The Basics
The student must have a good working instrument. This doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Used and new instruments are both an option. I will help you find an instrument as part of my service.
Flute
Flutes should be taken in for a check-up once a year.
Piano
Electric pianos should have 88 keys, be weighted, and have a pedal that is attached to the structure, not a floating pedal.
Acoustic pianos should be in good repair, which includes a tuning around once a year.
What Age Can I Start?
For flute, the youngest I can take a student is 2nd grade. This is because of lung capacity and length of arms. A student below 5th grade must have a Nuvo flute. They take about half the air of a traditional flute.
For piano, the student must have the patience and concentration levels in order to read chapter books. This is usually in 1st grade. If I take a student who can’t read chapter books, it ends up being not developmentally appropriate. They learn very slowly.
I love teaching adults of any age because I can go more in-depth on my explanations.
What Materials Will You Need?
I start beginners with a lesson book and a theory book.
The method books for the flute do a good job of incorporating technique, so I don’t expand the amount of books quite as quickly. I add the repertoire from 40 Little Pieces when the student learns to play the F on top of the staff.
My preferred books are here. I’m a little less flexible on the method books for flute because there are methods out there that are much better than the beginner band books.
For piano students, I will expand to include a technique book and a repertoire book usually within 6 months. I can teach from just about any lesson book series you might currently have, but my preferences are listed under Method Books on this page.