Beginning at an early age is one of the best contributors for success in music. The challenge is often managing short attention spans and behavior when kids are so young, though. What recommendations do you have for parents who want to start their child in lessons but aren’t sure the best way to begin?
Very young students are able to benefit so much as they learn to enjoy music at an early age. Their infinite curiosity propels students toward having very fun and engaging lessons. I would recommend first starting kids under the age of 5 with group lessons. These lessons tend to be fun and easy while being around their peers, which can be good motivation toward learning and staying with music. As students over the age of 5 are more mature, I would recommend starting them with private lessons as the teacher is able to guide each student according to their ability and preferences.
You’ve been teaching in San Jose since before the big tech boom. Have you noticed changes in the music community and how have you adapted as a teacher to meet the culture shift?
Having been involved in the music community for such a while, I can really say that music is timeless. In Silicon Valley, parents and students are just as engaged in learning and development through music as they were 20 years ago. Thanks to much of the technology that has come out of Silicon Valley, teachers and students have been able to connect better with learning tools and participate in online lessons. This has meant that even if students are unable to come in person, we’re able to minimize gaps in their education and students can learn with continuity.
At Opus 1 we encourage students to use the Piano Adventures books written by the acclaimed teachers and authors Nancy and Randall Faber. What do you think makes these books an ideal method of learning piano compared to other series?
We recommend the Piano Adventures series as they’re easy to understand and enjoyable textbooks for beginners. Kids can also have fun and build a solid foundation starting with piano Adventures by playing the duets included in the books with their teacher. They are also very culturally inclusive