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Piano Lessons

piano lessons illustration

Overview

one of our amazing piano students during his lesson

Piano is the most popular instrument in the world - and for many reasons. It's very visual, expressive, and, unlike many other instruments, allows us to play a large number of notes simultaneously. It's sort of like having a whole orchestra at your fingertips! But as a wise man once said: "It's easy to play the piano, but it's hard to play it well".

At DCAM, we believe technique can make or break your piano playing, which is why we do our best to make sure our students learn correct technique from the very beginning - before it becomes a habit.

We also realize that our students come in many different "shapes and sizes", which is why our teachers do their best to tailor lessons to each student's individual skill level and musical taste.

What is a good age to start piano lessons?

Five is the age at which most children have enough mental focus, self-awareness, and finger strength to start piano lessons. At this age, 30-minute lessons are the recommended option.

If your child is younger than 5 and you think they are ready to start lessons - sign them up for a free trial lesson and we will be happy to give you our recommendation!

Lesson Format

Private lessons: these are one-on-one lessons with student and teacher. Private lessons are a great option for students looking for highly-focused and individualized music instruction. The teacher is able to give their full attention to one student and students normally progress faster in this environment.

Semi-private lessons: these lessons consist of two students per teacher. Semi-private lessons can be a budget-friendly option for parents with two children or two friends wanting to learn the same instrument together. The one obvious drawback is that students don't receive as much focused and individualized attention from the teacher as they do with private lessons.

Lesson Duration

At DCAM, students can choose between 30-minute, 45-minute, or 1-hour lessons. Small children generally start with 30-minute lessons and increase lesson duration as they get older and/or with the recommendation from their teacher. For teenagers and adults, a minimum lesson time of 45 minutes is strongly recommended.

Materials

a girl doing music theory

For complete beginners, we like to use "The ABC of Piano Playing" series by Boris Berlin, which contains Books 1, 2, and 3. These books are a great introduction to the keyboard and music notation and contain many simple and catchy tunes. After finishing all three of these books, students have several options. Those following the Royal Conservatory path will be able to start either the "Preparatory A Piano Repertoire" or jump straight into the "Level 1 Piano Repertoire". For students who do not wish to do the Royal Conservatory exams, books will be chosen based on their individual musical preferences.

Instruments

At DCAM, students learn using upright acoustic pianos. While we don't expect all our students to have an acoustic piano at home, we do recommend getting at least a weighted keyboard. Weighted simply means that the keys have a slight resistance, similar to that of a real piano.

Interested in getting a piano? Talk to us or check out Long & McQuade. They offer a variety of pianos for both sale and rent.

Styles

Students can choose to learn any musical style they want on the piano, such as pop, jazz, classical, etc. Those wishing to go the Royal Conservatory route should expect a heavy focus on classical music.

Teachers

piano teacher Deniz

Deniz

piano, music theory

Deniz Tafaghodi is a pianist, sound artist, and founder of 'Zerone Duo'. She began her musical journey at the age of four with Orff Music and began studying classical piano at the age of six. Deniz earned her degree in Music (Piano Performance) from the Art & Architecture University of Tehran. She has been teaching classical piano and music theory since 2016. She has also been an active collaborator in various artistic mediums, including live electro-acoustic/audiovisual performances, sound installations, sound design and music composition for theaters contemporary dance performances, and computer games.

piano teacher Amanda

Amanda

piano

Amanda began her music journey with the RCM piano curriculum at six years old. After earning the RCM Level 10 certificate five years later, she realized her passion for playing piano had simmered out due to the chore-like, repetitive routine. This experience is why Amanda's teaching is deeply rooted in the values of inspiring curiosity within students and integrating an element of play! With years of piano teaching and academic tutoring experience, Amanda loves to share her rekindled passion for music by fostering lifelong joys in others. In her free time, Amanda learns about music history from cultures around the world, plays flute, and is learning electric guitar.

piano,

Joseph

piano, drums, guitar, trumpet

Joe is a multi-instrumentalist currently in his third year studying Jazz Piano Performance at the University of Toronto. He started taking trumpet lessons when he was still missing his two front teeth, and began studying guitar only a couple of years later. Having been extremely lucky to study with teachers who prioritized building a personal relationship with music, Joe has spent the last decade learning new instruments, writing and recording original music, and geeking out over music theory. Today he dedicates time between his classes to performing in local venues and teaching a variety of musical instruments. His dream is to be able to help his students build the same joyous, curiosity-driven relationship to music that his teachers fostered in him.

Our teachers are all qualified professionals and passionate musicians. We do our best to match a student with a teacher that we think would best fit their musical goals as well as their personalities. We understand that while some students prefer a relaxed teaching approach, there are always those for whom a more strict approach is more effective. Students also have the option to request to change their teacher if they wish to do so. Learn more about our teachers on our Teachers Section.

FREE TRIAL LESSON

Just fill out our quick trial lesson form and wait to hear from us within 1-2 business days. If you like your trial lesson, you can sign up for regular lessons with us! Our lessons are available online (Zoom or Skype) as well as in-person if you live close to our location. Start learning your favorite instrument with one of our amazing teachers today!