MW Piano Studio's Theory of Teaching

We teach piano by traditional methods, striving for excellence. The goal is a well-rounded knowledge of piano, divided into the three main elements of playing any instrument: theory, technique, and ear-training. Rather than merely moving up through didactic piano literature, a song at a time, we stress each of these three skills equally and use literature as a means to that end.

Theory: To appreciate, play, and possibly compose music, students must thoroughly master music's building blocks. Note-reading is essential, as well as knowledge of musical terms and markings. Scales, chords, and their function in compositions should become second nature to the young student, in order to be useful in advanced studies. Rhythm is no less essential, and every student should make a habit of counting aloud.

Technique: Even entire familiarity with theory is useless without knowing how to use it to play piano. Dexterity on the keyboard is acquired by numerous exercises, as well as practice.

Ear-training: Lastly, no one can be a musician without a good ear for music. While having one depends partly on natural talent, the ear can be trained through listening and exercises.

All this may sound a bit austere when laid out in paragraphs, but in practice, our main goal is for piano to be fun. No one learns when they're bored, and we work hard to find what excites each student.