PIANO LESSONS in ALBURY

Invest in your family's future

Learn the piano

Students are accepted from ages six upwards. Drawing on years of experience as music teachers in NSW and Victoria, we offer the best possible start to your music education.

We do not just "teach the piano" but integrate sight singing, music theory, aural development, simple music writing skills and general musicianship in a complete package of music tuition.

We are qualified to prepare students for formal exams and will cover advanced keyboard technique, general knowledge of classical music, aural training and the public performance skills necessary to make strong progress in the AMEB or ANZCA system.

However, it is unlikely that we would consider preparing beginners for an examination in the first year of lessons. Our main focus is building comprehensive music skills that allow our students to enjoy music as a lifelong pursuit, playing the music they like to hear. Our emphasis is in developing strong sight-reading ability, building a large repertoire of short concert pieces rather than just a few difficult ones each year, and giving students much more than instructions on how to pass an exam.

We are also happy to accept teenage or adult beginners who wish to learn a more modern song repertoire using chord charts with simplified left hand parts. This style of playing is particularly suitable for owners of electric keyboards with built-in rhythm and auto accompaniment features.

Read about music books for piano students.

Your home piano

We are happy to start lessons for beginners no matter what keyboard or piano you have at home. Learning the basics of reading music and using both hands takes several months and even a small electronic keyboard is sufficient if you already own one. As you develop your skills you may need consider a full sized keyboard or piano, depending on the type of music you wish to play.

Electronic Keyboard

Electric instruments are lightweight, easy to move and offer a wide range of voices. They have a headphone socket if noise is a problem in the house, and often include a built-in metronome and multi-track recorder which can be useful. Listening to your own playing is an excellent way to improve your performance style. For classical music a valuable feature is the availablity of a harpsichord voice that can really open a student's mind to the playing style needed for music written before about 1780.

Better quality instruments will allow faster progress and more confident piano technique. If you decide to purchase a digital instrument then our preferred model would have 88 wooden keys, a strong fixed pedal assembly and at least 40 + 40 watts of amplifier power. Such instruments would be similar to a Yamaha CLP-370. If you are on a budget then the Kawai CN23 is a good choice for under $2,000.

Acoustic Piano

The best way to learn classical music is on a real piano, one with felt hammers and strings. A key condition however is that it must be tuned and regulated twice a year. A budget of $1 a day should cover all maintenance on a good quality upright piano.

More control over the sound is possible on acoustic pianos, the volume range is wider and the tone cannot be matched by even the best electronic instruments. Good quality second-hand uprights in smaller sizes start at around $3,500. A new medium sized upright such as the Yamaha T121 is around $7,000 or for the same price you could buy a second hand full-sized upright (1.3m) in mint condition.

If you are serious about becoming a top class musician you will eventually need to consider a grand piano. This is definitely recommended if you are studying for examinations at 8th grade or higher. The sound quality and keyboard response are in a different world to even the best uprights. A smaller model costs under $20,000 plus GST. There are often bargains to be had for instruments around 20 years old from $10,000 depending on the size. Grand pianos shorter than 1.7m (5' 8") are not recommended as the sound quality and tuning are generally no better than a full sized upright. The highest quality professional instruments are at least 2.1m long (6' 11").

Our experience is that a real acoustic piano is ultimately better value. A good quality instrument will certainly last longer if regularly tuned and regulated. We have a Steinway grand built in 1888 and it is still a joy to play! The complex sound and power of an acoustic piano allows sensitive musicians to create complex tone colours that are impossible with electric pianos.

Our studio instrument

Acclaimed by discerning concert pianists around the world, the Australian designed Stuart & Sons 2.9m Concert Grand may well be the finest instrument ever created. Larger than a traditional Steinway, our piano has a wider pitch range, a smoother keyboard action, and the ability to play louder or softer as required without sacrificing the tone quality.

Wayne Stuart hand crafts each piano, spending 12 months fashioning the various components in his Newcastle factory. The finest materials and most advanced design and engineering methods are used, and all instruments are finished in superbly matched Australian timber cases.

From the pouring of molten iron to cast the frame of these 97 or 102 key instruments to the exquisite cabinet making, the hand sawing of the keys, the winding of the stainless steel strings and the thousands of individual adjustments necessary for every piano action, Wayne insists on perfection at every step.

Our piano has been used at concert venues in Newcastle and Brisbane, at the Bangalow Festival, and at St Matthew's Church in Albury, NSW.

Several recordings by Gregory Kinda are now on sale.

Watch our piano in concert

Start today!

Playing music for yourself, family or friends is one of life's most rewarding experiences. Music tuition is an investment in your family's future. Fees are $240 including GST for eight half hour lessons, payable in advance for each NSW school term. Contact us today on 0439 430 536 to book your first lesson.