piano & cello lessons
frequently asked questions
Do I need a piano? Yes. If you are a piano student, you will need an acoustic piano or an 88-key weighted-action digital piano on which to practice daily the homework assignments assigned at the weekly lesson. We recommend Classic Pianos in Portland for a used or new acoustic upright or grand piano, or Guitar Center for a digital piano. Acoustic and digital pianos may also be found used on Facebook Marketplace. Please ask Sara if you need help selecting an appropriate practice instrument.
Do I have to practice every day? Yes. We understand if you've been ill, on vacation, or have extenuating circumstances. However, we expect students to practice at home every day - and to have done their best to master homework assigned by the teacher at the prior week's lesson. Length of practice time is determined by age and level. Young beginners will need to practice 20-30 minutes per day, intermediate level students should practice at least 45 minutes per day, and advanced students should practice for at least 1 hour per day. Students who fail to practice regularly will kindly be asked to drop from the lesson schedule.
I'm very busy with sports and other activities. Can we make this work? We encourage families to be realistic about their availability. Private music lessons should be a priority if you decide to sign up. Please keep in mind that we can not regularly make up lessons due to other activities.
Are lessons year-round? Yes. We expect our students to study year-round for consistency. We understand that summer is a time for family vacations and we are very flexible with our make-up policy during those months. We ask that you inform us in advance of any lessons you will be missing so we may alter the schedule accordingly. (If you are a summer-only student, lessons run from July through August.)
Are parents/siblings allowed to watch lessons? Yes. Both studios have seating for two. However, we ask that you consider whether siblings can stay quiet and still, and whether your music student may be distracted by having others in the room.