Welcome
Welcome to Partridge Street Piano - unique, private, piano lessons in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. At Partridge Street Piano I offer a classical approach with a creative twist. Students at Partridge Street Piano learn all the things that you would expect out of a traditional method, but they do it in a way that teaches them to play the piano, not simply to read music (remember all those people who took 10 years of piano lessons but can't play anything unless they have music in front of them?). This means that each student will be able to read music and will also be able to improvise and compose. A fuller, well-rounded, and exciting learning experience is available, and I can't wait to start this success-studded journey with you!
The Method
My teaching style is a result of several different factors that, when working together in harmony, produce a positive and productive learning experience.
- Classical Approach: Students learn their way around the keyboard, learn to read music, decipher all of those different symbols on the page, and learn to distinguish between different styles of music throughout history. They work on learning classic pieces of music that everybody will enjoy listening to (and I can usually get your 6 year-old to play a sweet version of Pachabell's Canon in D by the third lesson).
- Improvisation and Composition: About thirty percent of each lesson is devoted to improvisation and composition. Students not only work on writing their own music (yes, everybody can do it because it's a skill that can be taught, not just a magical gift some people happen to have), they spend time making up music on the spot as well.
- Parent Involvement: Learning to read music is learning to read a foreign language. Playing the piano is speaking a foreign language. Imagine what it would be like for you or your child to accomplish learning to read and speak a foreign language with only 30-60 minutes a week with a tutor. The task is impossible. Students who do not have plenty of parental involvement and encouragement throughout the process of learning this new language are generally unsuccessful. I ask parents to commit to holding their children accountable for regular practice.
- Success Building: One of the most important parts of my job is to select material that is challenging yet doable for your child (or for you - all ages are welcome!). My method takes the energy and pride that comes with success and uses it to fuel the next success. Your child will not spend weeks working on a skill or concept that is too difficult for him. I pay close attention to your child's pace and learning style, so the pathway of learning is marked with one success after the next. She will be calling you into the room to show you what she can do all of the time!
The Inspiration
Why should you take piano lessons? There are probably a million reasons why everybody should learn to play the piano (or some kind of musical instrument). Here are a few of my favorites:
- Learning about the fundamentals of music opens a whole world of appreciation for music of all types.
- Learning to play the piano reveals that hard work produces pleasurable results - an important life lesson.
- It is an amazing way to express yourself - a great creative outlet!
If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music...I get most joy in life out of music.
Albert Einstein
The Instructor
I am an energetic piano instructor with diverse experience. I was classically trained for 13 years before I began teaching.
Contact
Please contact me anytime by e-mailing me at: shawnakosel@partridgestreetpiano.com. I do have openings for those interested in starting for the summer, and I have daytime openings for home schoolers.
Fees and Policy
- 30 minutes: $25 - I know that 30 minute lessons are the standard amount of time for beginning students. I have found that 30 minutes is just enough time for young students, but beginners who are a bit older are a lot happier with 45 minute lessons.
- 45 minutes: $35 - I strongly recommend 45 minute lessons to most beginning piano students. In a lesson we warm up, review last week's material, improve last week's material, work on learning and practicing new concepts and skills, and spend time on improvisation and composition. This is a lot to do in only 30 minutes. Success building is an important part of my method, and 45 minutes seems to be a better amount of time to allow those successes to come.
- 60 minutes: $40 - I love teaching for an hour. So many wonderful things happen in an hour lesson. The concepts are really solidified - there is more time for improvisation and composition, and let's admit: $30 for an hour is a steal!