It’s As Easy As 1-2-3!

1. Book a FREE virtual Meet ‘n Greet:  You’ll meet your online teacher, each student in your family will do a few activities, and learn more about the program that is best suited for each student – whether private or group lessons – along with current scheduling options.
2. Reserve your lesson spot: Once you submit your registration form and pay your initial invoice, your spot is reserved! 
3. Start having fun in your piano lessons!  

• We offer a 3-week paid trial so you can make sure this is a good fit before committing to ongoing lessons.  
• After your trial, tuition is paid monthly, by semester or annually.

For all programs:

• All fees, including tuition, are in Canadian Dollars (CAD).
• All new families pay a one-time $25 registration fee.
• New students can start with a 3-week paid trial to ensure the program is a good fit.
• Tuition can be paid annually, by semester, or monthly.

Virtual Group Piano Lessons:

• 3-week trial: $126
• Ongoing lessons: $151 per month for weekly 60-minute sessions

Online Private Piano Lessons:

• 3-week trial: $163 for weekly 45-minute sessions
• Ongoing 45-minute piano lessons: $195.50 per month for weekly 45-minute sessions

* While every effort is made to update these tuition prices annually, you will be provided tuition rates for the academic year you are enrolling.  This may be different than listed above.

Your tuition includes many things that go well beyond your lesson time:

• Directly used by individual students: music, recordings, tutorial videos and activity materials.
• Studio-wide costs: subscriptions for studio-licensed music, programs used for lessons and recitals, resource storage, studio newsletter and other communications.
• Admin and planning time: Composing music for students, recording new content, professional development, and communications with students and parents.

Starting lessons after our September start date? No worries! Tuition will be prorated for students who join later.

Sometimes a student will want to learn a piece not covered in the tuition. Families would cover the cost of the piece.

Both online private and group lessons provide excellent musical education but with different emphases:

PRIVATE ONLINE LESSONS offer:

• One-on-one attention tailored to your unique learning style.
• Customized pacing based on individual progress.
• Specific adaptations for neurodivergent learners.
• Focused instruction on personal musical goals.
• Flexible curriculum that evolves with your interests.

VIRTUAL GROUP LESSONS offer:

• Social musical experiences with peers (2-5 students per group).
• Collaborative learning that mirrors real-world music-making.
• Peer motivation and inspiration.
• More efficient learning of some concepts through observation.
• Community and camaraderie in your musical journey.

Your free Meet ‘n Greet will help determine which format best suits your learning style and goals.

• We use several resources in our studio including original music from Rosemarie Penner, Supersonics, TopMusicSheets and more!
• Resources are typically studio-licensed and are generally covered within your tuition.  Your teacher has paid more to use the resource with all students.
• Rosemarie composes music that is interesting for students and is based on specific skills and concepts students should learn at a particular level.  Or, as she puts it “tricks students into learning”.
• For both private and group lessons, materials are selected based on the student’s learning style, interests, and goals.

Yes.  Just like any other skill, playing piano regularly is what leads to progress.  If you only do something once a week, it will take much longer to master than if you spend a short time (5+ minutes) multiple days per week.

Some must-have’s:

• 88 weighted keys
• At least one pedal
• Sturdy stand for the keyboard: Avoid ones where the stand forms an ‘X’ since these are very uncomfortable.
• A music stand attached to the piano
• A piano bench

Some other things to consider:

• If you do not want to budget for piano tuning twice a year, a digital piano is a much better option.  The Yamaha Clavinova series, plus Roland and Casio brands are excellent options for digital pianos.
• Invest in the best instrument you can afford so you have a positive playing experience.  You’re likely to avoid playing if you have a piano stand that doesn’t let your feet go under the keyboard, tinny or unpleasant sounds, trying to awkwardly prop music or a bench that makes sitting at the piano uncomfortable.
• You should expect to spend anywhere from $1000 -$2,500 for a new high-quality instrument (ah, inflation).   However, you may find a better price on a used digital piano.
• Feel free to send a link to the piano (acoustic or digital) you are looking to buy if you would like some guidance on whether it’s a good investment.

There are many factors and it also depends on what you consider “learn the piano”.  Your specific goals change this answer.

Practice is encouraged.  However, it’s about the quality, not time spent at the piano playing.  Short, regular, focused practice (15 min. or less) leads to much higher progress than a long practice right before lesson time.

Students and parents get regular updates on their progress and how we are working to reach their goals.

Keep in mind that progress is never in a straight line.  Some things will come easily and you will fly through the activities.  Other concepts or skills will just take time and it will feel like a plateau.  This is completely normal and part of any learning journey.

Online lessons can provide just as much or more support than in-person lessons.  Especially when the majority of the tech comes from the teacher’s side!  You’ll need just a couple of key pieces of tech combined with the tips below to have a fun, engaging virtual piano lesson.

Must have’s (outside of a piano):

• Tablet or laptop: A cell phone does not have a large enough screen for students to effectively see.
• Webcam, speaker and microphone: Most devices already include these.  You want to be able see, hear and communicate clearly during lessons.
• Internet connection:  Invest in the best internet connection you can afford.   Lessons are no fun for students when the connection is breaking up the whole time.

Tips to make your tech work effectively:

• Avoid streaming (i.e. Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, etc.) during lessons.  Prioritize your wifi connection for the person taking lessons.
• Age matters with technology.  Aim to have devices that are no more than a few years old.
• Always update your apps and software.  This helps keep your device running smoothly and safely.
• Make sure your device can sit or be propped easily and securely so your teacher can see you or your student playing.  Try to make it as easy as possible so it doesn’t become a chore before lessons.
• Test the wifi by the piano using this FREE tool.  If the wifi is not reaching the levels in your internet package, consider adding a wifi extender (plugs into the wall) or plugging the device directly into the wifi router.
• For your internet package, aim for a download/upload speed of at least 100 Mbps.
• Some devices come with quiet speakers.  If it is difficult to hear, a small, inexpensive Bluetooth or wired speaker can make all the difference.

• An encouraging musical community.  And, yes, this also includes encouragement for our amazing piano parents!
• Support both during and between lessons.  You are not alone!
• More music in your home, including original music from your piano teacher and student!
• Studio events that extended family and friends can attend!

This depends on your learning preferences, goals, and personality:

Consider PRIVATE ONLINE LESSONS if you:

• Prefer one-on-one attention
• Have specific musical goals or interests
• Need a highly customized approach
• Benefit from a personalized learning pace

Consider VIRTUAL GROUP LESSONS if you:

• Enjoy learning alongside others
• Are motivated by social interaction
• Thrive in collaborative environments
• Benefit from seeing others’ approaches
• Want the added fun of making music with peers

Still unsure? During your free virtual Meet ‘n Greet, I’ll help you determine which format would work best for you or your child based on learning style, goals, and preferences.

• For adults, if you have been thinking it would be great to learn piano, why wait? Today is a great day to start!
• Children can start as young as 4 years old with parental support.  But, some students are not ready to start lessons until they are 6 to 8 years old.
• Children who already know “right” and “left”, numbers 1 – 10, and the alphabet may find it easier to progress at the beginning.  However, we will do plenty of review during lesson time for beginners.
• Parents, the younger your child is, the more hands-on support you will need to provide.  Both during lesson time and during the week.  However, the goal is to build student independence right from the start.  We know you would rather be listening to your child playing piano than monitoring every moment.
• Students and parents are encouraged to contact your teacher during the week with questions or concerns.  We want to solve these before they become big issues.

• Summer is a fantastic time for a relaxed family schedule.  This can include piano lessons!

• Much like school, stepping away from the piano for 2 months will mean a loss of progress.
• Summer programming is offered each year that bridges the gap between a relaxed schedule and steady progress.  Typically this means fewer lessons over June, July, and August.  Studio families will find out summer options each May.

• For both private and group lessons, your piano teacher will monitor your child during each class with check-ins for progress every few weeks.
• Each activity has different difficulty levels.  Your teacher will encourage your child to challenge themselves with these first.  If they are successful at the more difficult levels, you will be contacted about switching to a more advanced class.
• Another option may be occasional private lessons (i.e. once a month) to work on a personal project such as composing a longer piece.

• For both private and group lessons, your piano teacher will monitor your child/teen during each class with check-ins for progress every few weeks.
•  Each activity has different difficulty levels.  Your teacher will encourage your child/teen to choose a level that best suits them.
• Is practice happening during the week?  If practice is not happening, your teacher will give you and your child/teen ideas on how to get to the piano without it being a fight.
• If you have worked with the teacher on the above steps and your student is still frustrated, there’s still hope!  Your teacher can arrange for your child/teen to try a class that better supports their learning pace.

• Yes! I have specialized training in working with neurodiverse individuals, including those with ADHD, autism, and other unique learning needs.

• Online lessons offer unique advantages:

  • • Controlled virtual environment reduces sensory overload.
    • A familiar home setting provides comfort.
    • Ability to focus on one thing at a time
• Both formats offer:
  • Activities for varied learning paces
  • Clear structure with room for creativity
  • Virtual tools to minimize distractions
  • Resources for between lesson support
• We’ll determine the best fit during your virtual Meet ‘n Greet. 
• Regular, open communication ensures the right support for you or your child.

Our goal is to create a “positivity” loop. 

• Having fun in class leads to excitement to try it on your own during the week.  Focused practice leads to progress.  Progress makes you excited to learn and explore more.  Because you are excited, the positivity loop continues each week.
• Focused, short, regular practice is encouraged during the week because it leads to confidence and excitement for piano lessons.
• During group lessons, your student will see and hear other students.  This can inspire them to try new things!  It can also make them more open to practice during the week so they can keep trying these new ideas.
• You will be given resources to support exploring and playing piano (AKA practice) during lesson time.  These can range from listening to music, backing tracks to play with, videos to watch and music to play.