Teaching Philosophy
Playing the piano should really be a life-long joy, something that adds a wholeness to one’s life. My goal is to teach the skills necessary to enable one to play whatever music one choses. This necessitates a solid background in not only playing “by ear”, but also in reading skills. I use the traditional middle c approach with beginners, offering a solid basis in note reading in both treble and bass clef. I use a variety of method books, and the decision of which of these to use for each individual student is made after the initial assessment of his/her skills.
For the younger and less advanced older students, my studio is teacher centered, though I try to move to a more student-teacher enviorment as soon as I feel confident of the student’s abilities.
I do not require participation in recitals and competitions, though I encourage each student to take advantage of performance opportunities as they arise. These can include family reunions, Sunday performances at church, school programs, etc. Generally we have two studio recitals a year, one in the spring, and one at Holiday time. Music is to be played from memory at the recitals. In addition, I occasionally do a “virtual recital” that consists of my digitally recording the student’s performance at my studio, and placing all of the students’ pieces on CD.
If you have any questions concerning my teaching philosophy or practice, please call or email me at joanne@dolcemolto.com and I will respond quickly.