1. How long should it take my child to complete a level?
It depends on the age and maturity of the student, the amount of practice time, and the level of family involvement and support. Students should progress through the books at a steady pace, always seeking a balance between being challanged and feeling comfortable. Some students may complete a level in 3 months, while others may take the entire school year or more. The harder the level, the longer it will take.

2. Should my child practice each day, and if so, for how long?
Your child should practice on a daily basis. Some teachers recommend that students have one day off each week from practice. Check with Mrs. Jenn to determine the amount of practice time necessary for your child, based on the student’s age, maturity and level of advancement. Don’t automatically assume that the child should practice one hour a day. Several short practice periods are usually more successful for students just starting than one longer session. Beginners often start with 15 minutes of practcie a day, gradually increasing to 30 minutes by the end of the year. Intermediate students usually practice between 45 minutes to 1 hour a day. Advanced students may practice anywhere from 1 hour to 3 hours a day.  A good rule not to overwhelm a student, is to always take a day off each week.

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5. What if my child wants to have long fingernails?
Unfortunately, short fingernails are necessary to develop a good hand position and a fluid technique. Ask Mrs. Jenn to further explain the importance of keeping the nails at a length that will promote good technical habits.

6. What if my child doesn’t want to count or sing aloud?
Most students dislike counting aloud, but can learn to do so. It is an important phase in gaining independence for students to learn to count for themselves. Counting with a steady, audible pulse is an important step before the student can play with a metronome, CD, GM disk, or comfortably play duets. First, students should learn to tap the rhythm, while counting aloud while playing. Eventually, couting will become a comfortable habit. Singing the words to pieces reinforces many basic issues such as rhythm and note reading. It is a critical key to helping students learn to play with expression. If the student is hesitant about singing, simply say the words in rhythm. As the student progresses to singing, join them. He/she can even count and sing along with the CD.

7. What if my child doesn’t like a particular piece?
No one specific piece is crucial to the success or failure of a student. However, if a student does not like a piece, it is often because it seems difficult in some way. Students often discover that “least-favorite” pieces later become “most-favorite” pieces after some quality practice. Ask Mrs. Jenn if there is something the child does not understand about the piece. If the student continues to dislike the piece, sometimes Mrs. Jenn can find a substitute piece that teaches the same concept.

8. What if my child doesn’t want to perform?
No student should be forced to perform. However, if they are thoroughly prepared well in advance for a performance and rehearse until they feel confident, most students will conquer their performance fears. Encourage informal performances at home on a regular basis to prepare for more formal performances. Never force a student who is not adequately prepared to play.

9. How can I use the CDs with my child?
(Premier Piano Course)
Listen to the performance version on the CD to provide a performance model for the student. The practice version on the CD can be used in a variety of ways. Students can clap or tap the rhythm as the CD plays, point to the note names as the CD plays, or sing (or say) the words as the CD plays. Finally, when the student is secure playing the piece, he/she can play along with the practice version or performance version.

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