All About Choosing Piano Schools And Teachers

[Fairy]

pianojazzy:

That's why i start with note reading and rhythm counting on the very first lesson. JMC courses start with listening first as the students are used to it hence refuse to read notes later even when they are taught to do so in the later stage of the course. However, it is too late by then

That's exactly what happened to my daughter! She started her JMC with Yamaha at 5 & half years old and after 2 years, I signed her up for individual piano lessons. She achieved distinction for grade 1 practical and I was a happy mother. She is good at 'listening' (probably acquired through her training at Yamaha) and has perfect pitch. She can play (2 hands) some of the pop songs she likes quite well just by listening. Her problem starts when she progress to higher grades. She has been reluctant to read the music notes, prefering to play by the ear when practising for her exam pieces. Not surprisingly, she usually almost fail/failed her sight readings. Her current piano teacher has been complaining that her note reading is poor. She has cleared her grade 5 and is contemplating dropping piano for good! As a parent, I am in a dilemma; I do not wish to force her to carry on if she does not wish to but am afraid she will regret it later when it will be more difficult to pick up again. I enjoy listening to the pop songs she plays. Even her paino teacher commented that she has the ex-factor. For all her theory exams, she has never get less than a distinction.

[mummyloves]

sleepy:

Hi


Any feedback on Seimpi at Parkway center?
Any recommendation for teachers?

Thanks!!

I sent my kid to Seimpi and pulled out even b4 the term ended. Their admin and teacher was bad!!! :x

[corneyAmber]

Dear Fairy, actually what you can do now is to let her learn for leisure. Actually is an excuse to strengthen her foundation which is sight reading in her case. Try to work out with her teacher and ask her for any approach which she will use.


Some advises,
1. start from basic sight reading first - ie. grade 1. So that she won’t feel that it is difficult and wish to drop piano again. Incoperate sight reading every lesson (take note of note reading, counting , dynamics and articulation)
2. Learn a new piece (Gr2-3 standard - better to be popular classics so that she find it familier but not too familiar as to play by ear)
3. Lastly learn a pop piece which she can do by ear.

If possible try to do this every lesson.

Hope this helps

Cheers

[baobei]

Just sharing my experience. First time to this thread.


I sent my child to Seimpi and Yamaha. Seimpi pace is faster as compared to that of Yamaha. However, both compliments each other.

Through Yamaha training, my child now 5+ attempts to play music he hears from the radio himself, sometimes getting the right notes.

But with Seimpi then his interest in Yamaha arouse cos he gets to understand the terms and find them interesting. Also, maybe because he gets more pieces to play as compared to the one in Yamaha where you have to be of same pace as the rest.

Now thinking of getting him a private teacher. pianojazzy, could u recommend your friend in the west to me? Or the one that teaches like NAFA? Would like them to access if he is suitable to try the NAFA course? He has very short attention span.

[corneyAmber]

Hi Baobei,


I’ve pm u. Hope it helps.

Cheers

[baobei]

Hi pianojazzy,


Sorry, I waited for 2 days, still did not receive your message. Could you re-send?

Thank you!

[corneyAmber]

lol baobei, you checked ur pm already?

[phantom]

baobei:

Hi pianojazzy,


Sorry, I waited for 2 days, still did not receive your message. Could you re-send?

Thank you!

Try this link to see if you have pm in your inbox http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/privmsg.php?folder=inbox

[jennifer.02246yong]

My girl is 4yo, and is in Book 2 of Yamaha Junior Class. It was okay in the beginning, and she does enjoy the class. But recent noted that she dreaded the many practices; every time when she hears the reminder she will pull a face. W/out practices, she cant play in the class, and the teacher just move on with the lesson. This will mean she will be left behind and ultimately losing confident.


Review that i may have things done wrong; i change the 2-3/wk of 30-40mins frequent (basically just revise what the class did) to daily 10mins frequent (alternate with song n playing n watch dvd). I hope this will help to improve the situation.

Am i doing ok? Can anyone share the tips of motivating the child to practice? How do you do it at home.?

[corneyAmber]

Hi Jennifer,


It is good to do it everyday for 10min as it helps to get her into a habit. Try incentives, playing games when doing the practising. Or make her perform for ppl like grandparents,mummy, daddy, siblings etc.

Lastly, encouragment. Use a lot of praises even though she didnt do it correctly, then correct her after that.