PIANO LESSONS
What should I expect from private piano lessons at Northside Music Academy?
The piano instructors at Northside Music Academy will create a personalized program based on each student’s developmental stage, personal characteristics, and goals. The program will cover the elements of proper technique, music notation and theory, aural training, and sight-reading. In addition, each student will be exposed to the vast piano repertoire, as well as music styles ranging from classical to pop, folk to jazz. All of the piano classrooms at Northside Music Academy feature quality Yamaha and Kawai upright acoustic pianos.
Who are the teachers?
All of the piano teachers at Northside Music Academy are professional musicians with degrees from reputable schools such as Julliard, Northwestern University, DePaul University, and Roosevelt University, among others. We carefully select our faculty not only for their strong musical background, but also for their dedication and passion for teaching music. All of our faculty are trained in pedagogy and experienced in working with younger generations.
What levels do you teach?
Northside Music Academy offers private piano lessons to students of all abilities. Our instructors are very experienced at teaching from beginners to very advanced students. Many of our students take graded tests on their instrument every year and many won auditions and competitions!
What is a good age to start piano lessons?
Students must be at least 5 years old to enroll in private piano lessons.
Do I need a piano at home?
Yes, piano students will need to have a piano or a full size keyboard at home for practicing. Establishing a home practice routine is vital to student progress and development. We recommend that students learn on a quality acoustic piano, but we understand that buying a piano can require a major financial investment. For the first year of learning, a full size electronic piano with weighted keys is an acceptable alternative. Please contact us for more information. We are happy to provide guidance in buying or renting a piano or keyboard.
Do you offer performance opportunities for the students?
Yes! Northside Music Academy hosts student recitals twice a year at churches and libraries around the Edgebrook-Sauganash neighborhood. We also offer opportunities to perform in professional venues throughout the city, such as Mellenium Room at the Chicago Cultural Center, Curtiss Hall in the Fine Arts Building, and the Recital Hall at PianoForte.
At Northside Music Academy we believe that performing often is a very important aspect of a music student’s development. It teaches students how to present themselves in front of an audience, boosts self-confidence, and offers opportunities to share the joy of music making with others. In addition, performing at Northside Music Academy recitals provides students with the opportunity to learn by watching their peers as well.
How can parents track their child’s progress?
There are many ways parents can track the progress of their child in music lessons. Talk to your child’s teacher about attending the lessons and participating in home practice sessions. If you are not able to attend the lesson or your child is older or more independent, check in with your child’s teacher before or after the lesson to hear how the session went. Some of our families have found success using daily or weekly practice tracking charts. If you think this might be a good fit for your child, talk to his or her teacher.
For dedicated students who are interested in tracking their progress in a more formal way, we encourage preparation for a standardized graded testing program such as Achievement In Music, Royal Conservatory Exams, or ABRSM.
Northside Music Academy provides music lessons for the following Chicago neighborhoods: Edgebrook, Wildwood, Sauganash, Forest Glen, Jefferson Park, Mayfair, Norwood Park, Edison Park as well as the suburbs of Skokie IL, Niles IL, Park Ridge IL, Morton Grove IL, Lincolnwood IL.
We offer piano lessons, violin/viola lessons, guitar/ukulele lessons, singing lessons, clarinet/saxophone/flute lessons, percussion lessons and also early childhood music classes and group classes.
Northside Music Academy | 6736 N Loleta Ave Chicago, IL 60646, US | contact@northsidemusicacademy.com | 773-455-6363