This class is taught in English.

Students will gain a foundation in music theory and independent piano playing. We will study rhythms and counting, note recognition and reading, musical expressions and artistry, and chord theory and progressions. With more advanced students, we may elect to work on composing/song-writing and dive into music history topics as well. Understanding music history can help to place songs in context, and make one a better musician. 

Hi! I’m Miss Olivia. Given that my mom is a composer and piano teacher, I have been musically-minded my entire life. I started teaching private piano and voice lessons when I was 16, and have now been going strong for 8 years, teaching kids, teens and adults both in-person and online. My youngest student was just 3 years old, and my oldest is currently 77! 

While my approach is grounded in classical piano methods with an emphasis on learning music theory, I love to help students explore other genres of music that are exciting to them. 

My personal areas of specialty are classical piano, musical theatre, and jazz. I took classical piano lessons for 12 years, studied classical voice for 8 years, and performed in more than 15 stage musicals with school, community theatre, and local professional groups. I also spent 8 years playing saxophone and singing with jazz bands in the Seattle area. I have been a member of funk bands, a capella groups, gospel choirs, and even composed several of my own orchestral pieces. My multifaceted musical background allows me to introduce students to a wide variety of musical styles and pursue directions that resonate with them the most. 

In addition to teaching private piano and voice, I have assistant directed a family community theatre production, facilitated piano- and music-themed summer camps, and volunteered leading music classes for kids at a community home in Bolivia. I love music!

Homework Offered
After each session, I will send the assignments for the week to the parent's email via the Outschool Messaging system. This will usually include a few songs and piano exercises to practice, along with some specific notes on what to focus on. 

Learners will progress at different paces based on how often they practice. I typically recommend trying for 10 minutes a day for kids 8 and under, and 20 minutes a day for kids 9+. Older teens may be willing to invest even more time, but consistency is better than one long practice session once a week!
1 - 2 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
Grades Offered

For kids and younger teens, I like to work through the Faber Piano Adventures Curriculum together, using both the Lesson Book and Theory Book. For older teens, we will use the Bastien Piano for Adults series as our guide. All of these materials can be purchased online as well as in music stores near you.