Johns Creek Piano Lessons|Piano lessons for kids of ALL ages in the Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Duluth, Georgia areas

This message goes out to all the amazing home-school families in the North Atlanta area – it is time to start planning your fall curriculum (but you probably know that already!)

As a former home-schooler of 8 years, I know how overwhelming it can be to find the best teaching resources from the ocean of choices that are now available. ( I ended up going “cafeteria style” and chose what I felt were the best materials from a number of different sources.) But I know that, curriculum preferences aside, all home-school families have a common purpose and goal:

To develop in their children a true love of learning.

Talk about easier said than done! There is no simple formula – because there are no “simple” children. It is amazing to note the differences in even the closest of relations, namely brothers and sisters. How can kids from the same parents be so different from each other?? One thing is for sure – Our Creator knows everything there is to know about being CREATIVE.

I delight in teaching because of the very fact that my students are so diverse. It is a thrill and a challenge to find ways to make the most of their individual talents and to encourage them through difficult stages in the learning process.

If you are interested in having piano lessons as part of your home-school program. I would be honored to be chosen as your teacher.
Please fill out the student application form and I will be sure to get back with you in a timely manner.

OK, here is the situation: I am getting many calls from parents who want to know if their child is ready for private piano lessons.

And for every call, I have to honestly say that the only way to find out is to let me do an evaluation, then make a recommendation. Sometimes the answer is a very clear-cut “Absolutely!” or a “Not quite yet …” and for those in the middle I offer a 4 week “let’s see” starter course. If the child is learning and excited about the one-on-one lessons, we move forward. If not, then they belong in the “Not quite yet…” category.

But for the “Not quite yet…” students I always suggest to the parent that group music lessons or music classes would be most beneficial to their child. No pressure (well, let’s hope not!), lots of fun and socialization, AND plenty of learning at the same time.

There are lots of these music classes around. Brick-and-mortar music studios almost always offer group lessons, and many places of worship have these kinds of programs as well. The trick here is, are these classes convenient for you? And are they affordable? Do you have to pay a tuition fee and then a big supply fee on top of that? Or are the classes so economical (and, therefore, popular!) that you have to plan practically a year ahead to even have a shot at a space for your child?

Because I see a need for fantastic and fun group lessons/music classes that fit into YOUR busy weekly schedule – and won’t put a huge dent in your bank account – I have now made them a part of my program.
If you are interested in learning more about group lessons/music classes, click here.

Alpharetta Piano Lessons & Duluth Piano Lessons Websites Launched

We have launched two new websites to make sure that parents looking for affordable piano lessons for kids in the north Atlanta area will be able to find us easily. The two sites - www.AlpharettaPianoLessons.com & www.DuluthPianoLessons.com are sites designed to be easily found and used by piano lovers who are looking for piano instruction in the northern Atlanta, northeast Atlanta area near Alpharetta, Duluth, Johns Creek, Norcross, Cumming, and Forsyth townships.

These websites have pages for affordable rates for piano instruction, directions to Piano Lessons with Julie, and piano student applications which will be processed by and responded to by the staff at Piano Lessons with Julie.

We hope that you find the sites useful and will share them with your friends. They are part of our mission – to bring affordable piano lessons to kids of all ages in the north Atlanta area.

You can read the annoucement of the Alpharetta Piano Lessons site here; you can read the annoucement of the Duluth Piano Lessons site here.

Once upon a time (1968) in a land far, far away (Glendale, CA) a little seven-year-old girl (that would be me) began taking piano lessons.

The lessons were very stressful at first because there was just so much to remember at once! Learning to read the notes on the page, and then to play the right key with the correct hand with the proper finger at the specified time…. Whew! That is pretty overwhelming for anyone. But especially for a kid.

It was hard for me, and I struggled. And because it was hard, it was not much fun. Now, I don’t care if you are 7 or 70, if something is not enjoyable, you do not want to do it any more than you have to. So I didn’t.

Week after week I went to my lessons and tested the patience of my piano teacher to its fullest. I do not remember how long it took me to finally make it through to the end of the Leila Fletcher Piano Course Book One, but I would not be surprised at all if I had won the All-Time-Slowest-Learner Award for my pitiful effort.

But then, something amazing began to happen. I actually got better! All those lessons finally started to sink in and in a few years I was able to have lots of fun when I played. My mom would get the music for songs that were popular at the time – songs by Simon and Garfunkel, Carole King,The Carpenters, etc. – and, after a bit of practice, I could play them well.  I could even show off a little and play Beethoven’s "Fur Elise" (the easy part!) for my friends.

For me, those early years marked the beginning of a lifetime of musical enjoyment. There is something magical about being able to make music – even  music as simple as clapping out a catchy beat or playing a fun and easy "Heart and Soul" or "Chopsticks" duet with a friend.

My goal as a teacher is to make my piano lessons as fun as possible as early as possible.  It is all about the kids and being creative in the ways that I teach so that they do not feel pressured to perform or to get things exactly right all the time. That is not reality! Kids respond to patient, relaxed guidance, and if there is any yelling to be done, the words should be things like, "Great job!" and "I am so proud of you!"

I love teaching kids, and if I do my job well, they will enjoy learning and always look forward to their lessons. 

I hope you have enjoyed reading about my musical beginnings- there is more to come in My Piano Lessons, Part II

I’m Julie Chapman and I want to welcome you to the blog for Piano Lessons with Julie. It is my pleasure to give piano lessons to kids of ALL ages. I teach kids to read music, play the piano, and most of all it’s fun.

Please visit often. In the coming days and and weeks we will be building the site and adding articles.