Piano with Gail C.

I have been teaching piano to students after school for four years in the elementary schools and at community centers. I have been playing piano for nine years. My ability to compose music as well as read it would make me a great asset to the students. I treat each student as an individual, even when I engage in group lessons. I have had experience in teaching a Downs Syndrome child. I can patiently motivate the students to do what they may not think they can do on the piano.  The lessons begin very basically and become more and more complex.  Students will learn music theory as well as playing the piano with both hands.  I have successfully taught about one hundred students in after school programs to play piano accurately. The result is an enjoyable experience. I encourage students who play by ear to learn how to read music so that they can be more marketable in the music profession.Playing by ear is a very good and useful skill, but to be more professional, these students need to be well-rounded by learning how to read music as well. The study of music will teach children to be disciplined, to work to completion, to be compassionate toward other cultures, to develop their language and reasoning skills, and to work hard. Studies have shown that music students have the highest fraction and reading scores and are more likely to be admitted to medical schools. For this reason, I feel any student would benefit from music instruction. *** Lesson Details *** I teach the students how to find and name the keys on the piano first. Then I give them experience in playing familiar tunes, such as nursery rhymes, or easy classical music. I stress practicing, so the students will often practice the song until they can play it smoothly. I teach right hand instruction first, increasing the difficulty and then the left hand. Then they learn to play the whole song.  The student learns music theory.I give several simple songs involving the playing with both hands so that they feel comfortable playing with bot hands, then we progress to the sharps and flats. I do everything in a step-by step fashion, building upon previous lessons. Once students are playing satisfactorily, I schedule a recital so that friends and family can see the progress the student is making.  I also prepare the students for piano competitions which are held at various schools in Rhode Island.  I pace the lessons according to how quickly the student is progressing. I choose familiar songs so that I can demonstrate the correct rhythm and them choose songs they may not have heard so that they can learn the rhythm of the songs. The music which I use is easy nursery rhymes, jump rope songs, and easy sonatas and preludes by Beethoven, Bach, and Mozart.  If there is a talent for composing, we can experiment with musical composition. *** Studio Equipment *** Piano Gallery is a piano dealer with a raised stage for recitals as well as extra studios for practice w/ seating for parents. Each room has an upright piano. *** Specialties *** I can teach piano composition. I use classical songs for teaching piano.