Group Piano Lessons 101: Everything You Need to Know

If you have been curious about group piano lessons, but aren't sure if it will be a good fit and just feel like you need more information before taking the plunge, this post is for you.

Here's a breakdown of what a typical class is like in our group piano classes at Grace Piano Studio.

When students come in for class, we stand across from each other and take a bow as a sign of mutual respect (this comes from my background in the Suzuki method, developed by the Japanese man, Shinichi Suzuki.)

Next, we usually open up the lesson with a music theory activity or game. This can include things like races to name notes on the keyboard, magnetic staff board activities, rhythm reading with rhythm sticks, finger mazes to practice different finger numbers, or music symbol bingo – you get the idea.

After our theory activity, we get the piano playing started! All the students are learning the same songs together so they get to stay engaged in the collaborative learning experience. Not only does this make things more fun, but it also helps students develop a strong ability to listen to each other's playing and stay on the beat.

We usually start by playing a couple of songs we have already learned, then add onto a piece we started learning the previous week or begin a brand new song. I always like to go around the room to have each kid play it for me so I can help them with any challenges that are coming up. Throughout the class, parents are also encouraged to sit in the chair next to their child's piano so they can help if needed and so they are in the loop on how to help their child practice at home in between lessons.

Often, we will stand up and do an off-the-bench activity in between playing songs to help keep bodies awake and brains engaged. Sometimes we may do a mindfulness card or explore rhythm instruments; other times we may sing short melodies using solfège on the "body staff". For the body staff, we touch our toes for "do", knees for "re", hips for "mi", etc. This is an excellent ear training activity that cultivates a deep inner sense of pitch.

At the end of the lesson, I let the students choose a fun activity to end with and I type notes into the Practice Space app, where all of our group's assignments along with any practice videos and other materials can be found. Finally, we wrap up our lesson with another bow.

Young boys engaged in a hands-on music lesson, using magnets on staff boards to explore the relationship between musical notes and piano keys.

How does the structure of a group piano lesson differs from a private lesson?

Parents are often curious about the differences between group and private piano lessons. I'll be diving deeper into this subject in the next post, but for now, I'm going to highlight a few of the key differences.

1. Learning music theory skills tends to come more quickly in groups due to all the fun ways we get to explore theory concepts together. The games are simply more fun with peers to learn alongside!

2. Repertoire tends to be learned a little bit slower in groups because the sole focus of the teacher is not on just one student. Sometimes, this can really take the pressure off though and help students get used to mistakes being part of the learning process more easily.

3. The atmosphere is one of the biggest differences. There is a cameraderie that students develop when they are in it together. I like to think that I'm pretty fun, but I am still an adult and kids just have more fun when other kids are involved.

Here are a few questions about group piano that come up frequently.

Q: Will my child get enough attention?

A: While each child will not get individual attention throughout the entire class, they will have opportunities to get help and feedback from me. The great thing is that each kid gets to be part of every activity, so no one is getting excluded.

Q: What if the students are at different levels?

A: Children all learn at different rates and so there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Just like you might find in a good exercise class, I incorporate different variations for each song we learn and the activities we do so that everyone is getting enough to work on and being met where they are currently at.

Q: Can my child switch to private lessons later?

A: Absolutely! I will often recommend switching to private lessons if a student is advancing beyond their peers and there isn't a more advanced class that they can join in on.

I hope you got some good nuggets of insight from this post. Feel free to drop a comment below or reach out to me if you have questions I didn't answer in this post.

Ready to jump into group piano lessons? Head over to www.gracepiano.us/grouppiano to add your child to the waitlist – we'll be in touch as soon as a spot opens that's just right for your child.

Thanks for reading and see you next time here on the blog!