Piano Lessons with Dr. Carney
A Personalized Approach for Every Student
Every student is unique, and so are their goals. Lessons with Dr. Carney are designed to align with each student’s needs and learning preferences. Dr. Carney has worked with thousands of students over the span of roughly three decades, and his greatest passion has always been to simply teach anyone that wants to learn. By providing a solid technical foundation and thoughtful approach to managing practice, Dr. Carney prepares students for a diverse repertoire while keeping practice manageable and realistic.
Dr. Carney’s greatest reward as a teacher is seeing students feel empowered by their deliberate, thoughtful work. Most of his students are not planning to make a career out of music. He only seeks students that are committed to consistent effort. This perspective can diverge from that of other teachers that focus on winning competitions and pressuring students to adopt the teacher’s goals without appropriate consideration of the student’s goals (i.e., teacher-centered teaching).
And yes – Dr. Carney likes to have fun in lessons! Music should be enjoyable!
Piano Lesson Policies
Download the Registration Form
- First Meeting Free — This no-obligation session allows students and parents to meet Dr. Carney, discuss goals, and help both determine fit before committing.
- Tuition Rates:
- $50 for each 45-minute lesson
- $60 for each 60-minute lesson
- All students (or their parent) must sign the Studio Policy
- Studio Policy highlights:
- Monthly Tuition – Due at the first lesson of each month. Tuition covers instruction, lesson preparation, and studio resources.
- Weekly Lessons – Lessons take place each week, and any changes to the schedule must be approved in advance by Dr. Carney.
- Missed Lessons – 24-hour notice required for rescheduling. No credits or refunds for same-day cancellations or no-shows. Lessons are made up at Dr. Carney’s discretion.
- Holidays & Summer – Dr. Carney schedules one week off for Thanksgiving, 1-2 weeks off for Christmas, and sometimes other holidays for which payment is not required. Students commit to a minimum of 2 lessons in June, 2 in July, and 3 in August.
- Materials & Instrument – Students purchase their own music and materials, pay any applicable event/contest fees, and must have a well-maintained instrument for home practice (inquire for details on instrument needs).
- Practice Expectations – Consistent practice is key; goals and guidelines set individually for each student.
- Termination – Lessons may be ended by either party; refunds given only if Dr. Carney cancels remaining prepaid lessons.
- Students also need to complete a Registration Form
What to Expect
Practice Requirements?
Expected weekly practice time varies by student according to short and long-term goals. Beginners may only practice 20 minutes per day (6 days per week), and advanced students may practice 1-4 hours each day. Expectations are discussed with students and parents on a regular basis.
Lesson Length
Students select from 45 or 60 minute lessons. For over 2 decades, Dr. Carney has not offered the standard 30-minute lessons for beginners. Perhaps surprisingly, Dr. Carney has found that the additional 15 minutes are very worthwhile for beginning students because the practicing process needs modeling at each lesson even more explicitly for beginners. This process is in addition to the introduction and assessment of new concepts.
Ideal Starting Age?
Parents often wonder if their child is at the right age to start piano. Dr. Carney has found that starting too early can actually slow overall progress and even lead to persistent frustration that’s hard to overcome. He has had many 5 year olds be very successful but also found 7 year olds that aren’t quite ready. Generally, Dr. Carney recommends the following considerations:
- Does the student have basic reading proficiency? (note: not music reading proficiency since that’s learned in lessons)
- Can the student remain relatively focused for a 45-minute lesson with varied activities?
- Does it seem likely that the student will meet the minimum practicing requirement of 20 minutes per day and 6 days per week?
- Can the student engage in a very modest amount of self regulation appropriate for their age? For younger students, this refers to an extremely basic amount of assessing their work and selecting strategies for improvement. Such approaches would be repeatedly modeled in lessons first. Truly independent learning management rarely happens before late elementary age.
Fun?
While Dr. Carney prefers to not frame studying the piano as “fun” but rather “enjoyable”, he certainly likes to have fun in lessons! After all, music is a life-enriching and enjoyable thing! Dr. Carney always takes some time to get to know what his students enjoy and care about. Music is a lived experience, and lessons should similarly reflect that as we explore the place that art can have in our lives. Students should also generally enjoy their practice time, even when it feels like work, and Dr. Carney always tries to be approachable and understanding when students experience frustration.
Dr. Carney’s Teaching Philosophy
The piano studio should always be a nurturing environment that allows students to learn through guided exploration. Teachers must do everything out of a sincere interest and concern for their students’ success. This requires that a teacher be sensitive to the goals and needs of each student so that progress can be made in a manner that is enjoyable and rewarding for each individual. Therefore, Dr. Carney designs a curriculum for each student that is tailored to accommodate their specific needs and goals while including fundamental principles that are necessary to provide a foundation upon which a multitude of musical activities can be built.
Dr. Carney’s students work in several general areas:
Technique
The physical mechanics of piano playing and the ability to use that technique for achieving one’s musical goals.
Technique provides students with the tools by which musical ideas can be most clearly expressed. Technique is a means to an end, not an end itself. A solid technical foundation allows musicians to make their own technique as they deem appropriate for each piece. While scales, arpeggios, chords, and etudes (study pieces) constitute the typical activities in this area, technical training must also seek to use these mechanics to find a pathway that leads toward true artistry.
Weekly Study Pieces
Accessible music to develop general reading skills.
While these pieces are easier than the more challenging repertoire pieces, they are usually not “sight reading” pieces. These pieces are designed to continually develop each student’s self-sufficiency at learning new music. If this area is neglected, students learn new pieces slower and more laboriously. These pieces are intended to be learned within one to two weeks with the student doing all of the initial work. This allows students the opportunity to assume responsibility for their own work while challenging them to create a refined musical performance through their own initiative. For beginning students, these pieces are found in “method books” (or “lesson books”) and are introduced with more direct instruction compared to more experienced students.
Repertoire Pieces
Challenging performance music.
Repertoire pieces are challenging pieces most commonly presented in public performances such as recitals and competitions. These pieces are carefully selected so each student is working on a piece that is incredibly motivating and yet appropriate for their musical development. These pieces provide an opportunity to develop practicing skills that are highly structured. With appropriate thoughtful practice, anyone can create rewarding musical experiences.
Theory and Ear Training
Understanding music through visual and aural analysis.
Theory and Ear Training are required to develop each student’s ability to hear and understand musical patterns and syntax. Developing one’s listening ability is an important part of being able to play with great communicative power. This sort of study also allows one to develop a musical vocabulary that can be used to discuss music in an intelligible manner.
Improvisation and Composition
Students creating their own music.
Improvisational and compositional studies allow students to be directly involved in the creative process while exploring different sounds in a natural and stimulating manner. This process allows students the opportunity to find and connect with their personal creative voice that in turn helps them gain a more enlightened understanding of music by other composers. This study is therefore an integral part of developing a musician’s capacity to hear and internalize different pieces and styles on a deeply meaningful level.
Music Literature/History, and Critical Listening Skills
Understanding our musical world.
A study of music history and literature is necessary not only so that students are performing music in a historically informed manner but also so students can develop critical thinking and listening skills. These processes also allow students to become more aware of the musical world in which we live. This means that they work towards an informed awareness of the vast diversity of music in our society and other societies and begin to see historical trends in music. This then encourages other academic interests in musical scholarship and a general respect for music of all cultures.
All these areas constitute a holistic curriculum that surpasses the more fragmented traditional approach of developing repertoire and technique alone. Each area reinforces the other thus allowing students to excel in all areas with greater fluency. While evaluating musical ability through performance is possibly the easiest way to gauge success, it is not the only way. Too often, many teachers work primarily in this area while neglecting the others. True artistry comes only after understanding. This approach shows students a musical world that can be enjoyed for their entire lifetime not only through performing, but also by attending concerts, supporting the arts in our schools and communities, and by the many other countless ways that we experience this life-enriching activity.