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Mindset. Practice. Technique.
piano lessons for adults st louis
We welcome all ages and all abilities! It’s never too late to begin or return to music and private lessons. We offer lessons both online and in-person at our Maplewood, Benton Park, and Maryland Heights locations in piano and a variety of additional instrument options, including voice, guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, drums, cello, saxophone, trumpet, organ, songwriting, and audio engineering.
If you are looking for a way to intentionally take time for yourself to relieve stress and disconnect from daily tasks through a creative outlet, Music may be your key! Whether it’d be completely new to you or picking up an old hobby, playing music has many incredible benefits that are equally beneficial for your mind and body.
Whether you are a current student, a parent of a current student, or you are interested in enrolling in piano lessons soon, I'm sure you have a lot about how piano lessons work with STL Piano Lessons.
Worry not. We have answers for you and here they are!
When does the Spring semester begin:
January 11th, 2021
What are some other important dates for the fall semester:
Enrollment opens: December 6th, 2020
Enrollment closes: January 4th, 2021
Vacation: April 26th - May 2nd
Recitals: TBA
How do I enroll:
If you ARE NOT a current student, you will be able to enroll a month before the next semester.
If you ARE a current student, you will be automatically enrolled.
What if I want to enroll after enrollment closes? Can I enroll mid-semester:
No. Once enrollment closes, we will not be taking any new students until the next semester opens for enrollment. If you do not enroll by January 4th, you will have to wait until our next semester to get in.
How much is tuition:
We are excited to now offer simplified tuition! No more variable tuition. The rates are as follows:
60 Minute Lessons
Pay Up Front For Semester: $1040
Monthly Payments: $285
30 Minute Lessons
Pay Up Front For Semester: $720
Monthly Payments: $190
How do I pay my tuition:
You now have two payment options. You can either pay upfront for the semester at a discounted rate or you can make monthly payments. When you enroll you will have the option to choose which one you want to do. Tuition will be auto-charged to your account just like our monthly tuitions are now. Once you enter your payment method into your account (credit card, debit card, or checking account), you are all set. All billing will be done automatically. Semester payments will be billed when the student enrolls or on the first day of the new semester. Monthly payments will be billed on the first of every month.
Do I need to re-enroll every semester:
No. Current students will be automatically enrolled in the upcoming semester unless they give written notice (via email) that they want to cancel lessons.
What if I want to drop out mid-semester:
We ask all of our students to commit to a full semester of lessons. If a student wants to drop out mid-semester, that is their prerogative, but they will still be responsible for paying for the entire semester. No refunds. If you want to cancel at the end of a semester, you can do so by sending us an email.
What if I want to take a vacation during the semester:
Students, and teachers, will get a one-week vacation at the end of each semester. If you want to take a vacation during the semester, you will have to cancel your lesson(s) with your teacher that occur during that time. If you let your teacher know 4 hours or more ahead of time they will send you a video lesson through your online account for the week(s) you miss.
Are there any other changes to the school policies due to the change to semesters:
Not many. Most of our policies will remain the same, but there are a few that will change. Please CLICK HERE to download a PDF of our new school policies.
What if I have more questions:
If you have any other questions, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page by CLICKING HERE. You can also hit reply with any questions you have and I am happy to answer them for you.
We could not be more excited to have you on board this spring!
If you'd asked me 2 years ago if I'd write a post like this, I would have laughed it off.
I have been a professional keyboard player for 20 years. During my undergrad in music composition, I remember practicing long hard hours until late in the night completing assignments and working on my music.
It wasn't uncommon for me to work from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. practicing, only to get up at 7 a.m. I would go to class at 8 a.m. and then repeat that cycle. ( Oh, to be young again! )
After my undergrad, I began to be very complacent about my skills. I only practiced when it was necessary for upcoming performances.
Then everything changed.
I started getting work with players that were much better than I was. I was recording often, and I wasn't liking what I was hearing. Worse yet, I started to notice my students were refusing to practice.
I needed to do better and set a better example.
A fellow teacher posted an article about the 100 days of practice. This Instagram tag, propagated by Hilary Hahn, encourages musicians to post videos of their practice process.
I got inspired, and I got to work.
Here's what I got out of it that was really unexpected:
Conscientiousness is typically defined as the quality of wanting to complete one's work thoroughly.
This is definitely not one of my natural personality traits.
I had the honor of studying with an incredible classical piano teacher. I remember that he suggested to me that I should complete small tasks unrelated to music to improve my playing.
Clean your room, and don't stop till everything is in order (that includes no random clutter in your closet.) Dust every shelf in the house. Put your book collection in alphabetical order.
This sounded like some kind of waterboarding technique to me. How was that going to help anything?
Of course, like any good student, I didn't take my teacher's advice. But the 100 days of practice changed my mind.
I was surprised to find that instead of feelings of torture or pain, it left me with a sense of purpose. A feeling of completion and accomplishment at the end of the day. A high, if you will.
I decided early on in the process of the 100 days of practice that I needed a set daily time for practicing.
I'm not one for morning routines. Or much routine at all, frankly.
I have actually found that redundant daily patterns really drove me nuts, so I've avoided them.
Maybe it's because I'm a creative. I'm totally into a Nightingale Conant kind of workday.
However, I was surprised to find that a set practice time was an unexpected joy.
The day felt more intentional, less random, and chaotic. It also felt more productive and full of purpose.
This made me rethink scheduling and habits. I've been experimenting with blocking my days, which has been immensely rewarding. I was really inspired by a TED talk about POD to try and combine a scheduled routine with a sense of creative openness.
Maybe routine and creativity can coexist.
Maybe I am a creature of habit.....creative habits.
Yet another characteristic I don't really associate with.....
The Angela Duckworth book on the Subject of Grit and outstanding performance was a great read. I'm fascinated by top-flight performance and was intrigued by the ideas the book laid out.
I really didn't take an opportunity to apply that knowledge until I started my practice journey.
Showing up, day after day, and working on things you aren't good at doesn't sound like a lot of fun. Certainly, it improves your skill, but it can wear away at your mindset if you allow it to.
Something interesting happens when you practice that I did not expect. You get used to doing things that you can't do. You get used to tackling a new problem every day and facing things that you're afraid of. It starts to become a game, like a daily Rubik's cube. It becomes fun.
Daily practice wasn't easy or fun all the time, but it's become part of my life and a joy for me.
I wish the same for you!
When it's time to step onstage into the bright lights shining down on you, and the crowd is cheering wildly for the show to start, there are so many feelings that can hit you all at once. Excitement, elation, nervousness, euphoria… and then the adrenaline kicks in with the first note!
There is so much fulfillment in performing music for a live audience. The great Billy Joel once said:
“I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.”
It's on stage where we are able to deliver an experience to the audience, one that might stick with them for their whole lives. Although the audience may be contrived of many different individuals with various backgrounds and outlooks, the music somehow brings everyone together on one frequency and unites the audience, merging everyone participating into a collective consciousness.
“Art should teach spirituality by showing a person a portion of himself that he would not discover otherwise." - Bill Evans
When we are performing music for someone, whether it be for a theatre full of people or in the living room for a couple of friends, we are opening windows of creativity within the minds and hearts of those listening. As musicians, we can help show others a piece of themselves that they had not seen before.
Through this art we can shine a different perspective into people's lives that can fill in another piece of the puzzle we are all helping each other figuring out. With each note placement, it is like painting through strokes of sound waves onto the canvas of silence. We connect with the intention of the composition and vibrate the space around us.
The piano is an amazing instrument in the way we are able to play like an arranger would write for an orchestra. The sheer spectrum of the instrument coupled with the 10 fingers of each player allows for an amazing ability to access all frequency zones of the low-mid- high ranges.
Also with the two arms of the pianist, we are able to divide up different rhythms between the two hands, therefore a plethora of syncopations are also possible just from one player! The depth of expression that can be achieved is infinite and really allows the personality of each individual to shine.
With so much power from one instrument also comes the responsibility of the player. It is through the medium of piano that we are able to share our interpretations with the world not only of the great works of the past, (everything from Bach & Duke Ellington to Bob Dylan & The Allman Brothers) but also our present-day music that tells a story about our culture and the current state of the world we live in. With this power of resonance with the human spirit through aural vibrations, we are able to morph the reality around us into a world that is hopefully better off when we leave it then when we entered it.
So find the music that inspires your soul, and chances are that same music will help inspire others around you! Then it is up to you how you share that music with the world, and someday maybe it will influence you to write your own music that tells your own story about the world.
Then take it to the stage (whether it be a small coffeehouse or large concert hall), let the lights shine down, and give it your best to inspire others to be the best version of themselves they can be. This could be just one way that we create a better world to live in for ourselves and the people of the future.
“We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams”
-Arthur O’Shaughnessy/Willy Wonka
It’s my 8th birthday and I’m jumping out of my skin in anticipation of what might be behind the enormous piece of plywood my parents have carefully placed across the entrance to our living room. “We’re waiting for Grandpa to get here,” my mother cheerfully says, as the seconds continue to tick by, ever so glacially.
My grandpa FINALLY arrives, walks across the kitchen, peeks behind the plywood, and exclaims “Oh my, look at that motorcycle in there!” I assumed from the look of annoyance on my mother’s face that he’d given away the surprise, as I tried to pretend that I hadn’t heard him.
I could hardly contain my excitement- “I’m getting a motorcycle!!!” I immediately began to speculate as to how many girls the only eight-year-old boy in his school could pick up.
The plywood was pulled back and they had me close my eyes, as they led me slowly into the living room. Images swirled in my mind. “Was it dark blue… or even better… shiny red, with gold sparkles? What color is my helmet?!? Do I get to wear cool boots and leather gloves?!?!?”
Suddenly, they stopped me in the center of the living room. The moment of the big reveal had come! “OK, open your eyes,” I heard someone say. I opened them. There, sitting right before my eyes, was…. a piano.
I did my best impersonation of an excited boy, but I suspect that the look on my face revealed a less-than-enthusiastic response from what my parents had hoped for. It took a while for my mom to forgive my grandpa for having built up my expectations, but it took absolutely no time at all for me to realize that I’d been given one of the greatest gifts anyone could ever receive: the gift of making music at the piano.
The piano and I have been best friends ever since, always there for me whenever I needed to express whatever emotion required expression in any particular moment. In fact, there’s never been a time when I didn’t walk away from playing the piano not feeling at least a little more alive than when I’d started.
My goal is to spark that same lifelong passion for making music in my students, whether they wind up doing it in a professional capacity, purely for the sake of enjoyment, or they simply need a friend to turn to who will always be there and will never let them down.
Since everyone learns differently and has different musical interests and goals as to what they want to achieve, I carefully tailor my teaching methods to the learning styles of each individual student. I especially enjoy teaching students with special needs (or “special gifts,” as I prefer to say).
But regardless of the type of student, the common element is a desire to give students a fundamental understanding of the language of music, so that no matter what style(s) they want to play, whether by ear or via the printed page, they know what it is they are expressing.
Making music is, after all, and above all else, about communicating in a way that bypasses the head and goes straight to the heart, which is why, like Sondheim, I consider teaching to be the sacred profession. As Oscar Hammerstein said, “By your pupils, you’ll be taught” and at the end of the day, I find my students to be my greatest teachers.
Who could ask for anything more?
Part 1: Video Games, Athleticism, And The Keyboard
Growing up I was into sports…and video games. From basketball to martial arts, I always proceeded to balance it out with a healthy dose of Mario Bro’s or Ninja Turtles. For every minute spent sweating on the court or in the dojo, I had equal if not more time invested seated on a rug with a controller in my hands, my gaze riveted to a TV screen, my body contorting in hopes to make the characters on the screen move with me to avoid imminent death. One was three dimensional and the other quite two dimensional, but both were very much mentally stimulating, so I rarely, if ever, saw much difference between them, nor saw a need to discern between the two.
They were the Ying and Yang of my day until eventually there came a point where I continued to improve at videogames but plateaued at sports. Much to my chagrin, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't force myself to jump higher, or run faster (and the more I strained, the worse it got), but in videogames, I could always refine my movements to be quicker and more accurate, and so a disparity arose that grew with time.
My young mind didn't have the insight or analytical skills at the time to realize something that was not revealed to me until much later, after graduating from college: in videogames, it is not so pivotal how you press the buttons physically—what your legs are doing, whether your shoulders are raised with static tension if you’re breathing well—as the game/avatar does the majority of that work for you, but in sports, the how of running, jumping, passing, kicking, or what have you, is where the true skill lies, what the majority erroneously call “natural talent”.
The new Michael Jordan documentary lays this out pretty clearly, as they make it evident that Michael was not innately good at basketball, losing often to his brother and performing averagely his first years of high school, but what Michael had on top of his unparalleled grit, determination, and competitive spirit was what dancers call “poise”. A graceful and elegant bearing to his person that promoted balance and equilibrium throughout his body which in turn gave him that suspended quality when he would jump through the air to dunk the ball (hence earning him the moniker “Air” Jordan).
Growth in any skill is always slow and steady, but it is poise (or rather, the continued maintenance of poise, for we all have this beautiful freedom of movement when we are young children) that gives us that extra lift after years of hard work and study, adding exponential growth to our skill curve and potentially catapulting one to be the best in their field. Great examples include Muhammad Ali, Serena Williams, and yes, pianists like Arthur Rubinstein. Poise is both physical and mental, and as a term applies so aptly to the world of piano and piano technique, as playing a keyboard instrument is, in my opinion, the ultimate hybrid between sports/martial arts and video games.
Such a statement begs the question: “what importance does poise have to an instrument that is seemingly so nonathletic?” and even more importantly, “how does one continue to regain poise that they may have lost through years of screen watching and reading/writing, while learning a new skill as complex as the piano keyboard?”
We have only just touched on this idea of poise as it relates to making music and playing the piano, but I hope this primer will set the stage to explore this concept in further detail in a way that is more relatable to a majority of people. I look forward to diving deeper into this concept in my next blog post and breaking things down!
Whether you are a current student, a parent of a current student, or you are interested in enrolling in piano lessons soon, I'm sure you have a lot of questions about how semesters will work once we begin them in September.
Worry not. We have answers for you and here they are!
When does the fall semester begin:
September 14th, 2020
What are some other important dates for the fall semester:
Enrollment opens: August 2nd, 2020
Enrollment closes: September 8th, 2020
Vacation: December 21st - January 3rd
Recitals: TBA
How do I enroll:
If you ARE NOT a current student, you will be able to enroll starting August 2nd. You can enroll via our Enroll page on our website by CLICKING HERE.
If you ARE a current student, we will contact you via email to get you enrolled in August.
What if I want to enroll after enrollment closes? Can I enroll mid-semester:
No. Once enrollment closes, we will not be taking any new students until the next semester opens for enrollment. If you do not enroll by September 8th, you will have to wait until our next semester to get in.
How much is tuition:
We are excited to now offer simplified tuition! No more variable tuition. The rates are as follows:
60 Minute Lessons
Pay Up Front For Semester: $1040
Monthly Payments: $285
30 Minute Lessons
Pay Up Front For Semester: $720
Monthly Payments: $190
How do I pay my tuition:
You now have two payment options. You can either pay upfront for the semester at a discounted rate or you can make monthly payments. When you enroll you will have the option to choose which one you want to do. Tuition will be auto-charged to your account just like our monthly tuitions are now. Once you enter your payment method into your account (credit card, debit card, or checking account), you are all set. All billing will be done automatically. Semester payments will be billed when the student enrolls or on the first day of the new semester. Monthly payments will be billed on the first of every month.
If I am a current student, do I have to make the switch over to semesters:
Yes. All current students will be converted over to semesters and will be asked to commit to a full semester of lessons starting on September 14th. When enrollment opens, we will contact you via email to get you enrolled for the fall semester. You will have your normal month to month lessons right up until the week of September 14th. Please note that you will have two separate charges in September. One will be a prorated charge for the first two weeks of lessons in September as you finish out your month to month lessons. The second will be your charge for the upcoming semester with your new tuition.
Do I need to re-enroll every semester:
No. Current students will be automatically enrolled in the upcoming semester unless they give written notice (via email) that they want to cancel lessons.
What if I want to drop out mid-semester:
We ask all of our students to commit to a full semester of lessons. If a student wants to drop out mid-semester, that is their prerogative, but they will still be responsible for paying for the entire semester. No refunds. If you want to cancel at the end of a semester, you can do so by sending us an email.
If I am a current student, will my tuition be changing:
Yes. All students will be paying the new tuition. When we contact you to enroll in the fall semester, you will have the choice to pay upfront for the semester or set up monthly payments.
If I am a current student, will my schedule be changing:
No. Unless you and/or your teacher would like to change your schedule before then, your schedule will not change from what it is now.
What if I want to take a vacation during the semester:
We are eliminating our current vacation allowance policy. Moving forward, students, and teachers, will get a two-week vacation at the end of each semester. If you want to take a vacation during the semester, you will have to cancel your lesson(s) with your teacher that occur during that time. If you let your teacher know 4 hours or more ahead of time they will send you a video lesson through your online account for the week(s) you miss.
Are there any other changes to the school policies due to the change to semesters:
Yes. Most of our policies will remain the same, but there are a few that will change. Please CLICK HERE to download a PDF of our new school policies.
What if I have more questions:
If you have any other questions, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page by CLICKING HERE. You can also hit reply with any questions you have and I am happy to answer them for you.
We could not be more excited about this new direction and the way it will impact our students, our teachers and our school as a whole! We can't wait to see our students shine this fall!
Our biggest goal is to help our students achieve their goals. We want our students to thrive and become the musicians they dream of becoming! In order to do that, it is important that we hold them to a higher standard than those who are standing on the fringes, casually interested in the piano. We are asking our students to step up so that we can step up as well!
We care deeply for our teachers and we want to see them flourish. We believe it is important that our teachers have students who show up, do the work, and improve. Our teachers deserve consistency in their schedule as well as the satisfaction of a student who makes real improvement. As a teacher, it is so heartbreaking to put time and energy into a student to only have them quit 2 weeks later. We want our teachers to have the experience of a lifetime with students who are all in and ready to go the distance!
There will be 3 semesters per year - Spring, Summer and Fall. Each semester will be 16 weeks long. This will include 14 weeks of lessons and a 2-week vacation at the end of each semester.
There will be two recitals at the end of each semester (1 online and 1 in-person).
All students will be required to commit to the full semester.
We will have open enrollment for one month prior to the beginning of each semester. Once the semester starts, enrollment is closed until one month prior to the next semester.
All current students will automatically be enrolled in the next semester unless they choose to drop out.
No more vacation allowances. Instead, students, and teachers, will have a 2-week vacation at the end of every semester.
No more month to month agreements. We expect big things from our students so we are asking for a bigger commitment. Students now must commit to a full semester instead of going month to month.
A new focus on recitals. We want to give our students the chance to show off their hard work. We also want them to have a clear goal to work towards. The focus of each semester will be to get our students ready to perform at the recital at the end of each semester.
Weekly, private one-on-one lessons. Students will still have private weekly lessons (online or in-person) with one of the top professional musicians in St. Louis!
Same schedule. Your lessons will still be at the same time on the same day every week.
Our online portal. All of our students will still have their same account in Teacher Zone with access to lessons of their videos, lesson assignments, chats with their teachers and much more!
Our fall semester will start in September. Enrollment opens on August 2nd.
Times are changing. And change is hard. It’s weird. It’s uncomfortable. But it also can bring a lot of great opportunities and chances to learn.
So don’t be afraid. Life goes on. Life always finds a way.
And today, the way for many of us is the internet.
While we are a big proponent of in-person lessons, online piano lessons are the way of the future. It’s a platform to learn in ways we never thought possible. We want to embrace the future and we want to ensure you that the future is bright.
A lot of folks have been asking about our online lessons. Are they really as good as in-person lessons? Can you really learn the piano over the internet?
Our answer is ABSOLUTELY! Technology has come so far that there is little difference between online lessons and in-person lessons. As a matter of fact, online lessons have quite a few advantages over in-person lessons.
So we thought we would share with you our…
No commute. We all have busy lives and the time it takes to drive to and from piano lessons is valuable time. Without having to drive to your piano lesson, you just bought yourself anywhere from 10-30 minutes of free time each way. Imagine what you could do with that much extra time in your day?
No more driving kids all over town. Now your kids can take their lesson in the other room while you get a little alone time. Perhaps you can use that time to clean, work, cook or catch up on Netflix. Whatever you want to do - it’s your time!
Easy and simple. Technology has come a long way. With all the amazing online platforms we have now, all you have to do is click a link and you are ready to go. You can set up your computer, phone or tablet right by your piano or keyboard and you are all set. Let the learning begin!
Access to amazing teachers even if you live in a remote area. The internet connects us all, no matter where we live. We have had a lot of folks who were really interested in lessons but the drive to their teacher was just too far. With online lessons, we can bring the world’s best piano instructors right to your home! Problem solved.
You don’t have to wear pants. This is probably the best part of doing anything online. Just like working from home, you can take your online lesson while staying in your comfy clothes. No need to get all dressed up!
Safe. Whether you are worried about getting sick, getting someone else sick, going out in the cold, or driving in extreme weather conditions, online lessons keep us all safe in our homes while allowing us to connect and communicate with each other. Even if it’s “snowmaggedon” outside, you can still have your lesson!
Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of benefits to in-person lessons. We still highly encourage our students to come out from behind their laptops and participate in the real world. As great as technology is, we still need to be in the same room as other people sometimes.
But when that just isn’t an option, online lessons give us all the same value that in-person lessons do and as you can see, they even offer a few advantages.
The point is the show must go on. The world needs music. We need to keep living our lives no matter what is going on in this crazy world of ours. Don’t give up on yourself or your future when it gets hard. Keep an open mind and look for solutions. They are always there.
And with online piano lessons, the solution for continuing your music education is here.
