Trial Lesson

A trial lessons is the best way to get know each other, the studio, teaching method, and many more. You can ask questions, learn right away a new song and a new skill, and feel if it’s a good match. During a trial lesson, we discuss goals, expectations, and individual plan-program for learning piano. After that, I email you the studio policy with rates, calendar of breaks and holidays, payment information. If you agreed to the policy and rates, next step-we discuss the schedule. After setting up lessons, I recommend books and all necessary materials. If you don’t have an instrument and need help, I would be happy to help and provide you with information and suggestions about instruments you should have and where to buy. Call to schedule your Trial Lesson - the first step in your piano journey !

Benefit Concert for Ukraine

On June 19, 2022, our piano students gave Benefit Concert for Ukraine. Young performers presented Ukrainian folk music and music written by Ukrainian composers. We raised $900 and sent money to village Vysokoye of Kharkiv region. In this village, there are many refugees from the city of Kharkiv, the second large city in Ukraine, and the closest city to the Russian border. Since Russian invasion into Ukraine on 02.24.2022 until present, Kharkiv has been suffered continuous attacks and massive bombing. We were so happy to hear from people from Vysokoye, and extend our support and friendship to Ukrainians.

(complete recital on YouTube “Student Recital 2022”)

2021/2022 School Year: In Person Lessons vs Online Lessons? In-person AND Online !

This is transitional time for our studio. In person lessons are offered together with online lessons. By request, I record lessons and send link to parents and students for their review. There are particular safety rules for in-person lessons, which I discuss with every family prior signing for lessons. Masks, sanitizing hands, social distancing, only students in studio, no parents. Vaccination is appreciated greatly))).

The most popular format is a mix of 1-2 in-person lessons and 2-3 online per month. It works well for everybody. It helps to become a better student and a better musician. Online lessons give a lot of benefits for the development of young pianists: more precise attention to details on the page, better focus to instructions, and learning to be organized and self-derecting. After a student knows music well enough (after 2-3 online lessons), she/he comes in-person and we work on sound production and artistic and expressive features of music. In-person lessons focused on ear development, listening control, performance skills, and felt as a result of all previous technical and intellectual work done online. Students who have acoustic instruments benefit from in-person lessons the most.

For new students: Interview and trial lessons are in-person or online by family’s preferences.

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How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

Last Saturday, on February 16, 2019, Gabriela McGrue performed at Weil Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall! Together with other young musicians who achieved the highest score in RCM’s tests, she was invited by The Royal Conservatory of Music to play in 2019 New York Celebration of Excellence Recital.

It is very important when children receive support and recognition of their work and talents from such institution as Carnegie Hall. I’m talking about kids who are not going to be a professional musicians, they just play music for themselves, just for fun! The opportunity to perform in a real concert hall, with a magnificent Steinway grand, chandeliers, box office, backstage employees, ushers in red uniforms, when everything swirls around young musicians and everybody works for their success - all that creates an unforgettable artistic experience.

For Gabriela, it was like a Cinderella tale. Last spring, she worked on the RCM test, level 1 and didn’t think about anything more than passing the test for her own pleasure and development. We were happy with results and decided to go on with next levels. An invitation to participate in the celebration of high results and achievements and perform in the "small hall" of Carnegie Hall (Weil Recital Hall) came as a big surprise!

When you approach Carnegie Hall, in the moment you cross the street on the pedestrian zebra, all the routine, difficulties, and hard work left behind, and you are standing in the front of this building full of music and great names; next step, and you are in a whole new world of the arts with its own power and magic, wonderful and beautiful ... I was sure that Gabriela would play well, this stage itself raises the performer above his level. And so it happened, Gabriela grew up having walked on the stage to the piano, bowed and played gorgeously as never before at lessons.

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Congratulations to Gabriela for her high achievement at RCM test!

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The Royal Conservatory of Music RCM is an established musical program offering syllabus and testing for all who are interested in learning music and mastering an instrument. The program is thoroughly graded by levels and designed to give well-rounded musical education for children and young adults. The most important aspect of this program is that the learning an instrument goes together with the development of aural skills, theory, sight-reading and musicianship.

Many competitive middle and high schools, as well as colleges and universities worldwide, including the United States, value the RCM tests’ certificates and consider such extracurricular activities as student’s high achievement.

Let’s hear “The Song of Twilight” by Y. Hakada (RCM syllabus, level 3)