FAQ
How long have you been teaching?
I've been teaching music for 20 years as of 2024. It started with one voice student in Austin, TX in 2004 and has included voice lessons, piano lessons, composition lessons, guitar lessons, music theory lessons, songwriting lessons and a full preschool classroom for a few years! I've been named as one of the Top 10 Piano Teachers in Portland by expertise.com for the 7 years it existed and rated one of the best piano teachers in the area by lessons.com.
What ages do you teach?
I teach ages 4 and 1/2 (or once the child is both interested in piano and able to stay in one spot for at least 5 minutes at a time) and up. I love teaching both kids and adults!
What are your rates?
For Piano Lessons:
15 minutes - $50
30 minutes - $60
45 minutes - $70
1 hour - $80
For Piano PLUS Voice Lessons:
15 minutes - $60
30 minutes - $70
45 minutes - $80
1 hour - $90
For Piano PLUS Composition Lessons:
15 minutes - $60
30 minutes - $70
45 minutes - $80
1 hour - $90
Do you teach online or in person?
I teach online. I had planned to return to in person lessons but the online format has ended up being more effective. My students - even the 4-5 year olds - are learning almost twice as much material per lesson these days and retention tends to be exponentially better.
What online platforms do you use?
I use FaceTime, Google Meets and even Facebook Messenger.
How does your billing work?
All lesson payments for the month are collected by the first lesson of each month. This reserves the student's weekly time for lessons. A makeup lesson credit is added to a student's account any time they cancel a lesson. The student schedules their makeup lesson when they're ready. Anytime I cancel, I refund that day's lesson fees fully.
Do you teach voice lessons?
I do voice work as an add-on to piano in my Piano PLUS Voice lessons, but do not teach stand alone voice lessons. For Piano PLUS Voice, I teach good posture, breath support, age-appropriate vocal warm-ups and how to sing while playing piano.
Do you teach parent/child lessons?
After many experiments over the years :) I've landed on teaching kids and parents separately rather than at the same time. Parents can opt for weekly, every-other-week, or monthly lessons to focus on learning what their kids are learning plus duets they can play with their kids. This is an excellent option for families who love music and want to foster a healthy, enjoyable, long-term relationship with piano or guitar.
What should I expect from a first lesson?
First lessons are a little different than the rest. It's our first meeting :) so we'll spend a bit of time just getting to know each other. We’ll play a bit, talk about your favorite kinds of music and musical goals, and look at curriculum options. I'll teach you a little something new to play, help you choose your books, and talk through practice and policy information. Should give you enough information to decide if we're a good fit for one another and, if we are, give us a great foundation for working together!
How often should I practice?
At least four days a week will ensure great and consistent progress. Though honestly, daily practice can be an easier habit to build and maintain.
How long should I practice?
I encourage my students to practice for repetitions rather than for time. In other words: play each of your assignments three times during each practice session rather than comitting to playing for 15 minutes. You can also divide your practice time up and do it throughout the day!
What are your cats' names?
David and Alexis :)