Lessons
Private piano lessons in Oklahoma City
Every student at Song Piano Studio is taught personally by Jennifer Mihee Song.
Some students begin here with their first lesson. Others come after studying elsewhere for several years, when progress has stalled or they are preparing for competitions, auditions, or more advanced study.
BeforeWhile he had the basics, he was essentially a casual piano hobbyist who could get through repertoire, rather than a student with formal, professional musicianship training.
NowHis playing is far more polished, nuanced, and mature, with precise control over tone production and dynamic details.
How the teaching begins
A new student begins by playing.
Posture, rhythm, technique, and the way a student reads the score show Jennifer where the actual level is. Those details often reveal gaps that have gone unnoticed, even after years of lessons.
When progress has stalled, Jennifer first looks at how the student practices.
Many students play from the beginning of a piece, struggle through a difficult passage, and continue without solving it. Repeating the same process does not make the passage more secure.
Here, that passage is taken apart and solved before it goes back into the piece.
Students learn how to practice when the teacher is not beside them.
A lesson is typically fast-paced but full of new information. If I am confused about something, it is clarified through demonstration. After each lesson, I feel that I have a new goal to accomplish.
What is expected
The central expectation is practice.
When the assigned work has not been done, Jennifer addresses it directly with the student. If the pattern continues, she speaks with the parent and works with the family to resolve it.
Parents should check that practice happened without taking over the practice itself. Students need to learn to work independently between lessons.
Performing
Performance is a regular part of the program.
The studio holds recitals through the year. Before recitals and competitions, studio classes give students a smaller setting in which to play for one another and for parents, then receive feedback.
Competitions and auditions are expected when they are appropriate for the student. No student is forced onto a stage. A deadline changes the quality of preparation, and playing in front of others reveals what practice at home has made secure.
Practical details
Most students begin in first grade or later. A few begin earlier when they are ready for a short lesson and have a parent who can guide practice at home.
Lesson length is set by the student's age, level, and repertoire.
Most students are school-age. Jennifer also teaches a small number of college students and adult pianists.
Lessons are taught in person.
The first meeting at the piano is a regular, paid lesson rather than a trial lesson.
The studio remains small because Jennifer teaches every student herself. Tuition and current availability are discussed directly after she learns more about the student.