Piano Lessons

I think that my students have a lot to offer, so I teach them using a Socratic approach. That is, I ask a lot of questions. Students aged six to eighty-six can benefit from this technique, which causes one to internalize the concepts being presented. Whether this concept is “Where is middle C?” or “How can we manipulate the phrasing in this passage to increase the listener’s sense of musical tension?” the idea works the same.

After awhile, lots of important concepts are learned through study of the piano. The most obvious are musicianship (a fancy word for reading notes), and the physical skill of playing the piano. But perhaps more importantly, it teaches folks to look at a large problem, break it down into manageable parts, and put it back together. Conversely, it teaches someone who only sees the world myopically to zoom out and see the beauty in the whole. Learning the piano teaches the student how to accept constructive criticism. Finally, and this is my opinion, but I think learning the piano makes you a good human. A well-rounded person, as a child or as an adult, will have at least a passing familiarity in a wide range of subjects, music included. Music is everywhere, and it is a good thing to be able to speak about music in an intelligent way.

If you are interested in studying with me, please fill out my contact page. I’d love to meet you!

Joel Bejot

Policies

What happens during a lesson?

For a typical lesson for kids, the time is split in half. In the first half, the student plays for me what they have worked on during the week. I offer constructive feedback, and if necessary, they plan to play it for me again the following week. In the second half of the lesson, I present new music to the student. They sightread it in class, and I guide them as needed. Younger students will repeat this with a second reading.

For more advanced students, they may be working on music for several weeks. In this scenario, the feedback portion of the lesson will take more of the lesson time.

My piano teacher from back in the day was really mean. What is your attitude toward students?

I believe my students have a lot to offer, so I give them feedback at their level. I’ve found that a student that hates their lessons is much less likely to practice, or to continue long term. So, if there is an issue, I try to deal with that with the student as soon as I notice. I am generally a kind and patient person. The only time I get a bit testy is if students refuse to practice or improve for several weeks.

How do I sign up?

We will email back and forth and find a time that is mutually agreeable. At that point, I’ll send an invoice for the whole semester. You can choose to pay all at once, or monthly.

What about COVID?

2020 and early 2021 were strange times, and everyone adapted as best they could. Right now, I am teaching mostly in-person lessons, but I will teach over video-conferencing software if requested. Since it’s just two people in a relatively large room, vaccinated persons could go without masks, but unvaccinated persons should wear masks.

What if I miss a lesson?

It is your responsibility to show up to all of your lessons. I have blocked off our lesson time for the whole semester, and so should you. That being said, I offer one makeup lesson per term for those that miss a lesson for any reason. The makeups are usually the last week of the term. See the current schedule for details. Refunds or discounts will not be given for missed lessons.

What if I need to take a longer break?

With 30 days notice, I am happy to refund any remaining lessons in your invoice

Location

Lessons on Mondays and Tuesdays for Fall 2022 will happen at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 201 Sun Valley Rd, Sun Valley, ID. Lessons on Thursdays will happen at my home in Hailey. Message me for the address.

Photos/Videos/Likenesses

I reserve the right to take photos, videos, or likenesses of my students. If I choose to distribute those files via social media, ads, or some other way, I won’t disclose the names of the students.

Privacy

I don’t sell your private information. However, I don’t speak for WordPress, Genesis, the theme developer, your ISP, your device manufacturer, or anyone else. I will put together email lists for my students, where the emails could be seen. You may also find out who else is in my studio, and when their lessons are.

COVID Release

I cannot predict how COVID will evolve, or whether you would catch it at a piano lesson. I consider this activity to be low-risk, but it is not no-risk. Please use your best judgment, and ask for a video conference lesson if you are concerned. A condition of meeting in-person for piano lessons is to indemnify and hold harmless for all COVID reasons Joel Bejot, Jessica Bejot, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, any other staff and/or leadership at St. Thomas, and any other persons that might be onsite at either teaching location.