A: Because of the focus and attention span required for learning musical concepts, I ask that students have one year of public school before starting lessons. It is helpful if students can read well enough to complete assignments on their own. However, musical exploration can benefit children at home as early as infancy.
A: Parental involvement is key, especially with students younger than 3rd grade. Parents can learn along with their children by reading the lesson book assignments. Young students need guidance when practicing as well as someone to check their assignments. Also,
since children pick up on parental attitudes, treat piano as a priority. It is so interesting to see how students' expectations of themselves almost always match their parents' expectations.
A: Absolutely not. First of all, "Classical" is only one of many musical periods. My students play all styles of music (Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Contemporary, Pop, Rag/Jazz, etc.). Some have preconceived ideas about Classical music being "good" or "bad," but I try to keep from judging entire genres of music this narrowly.
A: As in any other activity, expecting immediate results is unrealistic. Highly skilled pianists have often taken lessons for 15 or more years. I recommend 6 months of piano lessons before deciding to quit. If your child does not look forward to lessons and has the same assignments for weeks at a time, piano lessons is probably not his/her forte.
A: There comes a time when the novelty of piano lessons wears off, and the hard work kicks in. The honest truth is that parents are responsible for their child practicing, just as they are responsible for their children eating vegetables and brushing teeth. Students will naturally stop wanting to practice, and that's when it comes down to the expectations their parents have of them. Be as creative as you want, since young children are often extrinsically motivated (stickers, library book choices, video-game time, etc.).
FYI: In my family, music was a choice, but practicing was non-negotiable. We practiced two instruments every morning before school so we would have time for activities. The "too busy to practice" excuse really tells me that better time management skills are needed.
A: Not necessarily. Some believe that this means the student is not reading the music. However, if the student has actually decoded the music him/herself, looking down at the hands is fine (and recital music must be memorized anyway). Sometimes parents are concerned that their young children are relying on finger numbers or letter names instead of staff notes, but this is normal. It is a great achievement to have a 5 or 6-yr-old using any type of code system to read music, and staff reading will come with time.
A: Not right away. Of course, in order to practice, students need some sort of keyboard at home (50-60 keys is fine). Make sure the keyboard is "touch-sensitive," which means it plays louder when the keys are pressed harder. Because buying a piano is a huge investment, waiting until you are sure it will be used is a great idea.