Emily Paape

Hello!

Thank you for taking the time to stop by this page. My name is Emily Paape, and I am working for a degree in piano performance and pedagogy (teaching) from UW-Madison. I have taught piano lessons for five years and it is my passion! I teach piano in the Jefferson, Dane, and Waukesha county areas.

My Teaching Method

I spend a great deal of time creating the best approach for each of my students as individuals - not a "one-size-fits-all" method that takes little consideration of the student's personality, learning pace, learning style, and goals. Students thrive at their own pace, and I help them along with friendly and energetic encouragement.

Students will work from:

• A basic lesson book and music theory workbook,
• A technique book after they've begun to learn to read notes off of the grand staff of music (technique is the strengthening of the fingers to help students master complex movement of the fingers on the keyboard),
• A sightreading book (sightreading is the art of performing music without first practicing it).
• A "for fun" book that is filled with songs that are enjoyable and interesting for the student, helping to improve his/her musicality without the student thinking he/she's doing "work."

When they have shown their ability to handle these skills, I slowly add in a system of rotation that allows them to study other skills - without burning them out. These studies include:

• aural skills (learning to listen and understand what is being played without looking at music),
• composition abilities (writing their own music),
• improvisation (making up their own melodies using a "lead sheet" as a guide),
• scale and arpeggio exercises.

I am careful to not overwhelm the student and to only study an amount that is sufficient for the him or her. Generally, however, my students become excited enough in music that they are happy to take on these new studies! If a younger student needs extra help learning a new skill, I have dozens of fun games that help to instill a musical concept into the student's mind.

Extra Piano Projects and Rewards

Students also work off a list of "Special Piano Projects" that allow the student the opportunity to do musical research on his or her own (such as doing a report about a composer or a period of music). These projects are optional, but those who complete them earn big rewards!

My "reward system" uses "practice dollars": the student keeps track of how much money they make each week (by completing a certain number of exercises, memorizing a song, practicing at least 5 days a week, etc.), and at the end of the year, they are given the amount of money they earned to spend on prizes at the yearly recital!

Teenage and Adult Piano Study

I love teaching piano and teach mostly children, but I also teach adults. I use a method that allows an adult to begin playing popular and familiar tunes off of the grand staff within weeks! Older students who begin studying music usually do so because they have a strong desire to learn and want to participate in an art that they have seen has much to offer, but may feel it is "too late" to start. The adults I've taught have been happy to see almost immediate results in their studies, with a highly rewarding skill and hobby added to their daily routine!

My Goals in Teaching Piano

My main goal in teaching piano is to create independent and creative musicians that substantially contribute to and benefit from the arts as a whole. The arts have much to offer anyone who wants to live a more creative, cultured, or artistic life.

From my years of studying piano, I know that a hurdle must be crossed when an instrument is studied: students must learn to become less dependent on their teacher to interpret and count music for them, or to tell them how and what to play. If this hurdle can be crossed, the student is a guaranteed musician for life. This leads to opportunities that are exciting, rewarding, and fun! The object of my teaching is to help students cross this barrier, so that students can see for themselves how thrilling music can be when they are able to freely benefit from it either as an individual or with other musicians.

Experienced with students of all ages, personalities, and learning styles.

Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Piano

Students learn Composition, Aural Skills, Sight-Reading, Technique, History, Theory, and play from a Diverse and Varied Repertoire

Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced Piano, Classical Piano