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Practice Monkeys presents:
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What is Practice Monkeys: Piano?
Short, Daily Lessons |
Practice Monkeys Piano derives its lessons and direction from the Suzuki Method. We practice four days a week [Mon-Thurs] for 15 minutes a day with the expectation that the student(s) will continue practicing for 5-20 minutes after class depending on the level. Upon completing our 12-level course your student will be prepared to study music in college and will be performing early-advanced level music.
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Classes for all ages |
Our piano program offers 3 beginning classes for ages 3-6, 7-10, and 10-up. If your child has already started Suzuki piano lessons outside of our program, then we will place him or her in the class that best fits the study they have already accomplished. Our piano program is built to follow the teaching philosophy of Dr. Haruko Kataoka, the co-author of the Suzuki piano program. Information on her teaching philosophy can be found in her pamphlet: How to Teach Beginners, as well as a delightful little book called Sensibility and Education.
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Advanced Technique |
Dr. Kataoka believed in "Doing the Hard Thing First (and the rest of your education will be easy)". This is thoroughly consistent with Dr. Suzuki's educational philosophy that all children are capable of doing advanced technique from the very first lesson. Dr. Kataoka states that the Twinkles are the hardest songs studied in Piano Suzuki Book 1. Once you begin to understand the dexterity and sensitivity that the student is developing in each of his fingers in the Twinkle Variations, it begins to become clear as to why Suzuki piano students are known for being able to handle the piano in a mature way from the very earliest stages.
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Accelerated Repertoire |
The repertoire in the Suzuki Method is accelerated, which is to say that students reach greater capacity in technique in a shorter amount of pieces than traditional method books. This is extremely desirable for a student's education because students who are capable of accelerating their education in their natural abilities are not held back by hundreds of songs. The space between Beginner Songs and Early Intermediate Songs is only 1 book, as opposed to 4 or 5 books in traditional methods. Students who are capable of naturally accelerating their piano studies, do. And those who don't naturally accelerate, also accelerate their learning because the the music and method itself helps them to accelerate their education. Suzuki music education is truly a beautiful thing to see work out in all student's lives, no matter the amount of natural ability with which they were born. Suzuki believed that all people are capable of making beautiful music. This is absolutely true.
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Ear-Training |
As is consistent with Dr. Kataoka's Suzuki piano teaching method, we guide the students in Practice Monkeys to develop a strong ear for the piano in the early Levels of our program. This is hard work! As our students persevere, they are able to hear and produce harmonies, chords and intricacies in melody from very early stages. As the ear is strengthened and fundamentals of chord styles are learned, our students are able to improvise and enjoy the piano in their first year of study that is not seen in traditional lesson settings for 4-5 years. This is the genius of ear-training in the Suzuki Piano Method.
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Why Practice Monkeys: Piano?
In today's hectic day-to-day life it is often hard to find time to pack up the kids and go out for extra-circular activities especially if you have a larger family as Sarah and I do. We started Practice Monkeys with this in mind. As a result, we offered a family rate and live curricula that you can access from home. As of the writing of this page piano lessons can cost up to $120 per student per month. Here at Practice Monkeys we charge a fraction of that. What is more, each monthly enrollment counts for the whole family and not merely for a single student.
See the difference for yourself!
See the difference for yourself!
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Traditional Piano Lessons
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Traditional Piano Lessons
(3 Students/month) |
Traditional Piano Lessons
(3 Students/year) |
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$120/month
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$360/month
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$4320/year
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Practice Monkeys: Piano
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Practice Monkeys: Piano
(3 Students/month) |
Practice Monkeys: Piano
(3 Students/year) |
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$59/month
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$59/month
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$708/year
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Meet your teachers.
Mrs. Van Kleeck, Mrs. Steward, and Miss Eliza
All Teachers are available for Private Lessons and Assessments.
How does class work? Take a look...
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