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Piano Lessons
Recommended starting age: 4 to adult
At The Music Playground, we are extremely proud of our instrumental music programme. As well as just learning to play an instrument, we strive to provide a strong all-round musical education to our students.
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Our all-inclusive fee includes:
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30 minute weekly instrumental lessons
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Weekly group class:
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- Playtime (preschool ages 3-6): runs most days
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- Music Club (School age grade Prep - Year 12)
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Two concerts per year, including free admission to friends and relatives
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Parent evenings, informal concerts, support community and more
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Our piano lessons have a strong emphasis on good listening skills, excellent technique, establishing great posture and playing with a beautiful tone. Students are expected to learn to read music fluently over time, as well as build a repertoire of songs for performance at short notice.
Children learning the Suzuki method typically start learning an instrument at a young age. Children who have come through our Small Steps classes are often ready to begin learning piano around age 3, after all, they've been practising music skills already for a long time!
Students of all ages can learn piano at the Music Playground. Preference for piano lesson places is given to students progressing through the Small Steps classes and siblings of current students, however we do accept students from outside of these programmes.
Suzuki piano lessons are different from "traditional" piano lessons in the level of parental involvement. Parents attend all lessons, and take notes so that they can assist their child at home with the daily practice. This strengthens the parent/child bond as you work together through music to achieve something beautiful.
Parents don't have to be musical to help; by attending the lessons they will understand what their child is required to practise. Because we understand that a great deal of learning happens while observing others, we have an open door policy. Parents and children (and sometimes other teachers) are often invited to observe other piano lessons, especially before beginning lessons. This is a great low key performance opportunity for piano students who are being observed too.
In a similar way to how a child must hear language before they begin to talk, parents play a recording of the music that their child is learning daily in the home environment. This familiarisation motivates the child to learn new material, because they have internalised the music before they can play it.
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Piano lessons for beginners and intermediates are 30 minutes, and students also attend a weekly 50 minute group class. This group class provides a social environment for the children to consolidate the skills they learn in the private lessons. Group learning and playing inspires the children and really enhances their learning in the same way that language is best used in a group.
