What inspired you to learn piano and teach music?
My mother took me to a piano concerto concert when I was four years old. It was my first time going to a concert. I still remember the beautiful Steinway in the center of the orchestra. The music from the piano sounded so beautiful and grand that I asked if I could learn the piano the next day. To this day, I am still grateful for that moment when I got this inspiration when I was four, and that is why I enjoy teaching kids.
When I reached high school, having learned how to play the piano for most of my life, I decided to start teaching piano to kindergarten students on my own. It was rewarding to share the music knowledge with others of all ages, and one day I hope to give the inspiration that I got when I was four to my students. I enjoyed seeing the bright smiling faces of the students after they were ready to perform a piano piece that we had worked on together as a team.
What are ways that you make lessons fun and engaging while still keeping students on track?
One of the things I love to do is to use objects and gamify lessons to integrate entertainment and music education so students can find true self-motivation to learn and succeed. For instance, there are many online music lessons that can be fun for students to learn like speed quizzes or reading notes. Just a few minutes of these games can successfully enlighten students’ interests! Besides these techniques, I prioritize positive reinforcement to build confidence in students so they are continuously motivated to learn and not be scared.
You have a lifetime and extensive experience of teaching students across the globe. You’ve taught music in class settings including band, choir, orchestra, music theory, music history and even developed the music curriculum for the prestigious Korea International School in Seoul. What have you learned from teaching classes that have influenced how you approach private piano lesson teaching?
Learning private piano lessons can be difficult and intimidating for students in the beginning, but it can be creative and fun if other instruments join together. I’ve created many ensemble classes where students learned with more excitement and ease by listening to their instruments more attentively amidst the other instruments. Through this collaboration, I’ve witnessed and learned how students become more aware of their instruments and eventually enjoy playing their instruments to make a holistic ensemble.
What tips do you have to help students have fun studying piano while still making good progress?
I always remind students to never lose interest and communicate with the teacher about any specific interests including pieces they’d like to learn or play. Attending concerts including musicals and any other music-related performances can easily maintain and/or increase students’ interests in studying piano while having fun!