Dr. Ben in a private lesson with one of his junior piano students at the Chapman Piano Studio, NDG Montreal. Photo Credit Yuuki Omori. 2014

Junior Level Pianists - Ages 7-18

After having mastered the basics, students are now free to tackle a range of styles and repertoire. Students can pursue two different styles of teaching at this level, students can choose to learn as Junior Recreational Pianists or Junior Achiever Pianists.

  • Junior Recreational Pianists - Students learning for fun who can further build on the skills they’ve learnt playing the music and the styles they love.

  • Junior Achiever Pianists - Students who are a little more ambitious looking for a challenge. There are a number of goals  one can aim towards including RCM examinations Grades 2 - 7 and examinations at École Vincent d’Indy as well as a number of small competitions including Kiwanis and the concours inter-élèves at Vincent-d’Indy.

What we do

In both styles of program lessons include the following areas and activities:

  • exercises to improve fluency of musical reading and reading-at-sight

  • work to develop the dexterity and control of the arms and fingers

  • an introduction to musical theory - 'how music works'

  • composition - for students who are interested and wish to write their own pieces

- Junior Recreational students usually tackle 1-2 pieces over a 2-5 weeks period depending on the difficulty of the pieces.

- Junior Achiever pianists typically learn a program of 4 -7 pieces over the course of the school year - a lot more time is spent polishing the pieces and bringing them to a high quality for performance.

Length of classes and practise

 

Junior Recreational Pianists:

  • 45 minute classes are the optimal length for this style of learning.

  • 20-30 minutes of practise, 4-5 weeks will ensure that students will progress through the material comfortably.

Junior Achiever Pianists:

  • 60 minute classes the minimum class length for these types of goals

  • students are advised to practise between 30 and 60 minutes at least 5 times a week

  • students taking theory exams may opt for supplementary lessons closer to the exam

Concerts and Exams

There are two main student recitals scheduled throughout the year for students as well as many other opportunities to perform. These are not compulsory and but strongly encouraged - it is an invaluable experience for school aged students. An exam or concert is a tangible goal with a fixed date, it focuses students' efforts and teaches them the value of planning ahead. These are not tasks that can be left to the last minute.

Fees

For the Junior Recreational Pianist and Junior Achiever Pianist courses the fees are:

  • starting from $49.00 for each 45 minute lesson

  • starting from $65.00 for each 60 minute lesson

If you have any questions concerning enrolment, feel free to contact the studio at 438 884 1171 or by email: dr-ben@chapmanpianostudio.com

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