Many of my students are adults who have had some experience with piano lessons in their youth. Others are absolute beginners. Additionally, I have children starting as early as 5 years old. I have been on the Board of Directors of the Washington Music Teachers's Association for over 10 years, and know many of the leading teachers in the area.
My approach is to teach a natural hand position, evenness of touch and tone and to get the student to really listen to his or her playing. I place a special emphasis on music theory, which is the 'guts' of music. Students almost always appreciate knowing the theory behind the harmonies and composition, and I find it helps them to understand the music, memorize it, and then create their own compositions. It is especially helpful and necessary if the student wishes to move on to popular or jazz standards.
My rates are competitive with the best teachers in the area, and your first lesson is free. In the first lesson, we go over basics of the keyboard, and I use the time to get to know you, and you get to know me. This way, we can see if we are compatible before we get settled in.
I always stress that learning piano is like learning a language -- it requires a commitment on the part of the student. You have to figure that it will take about two years of weekly lessons before you get proficient enough to play at the intermediate level. Taking anything less than that is a waste of your time and money, as you simply won't learn much. There is no hurrying this process, but obviously the more time you can allocate each day to practice, the faster your progress. Even if you can only devote 15 minutes each day, you can progress steadily.
Please send me an email at zltd@earthlink.net to set up your first lesson. I look forward to meeting with you!
Randy Reade
