Piano Lessons

Piano lessons the way you want them:

The way that works for you.

The piano is a foundational musical skill for musicians, for musical artists, for people, for families. For life.

SO DON’T SETTLE FOR SUBPAR PIANO LESSONS!
Get started on your path toward confidence and excellence.

A most important and central focus at the Laguna Niguel School of Music, Dennis Frayne Music Studios is piano lessons. Healthy, positive, thoughtful, and rewarding piano lessons can contribute not only to the development of musical skills and creativity but also to leadership, critical thinking, a can-do attitude toward life’s obstacles, and performance confidence — whether that confidence is on stage, in school, in career and profession, and in life.

Of vital importance is each student’s experience while learning, especially their early experiences. Bad experiences can and do produce harmful effects. An inexperienced teacher, poorly sequenced curriculum, outdated methods (even if popular or common methods in use today), confusing and antagonizing approaches to learning, and improper teaching of technique, all have negative impacts. Many students lose self-confidence and develop physical, mental, and spiritual harms and problems from unwitting teachers that set them back, and these harms and problems must be worked out, solved, and healed… and hopefully new progress will be made later. (We can help with this. We have experts.)

At Laguna Niguel School of Music, you and your children will experience something completely different: creativity, positive experiences, rewarding efforts, development of critical thinking skills, superior technical skills, advanced musical skills, exceptional playing ability, and remarkable self-confidence.

At Laguna Niguel School of Music, our approaches and strategies are singular, unique, distinctive — and superior. We teach better. Students learn better. Our curriculum and methods have been developed over many years of thoughtful, nurturing, progressive, student-centered teaching philosophies backed by child-development expertise. We have developed our own curriculum, teaching strategies, which are rooted in our child-centered and student-centered education philosophies.

Students come here to gain confidence. Students come here to experience excellence. Students come here to overcome obstacles. Students come here to heal. Students come here to enjoy music and also to get really good at making it!

Students come here to become creative, thoughtful, critical thinkers and doers.

Learning to play the piano helps get them there.

SCHEDULE AN INTRODUCTORY PIANO LESSON

Register for a Holiday Piano Camp!

Piano, Pre-piano, and Piano Mommy & Me

Piano: Students from children to adults who wish to participate in piano lessons, individual (private) or small group (classroom) piano instruction (see below).

Piano Preparatory or Pre-piano: Students ages 3-5 who wish to participate in piano lessons, have small hands, prefer more hands-separate practice, and more “off-bench” musical activities and engagement, but want to get a head start at the piano as their bodies continue to grow a bit more.

Piano Mommy & Me: Like Music Mommy & Me with a stronger emphasis on piano, and where the parent learns to play the piano alongside the child.

Individual Piano Lessons (Private Instruction)

There are many reasons why students and families prefer individual piano lessons. The three biggest advantages involve one-on-one teacher instruction, curriculum, pacing, and schedule customization, and preparation for outside activities such as recitals, exams (e.g., Music Teacher Association of California Certificate of Merit), special performances, competitions, and auditions (e.g., for Orange County School of the Arts, the Saddleback College Applied Music Program, or university/conservatory entrance requirements).

1. One-on-one Teacher Instruction - students receive individual private instruction from their teacher. The entire lesson time and all of the teacher’s attention are devoted to one individual student.

2. Curriculum, Pacing, and Schedule Customization - teachers have the flexibility to tailor the curriculum and pacing of instruction to each individual student. For example, additional piano pieces can be added to the sequencing, substitute pieces, or pieces of special interest to the student. A student who loves to sing and play can do more singing and play in lessons, a student who wants to learn to play the jazz piano can do more improvising in lessons, a student who wishes to learn religious songs or church music can receive additional emphasis toward these themes and goals. In addition, there are likely more day and time options available for individual lessons (group class days and times are predetermined according to the course catalog and class schedules).

3. Preparation for Outside Activities - students who wish to play non-standard repertoire at recitals (such as themed music) or want/need to learn pieces for special performances, competitions, or auditions can do so more easily by taking individual piano lessons. Also, students who wish to participate in exams such as MTAC CM and others can get the dedicated instruction they need to work on and perfect their repertoire during their regular weekly lessons.)

4. Lessons on an Acoustic Piano - students taking individual private piano lessons take lessons on an acoustic piano. While electric keyboards are satisfactory for learning piano, taking lessons on a real acoustic piano can be a long-term benefit to students.

Group Piano Lessons (Classroom Instruction)

Small groups of 2-4 students

There are many reasons why students and families prefer group piano lessons. The three biggest advantages involve affordability, the pacing of instruction, and the social aspect of learning with others and interacting with peers.

1. Affordability - group piano lessons cost less. There are some variables, but the average cost of group lessons is about 50-65% of the cost of private lessons.

2. Pacing of Instruction - group piano lessons encourage students to keep on pace. Students in the class move through the curriculum together, and, with guidance and encouragement from the teacher, create a learning environment that is supportive, nurturing, collaborative, and mutually rewarding. Students get very comfortable playing in front of others, get ensemble experience in class, and always have a small audience to practice performing for, which stimulates the development and improves progress.

3. Social Aspect - many students enjoy learning with others and interacting with peers. We strive to place students into appropriate age groupings, and in these learning environments, close bonds and lasting friendships often develop. Students have more opportunities to play duets and make music together as an ensemble, which can help with rhythm, blend, and teamwork, and better prepare them for school music such as band, choir, and orchestra.

Our class piano program uses the exceptional and proprietary Presto! It’s Piano Magic method book series, and applies the healthy and superior teaching strategies and philosophies of teaching and learning developed by Dr. Dennis Frayne over many years of experience, research, study, and application.

Our students advance further and faster with our exceptional 60-minute group piano lessons than with any ordinary piano teacher’s 30-minute private lessons!