Derek Hanusch Piano Course Outline

My piano course emphasizes above all else a feeling of naturalness while playing. It is a misconception that while studying piano you want to play music that is more and more difficult. That is incidental. Rather, the goal should be to play with an ever increasing natural feeling.

This is largely done through devoting a portion of each lesson (usually the beginning and a review in the end) to technical studies (sorta working "music theory" into the hands). This involves playing scales, arpeggios, chord inversions, etc. But, unlike your typical piano lesson where you are reading these exercises, I mostly handle it in a sorta "repeat after me" style that is meant to sorta get the students personally involved. The exercises are done in a way such that each one builds on the previous one and with the final one (or several) relating to the piece that will be studied in the lesson. This practice provides the student with personal experience shaping and distorting the music, and a feeling of naturalness when he/she is presented with a tune. I often refer to this as helping my students get their "hands dirty" with music, and playing in this style has an effect on the students ability to play their repertoire with confidence and style.

The repertoire for beginners is pretty standard. I use the Faber Piano Adventures Lesson Books for the repertoire, and every once in a while I try to throw in a tune based on what I perceive to be the student's musical preferences and what I know to be the shortcomings of the Faber lesson books (such as no tunes in flat keys!!) I find Faber to be more pleasant than the other lesson books, but they are all just books of progessive repertoire, so if a student has a preference towards another it is generally the same to me.

For intermediate and advanced students, the repertoire can be pretty varied. It is sorta an ongoing tug-of-war process between me picking tunes that challenge the students technique (mostly classical tunes, for example I might pick a tune in Gb because the student may not have played in the key before) and picking lighter tunes so that the student can exert their own will over the music (such as movie tunes, jazz standards, often times songs that I transcribe that you won't find anywhere else)

Finally, my musical identity has a really large influence on the lessons. I am a jazz pianist and jazz, with a sorta broad definition, is always encouraged. The scales and arpeggios are all passed on in a way that ecourages improvising. When any sort of technical difficulty comes up, the only reference that I may even use is some staff paper to jot some notes down onto. Also, one of the reasons I became a jazz pianist is that I finally gave into the reality that 9 out of 10 sheet music arrangements that you find really are lame. For the most part, the way sheet music is written does not encourage naturalness. So, it has become pretty standard that whenever one of my students wants to learn a tune, I arrange it for them personally.

To add to that last point, some of my students have learned some pretty cool songs that I have transcribed for them, songs that often are not available anywhere else other than playing by ear, and that service that I provide is one of the most valuable to and appreciated by my students (and even the parents!... oh, and no extra charge)

The lessons are availabe in 30 minute, 45 minute or 1 hour sessions, with slightly varying rates depending on travel, and other things. This outlne was for the general Piano Course. Jazz piano lessons available too! Check out my Jazz Piano Course Outline!