Young Beginner Do you want your child develop a life-long appreciation for music, boost confidence and increase attention span? Enroll him/her in piano lessons! Learning piano will help children develop creativity, valuable life skills such as focus, goal setting and self-discipline. I teach differently: I combine the most progressive methods I found in American piano school with the traditions of a famous Russian school of piano playing that I was brought up with.This unique and very effective method prepares students for classical repertoire early on. Parents will be surprised to see their child playing several fun short songs after the very first lesson! From the very first lesson your child will be
playing with a beautiful, "singing sound"
developing correct hand position, playing with relaxed wrist
learning effective practice habits
playing right away in many different keys (and not only in fixed C position so commonly used in most piano method books)
playing by rote familiar songs and duets, way before reading music
and,most importantly, enjoying music
Sequence:With young beginners I start from pre-reading , teaching by rote familiar songs children like and are excited to play. Once students read treble and bass clef , I switch them to original easy pieces by classical composers , such as easy originally composed pieces by Mozart, Schumann and Bach, typically by the end of first year. ( By comparison, if students are being taught using a widespread 5 finger C position approach, they probably will be playing in G position by year 2... a very slow progress.. and besides, a real music is not written in C or G position). In addition to classical repertoire, I also include easy jazz an pop compositions and duets specifically written for young beginners. Like with any new skill, daily practice is very important.Practicing at home should be done regularly, at least 5 times a week. With very young children parent supervision is required during home practice. Since I see my students once a week, one of my main goals is to teach them how to practice most efficiently at home to achieve the best results.The discipline that we learn as musicians can be extremely beneficial in all areas of life. Intermediate/advanced pianist Individualized approach, depending on the goal we are trying to achieve. Typical lesson will include: technique ( scales, exercises, etudes); music theory and ear training;polyphony Bach ( 2 part-3 part inventions), Classical repertoire: Mozart,Beethoven, Chopin, also learning jazz and pop compositions and elements of improvisation. Adult Beginner: Individualized approach to help you develop necessary skills needed to become proficient. Recitals:Twice a year students participate in recitals. For more advanced students there is an opportunity to participate in festivals and competitions. I teach in my home studio in Lafayette , on a Mason and Hamlin 7 foot grand piano.
"Olga is a very accomplished professional musician who is also great at teaching young students. My daughter started taking piano lessons from Olga 10 months ago, when she was only three years old. Olga was able to make her feel comfortable and retain her attention. My daughter has been progressing very nicely. I love how Olga emphasizes the importance of correct posture and hand positions at every lesson. She gives different exercises to strengthen or relax upper extremities. She also uses different materials to keep a 4-yr-old interested and excited about learning new pieces. As a parent, I feel fortunate to have found such a seasoned teacher who is nice, intelligent, and serious about teaching music to her students. Highly recommended!"~Hiro J.