Studio Information
Keys-to-Success Piano Studio, LLC has been in existence for over 25 years. The Studio is a warm, inviting place where students come to learn, study, create and grow. The ultimate goal is that over time music becomes a life-time love and skill. In order to develop this skill students are expected to take their study of piano seriously and focussed, regular practice is required. The journey to confidence creativity and academic achievement begins at the very first piano lesson.
Students study more than just how to read notes and play a given piece. Students delve more deeply into all aspects of music: scales, technique, repertoire, theory, sight-reading, musicianship, artistry and performance skills are also taught. In addition, students are encouraged to read and learn about composers, composition, instruments, theory etc. Students often do creative projects such as compose a short piece of music, improvise, draw/paint a picture of a particular piece, or compose a poem to put to music, or write a story about a piece of music, and sometimes create an original artwork using music, music notation and symbols. In additional to a weekly private lesson, students are required to attend monthly group classes and performance classes.
Students are encouraged to play collaborative music. They work with each other in pairs to learn duets, or participate in an ensemble or Monster Concert with 10 pianos on stage. Students also learn movements of concerti and perform those with the orchestra reduction. Teaching this skill is hugely important because it teaches patience, discipline, cooperation, commitment, perseverance and also develops listening skills. Solo piano performance can be lonely. Playing duets, trios, concerti with other students builds friendships that last for years and fosters a great love of music.
Students participate in Festivals, Competitions, Master Classes, Play-a-thons, do assessments though the American Guild of Musicians, as well enter the Royal Conservatory Examinations. In addition, students are required to perform in Recitals several times during the year. Keys-to-Success encourages students to participate in whichever events they feel ready and prepared for.
Students are divided into groups based on their level and age, and are motivated by a point system that rewards students for serious work, and diligent study. There is an annual “theme” around which the entire year’s material and work is based. This allows friendly competition between the groups, as well as for fun, team-building activities throughout the year. Some of previous themes have been: Climbing the Ladder to Success; Let’s Have a Ball; A lego theme entitled “Building Success One Piece at a Time”, Around the World in 365 days, a Harry Potter Theme as well as a “Go for the Gold” olympic theme.
Students are also invited to participate in an annual Service Learning project in which they raise money for a charity of their choice: the following organizations have benefited from student’s participation in this project: Food for People, Stray Rescue, Siteman’s Children’s Cancer Research, Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital, Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital to name a few. Students are encouraged to give back to society using their gift of music.
Keys-to-Success Piano Studio, LLC is a studio that invites students to grow musically and personally, the goal being to make this world a better place, through music. Heinrich Neuhaus. My goal in teaching follows that of Neuhaus: “That goal is the musical performance of musical literature, the embodiment in sound of the soundless printed note. The piano teacher is not only a teacher of piano, but first and foremost a teacher of music, or exactly what any real artist, musician, pianist, becomes the moment he begins to teach.”
As Plato once said: “Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.”