316 North Broadway
Pitman NJ
856-553-3110 (text please, phone is off during lessons)
Piano Lessons FAQ
How old does my child have to be to start piano lessons?
Roughly 5 years old, but more importantly, here is what your child must be able to do before they are
ready to start piano lessons:
-
Recite the alphabet
-
Say "GFEDCBA" and understand that it is the alphabet backwards.
-
Count up to 10.
-
Count backwards from 10 down to 1.
-
Be able to differentiate their fingers using words like "thumb, pointer, middle, ring, and pinky".
-
Know their left from their right *almost* every time they are asked.
-
Be able to stay on an activity like coloring or a craft for 15 minutes without losing interest or needing to get up and run around.
Use these as your barometer and let us know if they're ready and you're interested in lessons.
What methods do your teachers use?
We avoid rote methods for beginning students. Rote methods like Suzuki for Pre-K to 8 year olds has it’s place
in some cultures that are more competitive and performance-based. We prefer to teach music reading and encourage
long-term independence. Bastien and Alfred are great for elementary aged beginners. Faber is a little more challenging -
great for kids who *really* put in the extra effort. Piano Pronto is a newer method that we think is excellent.
Once students have a few years of method books, we encourage the transition to repertoire - classical, jazz,
modern, pop, even video game music - whatever sparks the student’s interests and meets their desire for a challenge.
Do we need a piano in our home?
You will need either a piano or a keyboard in your home.
For the first year, a small keyboard will suffice to see if the child remains interested, but these can be difficult
to play and they don’t sound or feel very good, so we discourage them.
By the second year, a student will need a full instrument with a proper pedal and stand. We recommend:
You can also buy instruments of quality from sweetwater.com. You want an 88-key, fully-weighted digital keyboard
with pedals. It would need either an X-style music stand or furniture style-casing. Be sure it comes with a place to
rest your sheet music.
If you are buying a used digital from someone online, please test every key to make sure they all work.
These can fall apart after 10-20 years and there is no easy way to repair them.
How much piano practice is expected?
Aim for their age x 2 in minutes. A 10 year old should practice 20 minutes at a time, a 6 year old should practice 12 minutes.
Use an egg timer like your Grandma did - or tell Alexa to set a timer. Best to practice the day after a lesson, once on the
weekend, and a day before your lesson. Aim for 3 practices and don’t panic if you have an off week.
Learning an instrument takes years. Plan for a 5-10 year investment and don’t imagine they’ll stop in high school -
that’s when all that hard work starts to really pay off! We just had a student get a music scholarship
(not even planning to be a music major) at college that paid back every penny that her parents spent in lessons and then some!.
For all the times listed above, I'd recommend doubling it the month before a recital.
How to keep practice from becoming a negotiation
Keep a good attitude. It’s like teaching your kids to brush their teeth or do their homework. No need to threaten or negotiate.
No need to take away rewards. Remember that once a child is on a screen it’s hard to get them off (boy, true for us as well, right?).
Set up practice time to happen when they are already in doing-mode, not play mode. Or encourage it as a bedtime extender -
we’ve found this works great. Set up a bedtime that’s 15 minutes earlier than you would normally and then if they want to
stay up later, they can do so by practicing. (sneaky genius)
David Van Antwerp
Piano, Guitar, Voice
David has been working as a music educator, choir director, and musician for over 30 years, but his love of music began in his childhood with his studies of the piano, guitar, and voice. As a student, he sang with various honors ensembles in New Jersey from regional, state, and national choruses as well as performing as a guitarist and pianist in various school, church, and community groups.
David holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Rowan University. David applied his musical experience and training to the community in a variety of ways, including Church Musician / Choir Director (Our Lady Queen of Peace in Pitman), Music Therapist, and Director of Choral Activities at Washington Township High School.
In all of his roles, he has provided one-on-one, small-group, and large- group musical activities, instruction and performance leadership.
Along with his directorial responsibilities, David has also taught guitar class, music theory and composition, and music appreciation.
Mr Van Antwerp is best for piano and guitar students who are committed to regular practice and who are goal-oriented. He also teaches male singers. His methods are rooted in solid music pedagogy. He accepts students of all ages, but will do best with students who are committed to lifelong music study.
David teaches Tuesday - Friday in Room 2 (off the kitchen)
Christa Conklin
Piano, Saxophone, Clarinet
Mrs. Conklin holds a BA from Rutgers University in both Music Performance and Communication and an MALS from Monmouth University. She worked in the education department of the New York Philharmonic and, while at Lincoln Center, played with Juilliard chamber ensembles as a classical saxophonist. This allowed her the joy of performing in Alice Tully Hall.
In addition to studying woodwinds, and playing them in wind ensembles and big bands, Ms. Conklin played electric bass guitar in jazz ensembles and pit bands. Providing private instrumental and french language instruction to students led her to prefer to teach outside of the classroom and inspired her to homeschool her own children. Ms. Conklin is also a published author.
Christa is excellent with beginning piano students - particularly K-5th. She has a background in homeschooling and is a YA author, so she has a great rapport with our little ones. She is a very experienced saxophone player and accepts beginners through adults. Additionally, she works with beginning and intermediate clarinetists.
Christa teaches Monday - Thursday in Room 3 (second floor)
Adi Achterberg
Piano, Voice
Adelaide is a singer, musician, and actor graduating from Rowan University with a degree in Musical Theatre. Her main instruments are voice and piano, as well as oboe, ukulele, saxophone, and bass guitar.
She started playing piano and performing onstage at a very young age and performed with many musical groups and community theatres in her home county of York, PA. Adelaide prides herself on her versatility of vocal styles, though she specializes in musical theatre and jazz. With her strong background in musical theatre, she believes in creating a well-rounded performer with a healthy voice and an equal focus on musicality and emotional expression.
Adi does best with our beginning piano students. Our K-8th graders particularly like her fun energy.
Adi teaches on Mondays and Thursdays in Room 4 (second floor)
Grace Mazzola
Voice, Piano
Grace Mazzola is a Soprano who graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal
Performance from The University of Hartford, The Hartt School. She specializes in solo
singing, early music, and sacred music. She has had the opportunity to study in many Vocal
Studios at The Hartt School, including those of Dr. Wayne Rivera, Dr. Thomas Cannon,
Professor Cherie Claudia, and Dr. Lisabeth Miller. During her Undergraduate Degree, she
sang with the Schola Cantorum at The Cathedral of St. Joseph in West Hartford, CT where
she was regularly singing Sunday Masses, Confirmation Masses, Funerals, and Weddings
under the direction of Dr. Gabriel Löfvall. One of Grace’s most fond memories while
studying at Hartt is being asked to sing in the Final Fantasy: Distant Worlds concert series
at the Bushnell Performing Arts Center with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra under the
direction of Arnie Roth. In her free time, Grace can be found hiking, going to the gym, or
snuggling with her cat Toby.
Grace teaches singers and pianists of all ages, and has a strong pedagogical background in classical technique. Her focus is on healthy, age-appropriate singing and on the building of solid musicianship.
Grace teaches on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays in Room 6 (third floor)