About Lesson For Kids
Our lessons are not only about learning piano. We would like to assist kids to understand the importance of daily practices and feeling ongoing satisfaction at having achieved their musical skills that encourages learning throughout their lifetime. Music is conceptually linked with numeracy as well as literacy, and the skills that they will experience in our lessons give a strong framework that be applied to any other subjects.
As teachers, we believe in developing confidence and encouraging each student’s potential throughout our lessons. Maintaining a positive approach and resilience is important when learning new techniques. We take into consideration that students might need to take their time or have a break for a while and encourage their natural interests, developing their abilities by letting them do what they need to do rather than pushing them to follow a strict order. We do so because we believe in sharing learning as an ongoing process with students, who better process and improve their skills technically and mentally when encouraged to own their learning. If students are trusted by teachers, they won’t hesitate to challenge new things and learn from their mistakes. This is the most effective means of improving their skills.
Starting With The Familiars (Dogs and Cats)
First of all students learn of reading music using music sheets with illustrations of dogs and cats instead of real musical notes. This simple and fun technique allows students who are new to music to innately engage with the fundamental concepts. With dogs the kids play a key of piano or clap their hands while saying “Woof!”, which leads to the learning of the concept of the “Crotchet”. “Miaow” (pronounced “Mia – ow” over two counts) while playing a key or clapping, which will become a “Minim” later. Kids love seeing dogs and cats in music at first rather than crotchets and minims, and this builds their confidence to see the technical elements of music as being accessible from day one.
Fundamental Technique
We concentrate on establishing strong basic techniques, with students learning finger shape, finger movement, reading and aural elements. Students use a textbook of finger exercises for encouraging correct finger shape and controlling their finger movement. We believe that it is important to have a solid reading skill, however students are also trained to develop their aural skills so that they will also be able to copy and play any pieces without music. Both these are considered important for not only developing competent musicians, but also creative artists.
Kids Need Fun!
Even if we know that practicing basic technique is important to create powerful self-motivated learners, the students need to have fun with their lessons. We provide students with some famous pieces or help them find new pieces that they want to try. If they can play some pieces that they know, they will engage more positively and productively. This excitement makes them play the piano more and motivates them to learn more new pieces. If the piece is too hard to play, we will arrange it to a easier version. Our goal is that if they have a greater interest in their pieces that their parents don’t need to tell them to practise at home. We want them to self-motivate as much as possible in order to build a lifetime of learning. Ultimately we hope they are already on the piano before being told to do their homework.
About “Perfect Pitch”
Throughout our experiences we strongly believe that anyone can have “Perfect Pitch” if trained. Student will gain the sense of “Perfect Pitch” while singing with solfa (note names) and doing dictation in lessons.
AMEB Grade
We highly encourage and celebrate the high achievements of our students. “AMEB” (Australian Music Examination Board) provides nationally recognised music instrumental exams and grades which HiroMelody can organise and extensively prepare for. There are approximately 10 students taking exams every year through HiroMelody. About AMEB： www.ameb.edu.au