lessons.  This is a REQUIREMENT for lessons.

Please let me know you have any other questions.  I look forward to working with you and your child!

Amy Villeda                                    amymvilleda@gmail.com                          (970) 589-3047