Practice
Practice is where the real progress happens.
The lesson is one hour a week. Everything else happens at home. That’s why Angela teaches students how to practice from the very beginning — not just what to practice, but how to do it so every session actually counts.
YEAR 1
15-25
minutes per day
5-7 days a week. Short, consistent sessions build the habit.
YEAR 2
30
minutes per day
5-7 days a week. Skills are building, practice time grows with them.
YEAR 3
30-60
minutes per day
5-7 days a week. More complex music needs more time to come together.
How to Make Practice Work at Home
Find a consistent time and stick to it. Earlier in the day is usually better. Schedule it like homework or a sports practice, not something that happens when there’s nothing else going on.
For younger students, sit nearby during practice for the first year or two. You don’t need to be a musician. Just being present and engaged makes a real difference. Ask your child to play you their favorite piece. Celebrate small wins. That kind of encouragement goes a long way.
Practice makes permanent. How a student practices is how they’ll play. Encourage slow, focused repetition of small sections rather than running through a piece start to finish. Getting three clean repetitions of a hard passage is worth more than ten sloppy run-throughs.
Daily repetition is how the brain builds new skills.
A Note for Parents
Piano is different from most kids’ activities. In sports, kids practice together with a coach several times a week. Piano practice happens alone at home, which means it requires more parental support, especially in the early years.
If your child complains about practicing or needs constant reminders, that’s normal. It doesn’t mean they want to quit. It usually means practice isn’t scheduled yet. Once it becomes part of the daily routine, the resistance fades.
Think about how long it took your child to learn to read well. That’s roughly how long it takes to play the piano well. The effort is worth it.
What Keeps Students Motivated
The strongest motivator is progress—when students see improvement and feel capable, they naturally want to keep going. Angela also focuses on selecting music students enjoy and encourages them to bring in pieces they’re excited to learn.
When students like what they’re playing and notice their own growth, practice becomes more meaningful and consistent. Recitals, group classes, and festivals also provide clear goals and help students stay engaged through challenges.
