As more adults express a new interest in learning music in recent years, I've gotten this question pretty often, and it's one of my favorites to answer! I do indeed focus almost completely on teaching beginning students - and I LOVE it. Over my years of teaching I've taught students at all levels, and in time, I discovered I loved working with beginners of any age the most. 

Teaching beginners is incredibly rewarding - I'm reminded multiple times per day why I chose to play music when I see the excitement a…

I've been getting this question more recently as everyone is excited to move into a post-pandemic world. However, my teaching studio has permanently shifted to an exclusively online model, for a variety of reasons I'll share below. There may be occasional opportunities for in-person "workshop days" at some point, but they will not be regularly scheduled weekly lessons.

Health & Safety

Covid has been very unpredictable and each time I've thought we were near the end of the pandemic, things have moved back…

I'm glad you asked! Every studio and teacher has different policies, and it's important to know what to expect when you're investing in music lessons. 

I review what's INCLUDED in tuition costs on my Tuition page - here's a quick rundown of what's INCLUDED in tuition:

• Reserved regular lesson time 
• Preparation for each lesson (I spend nearly as much time outside each lesson working on lesson plans & repertoire selection) 
• Emailed materials (games, free song resources, etc) 
• Continuing…

Students often ask what they need to get started with online lessons, so here's a quick rundown of the basics!

Computer (or other device with camera)

A computer works best here as you can adjust sound settings on Zoom to make sure I can hear you (more on those settings here: https://musicbysarah.net/blog-faq/blog/optimal-zoom-settings-for-online-music-lessons. If you don't have a laptop available, a tablet or smartphone works too. You'll want to make sure you can set your device up hands-free so I can both…

I get this question a LOT, so let's jump in!

The Basics

• I take off the week between Christmas and New Years.
• I do teach throughout the summer, as long as I'm home! Lessons are available year-round.
• I usually teach through school breaks as I have students around the country with varying school schedules. If you're planning to be away on vacation, that's totally fine - let me know & I'll invoice you for the month accordingly. 

Touring & time away

I am a full-time musician, and I may take time away…

Zoom recently made some audio updates that have made lessons challenging! Here's an update on ideal Zoom settings:

As many of us have discovered, Zoom wasn't designed with music in mind. In fact, Zoom's default settings tend to distort or mute music, thinking it's "background noise" - when we all know music is the reason we're on Zoom together! There are few moments more frustrating in a Zoom lesson than when a student finishes playing a piece and is very proud of their efforts and I heard...three notes…

Technology has allowed me to continue teaching students when geography or health made it impossible, and it's also enabled me to share my love of music with students I otherwise would never have met. I'm happy to use technology to help you on your musical journey.  

Online lessons are conducted via Zoom (best connection). Payment is accepted via check, card, or online payment system (including Square, Paypal, and Venmo - subject to 4% processing fee). 

Starting from scratch with online music lessons works…

I'm glad you asked! I incorporate a variety of teaching methods into my curriculum, and often combine more than one in lessons. Learning music isn't a "one size fits all" journey, and I strive to utilize the best materials for each individual student along every step of their journey.

With that said, there are a few different method books I've used with much success over the years, so here's a quick roundup of some of my most frequently-used books!

Full disclosure on affiliate links: if you purchase your…

The title says it all, and I'm overdue to address this question - it's SO important to my teaching philosophy, and I'm happy to discuss in-depth.

My goal as a teacher is to impart a sense of excitement and understanding of music to all my students. My goal as a teacher is NOT - and never has been - perfection. As my favorite fitness instructor says, "there's no such thing as perfection." When it comes to music - especially with younger students - an emphasis on perfection can lead to lost interest…

I've transitioned entirely to online lessons this year, and overall it's worked out great - students are still learning and building skills, and we're using technology to stay connected.

Teaching online is a little different since I'm not there in person. One aspect of lessons I miss the most is playing together when a student learns a new piece - we learn it one hand at a time, and then I play one hand while the student plays the other, so they can hear it in real-time before playing it hands together…

One positive that's come out of this year is many students of all ages are finding the time to learn music - and since I'm not traveling between students, I actually have more students now than I did in-person! 

With the increase of potential students, and considering how online lessons work for students of different ages and abilities, I've got some updates to the "can you teach this" question.

I DO teach the following (online):

• Beginner to intermediate piano for ages 8+
  • Parents…

Hello current and prospective students!

I was talking with my husband this week about how happy I am teaching - how genuinely excited I get each time students learn a new concept - and how thankful I am to be able to continue teaching in this new normal. I'm glad technology and the weather have cooperated this summer, and as summer winds down I've been thinking about how lessons will look going forward.

Piano 

I've made the difficult decision to continue to offer all piano lessons online only for the time…

Vermont is now under a "Stay Home, Stay Safe" order due to COVID19. This minimizes all non-essential activities outside the home, and music lessons are not considered essential. Although I teach in my students' homes, for now it is my responsibility to stay home and transition all lessons to virtual/online lessons to help keep us all safe and healthy. 

What this means for current students

All current students wishing to continue with lessons during this time of transition are encouraged to do so! We can…

I now offer online lessons for students in any location, as well as in-person students who may have weather- or illness-related cancellations. This allows us to keep progressing with music, even when the climate or immune systems don't want to cooperate! So what do you need for a successful online lesson?

Computer/Tablet Access

While we could technically do a lesson with an iPhone, it's much better to use a tablet or laptop computer with a camera/videoconferencing capabilities. A phone screen is very small…

It's the statement parents and teachers often dread: "but I don't WANNA do it!" What happens when I've arrived for the lesson and that's the first thing we hear?

Consider the "Why"

As noted in my previous post people most often want someone to listen to them. Often my first question will be, "Why not?" Maybe the student had a terrible day, they had a disagreement with a friend, they're hungry, they're tired...or they didn't practice much and are embarrassed to play. Asking first, instead of demanding they…

This is a question I'm asked by both new and seasoned students alike. New students and parents want to know what they're signing up for while more advanced students want to ensure their practice routines continue to benefit their musical journeys.  

In an ideal world, my students would practice each piece (or section of a piece) about 5 times per day, every day. That's it. No half-hour of daily practice, no two-hour marathon practice sessions on the weekend.  

Here's why: the brain actually makes the…

Prospective students and parents often ask me "What's the right age to start music lessons?" My answer is an enthusiastic "Any age!" Learning music is beneficial to students of all ages. I've taught lessons to students as young as three all the way up into retirement and I've seen growth and development at every age.  

Before three years old, a private music lesson is probably not the best choice, but group music classes such as Mommy and Me music, music and movement classes, Kindermusic, and others are a…

I've been teaching music for over a decade though, and I've been extremely fortunate that, during the course of that decade, technology has allowed me to continue teaching students, regardless of location! It's amazing to see some of my students grow up (I've now had students not only graduate high school, but graduate college, get married, and have kids of their own!!) and stay in touch with them. It's even more amazing to be able to play music together, even if it's been a few years since last time we saw…