Adult Lessons
“Dear Mr. Evan,
I can't thank you enough for teaching me to play my piano in a way I thought not possible. Forty-four years ago, my parents bought an organ and had me take organ lessons for a few years; however, I always wanted a piano, and said I would someday buy one. That “someday” happened 43 years ago when my husband surprised me with a baby grand piano for Christmas. I was thrilled to say the least!
I played my piano for nearly a year, but had difficulty because I struggled playing notes with my left hand vs. the chord/pedal combo on an organ. I decided to take lessons, and researched several piano teachers as I wanted someone who would teach me fundamentals, theory, and a variety of styles of music. Plus, I wanted someone who would be willing to teach a 56-year-old! After many months of looking, I decided to “take the plunge;” it was then when I found you! I so appreciated your enthusiasm to teach adults and your passion for the piano.
In just four months of lessons, I'm playing the piano with more confidence, I have an understanding of basic theory (and am eager to continue with learning more), I play classical pieces I never thought I would be able to, and I am continually challenged to learn new techniques with each piece. Plus, it's so fun to go from playing Bach to Disney favorites in one sitting! You've opened my eyes (and ears) to the world of piano playing, and to really feel my piano and enjoy it. After each lesson, I can't wait to go home and practice, and I get excited about the possibilities of being able to play advanced pieces and fill my home with a beautiful sound.
Once again many thanks,”
Jane Wahl, San Clemente, CA
“Thanks for the summer lessons, Mr Evan! MrEvan is equally skilled in classical, popular, and jazz styles and he has the rare gift of being able to assess the level of children and adults alike, provide them with the appropriate technique and repertoire for their continued success and LOVE OF MUSIC! I highly recommend Mr Evan to you or your children for a joyful journey of piano playing!"
John Elg, Conductor, Laguna Beach Pageant of the Master Orchestra
“In just four months of lessons I'm playing the piano with more confidence, I have an understanding of basic theory (and am eager to continue with learning more), I play classical pieces I never thought I would be able to, and I am continually challenged to learn new techniques with each piece. Plus, it's so fun to go from playing Bach to Disney favorites in one sitting! You've opened my eyes (and ears) to the world of piano playing, and to really feel my piano and enjoy it. After each lesson I can't wait to go home and practice, and I get excited about the possibilities of being able to play advanced pieces and fill my home with a beautiful sound."
Jane Wahl, CEO Pregnancy Resources, San Clemente, Ca
"I am a 63 year old retired attorney who took up piano with Evan about 8 months ago. I had never played before. Evan has helped me to really enjoy the piano. I use "fake books" primarily which allow me to play a great variety of music in what I consider a very short period of time...I am really having fun learning to play the piano. Evan is a joy to work with."
Tom Bryan, attorney..competition tennis player.
One of the great privileges I have had in life is to teach my adult students. For one thing, wasting time is not their bag. Adults want to be inspired with a teacher of expertise. They are not going to pay someone they don't respect. We all deserve that in a piano teacher. At the same time, adults are very overwhelmingly so, critical of themselves. This critical nature and self judgement is best handled by reminding the adult student that they have ability, talent, and with time it will become evident that this is true! Having a great time with your teacher helps too! The keys to the knowledge you have been seeking can be taught It's great when you have a teacher who can provide a little comraderie that happens adult to adult. If you have never experienced this with your piano teacher....then NOW is the time! There are many physical principles to playing keyboard.
When you see the results of your practice and lessons, your confidence increases!
I'm going to make a shocking statement...Most adult method books are boring, useless and I will go so far as to say they will kill your interest in piano. Adults need to have a very different approach. I like learning to play from what are termed "fakebooks" ... they are method books for adults! We go immediately to play all of the songs that you like. We can go to playing Rock n Roll, Jazz, Country Western, Standards, Blues, Calypso, and of course..Classical Styles, immediately.
Goals of Adult Lessons
How do adult lessons differ from lessons for kids? Quite a bit.Adults can learn piano far faster than any child, after all, the mind is fully developed now. For instance, an adult can learn chords instantly, whereas it takes an average young person 8 weeks to begin the concept and playing of their first chord. Playing music can therefore begin immediately. Some adults want to smooth their skills -- start playing the songs they have always wanted. Some adults want to develop style: Popular, Rock and Roll, Jazz and Standard, and need to know where to find this instruction (Here!). The adults I teach usually want to play classical favorites and more. They want to be creative and to find know those tools to make more of the songs they love. Most of us don't realize how much of a world of its own this can be. Those who go through this door find this world of sound-beauty that seemed unreachable before.
Playing from "Fake" Books
The art and science of playing from fakebooks is well worth a little consideration. An adult can learn to play in the right hand cleff, and play the accompaniment chords in the left hand sometimes lesson 1.
Guitar players use chords to accompany their singing...in the same way, piano students can use their left hand chords to accompany their right hand voice, and cut years off their piano lessons. (!)
Yes, it is a good idea to learn the classics and technic...however why not have a great time playing music first...then you can devote yourself to your concert career at Carnegie Hall on the side.
Guitar players use chords to accompany their singing...in the same way, piano students can use their left hand chords to accompany their right hand voice, and cut years off their piano lessons. (!)
Yes, it is a good idea to learn the classics and technic...however why not have a great time playing music first...then you can devote yourself to your concert career at Carnegie Hall on the side.
Understanding Chord Books
There is a disconnect that happens when we bring home "explanatory" books written to help us, somehow the learning that they promised us never happens. Here is the good news...the way to learn all the different chords in the chord "manuals" is to attach them to what they mean emotionally to you. For instance, a major chord must elicit in you a happy feeling. On the other hand, minor is dark or serious. 7th chords are used for Blues and Rock and to add color, and major sevenths for a sophisticated Jazz sound. These are genuine learning nuggets for you in your quest to learn all of your chords (without having to think about it). It would be very useful for you to come to me to see how these chords are used within various styles of music, and then to go ahead and use them in songs that you have in mind to play.
Improvisation and Accompaniment Styles
Improvisation requires a knowledge of scales and left hand accompaniment patterns. Scales needed include major and minor, blues, and jazz scales. Helpful too are an understanding of trills, upper and lower neighbors and how they work with melody.
A formula that I like to use is to start with learning the melody with its rhythm and chord changes, and then slowly change it with the use of scales to where it is recognizable, barely recognizable, and then... a completely new song with the same chord changes. An audience loves hearing their favorite melodies bent and shaped in new ways...if this is something that interests you there are many tools at our disposal that are great fun to learn!
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