Teaching Beginners – A Journey of Discovery
Skills and Concepts Introduced During the First Year of Lessons
I believe teaching beginners is one of the most responsible and pleasurable experiences a music teacher can have. The responsibility for cultivating and developing a child’s musical and technical capabilities, for instilling a lifelong joy and appreciation of music and creating a solid foundation upon which all other musical activity is built are some of the goals we, as teachers, strive towards nurturing in our pupils.


I believe teaching beginners is one of the most responsible and pleasurable experiences a music teacher can have. The responsibility for cultivating and developing a child’s musical and technical capabilities, for instilling a lifelong joy and appreciation of music and creating a solid foundation upon which all other musical activity is built are some of the goals we, as teachers, strive towards nurturing in our pupils.
The skills reinforced in the first years of learning will colour children’s attitudes towards music and will largely determine their tastes, practice habits and how they will view music later in life.
I believe in introducing my students to a wide variety of activities designed to stimulate the ear, the eye and the mind. As well as focusing on the necessary skills of note reading and co-ordination at the keyboard, I strongly encourage the development of aural awareness and creative musicianship. Above all, I believe learning should be an enjoyable and stimulating experience, a shared journey of discovery for both pupil and teacher.
The following is an outline of the practical knowledge gained and the type of activities I introduce to my pupils during their first year of tuition.
Understanding of Printed Material
- Pitch & Rhythmic Notation
- Note Reading
- Terminology
- Fingering
Application of Printed Material
- Sightreading
- Theory
Keyboard Geography & Hand Positioning
- Keyboard Layout
- Five Finger Patterning
- Hand Coordination
Posture & Technique
- Posture
- Hand Position
- Arm Freedom
- Touch
- Scales & Exercises
Aural Skills
- Pitch Recognition
- Rhythmic Recognition
- Expressive Qualities
- Tonality
- Singing
Musicianship & Interpretative Skills
- Musicianship
- Phrasing
- Aural Imagination
Performance & Knowing the Instrument
- Shared Music Making
- How the Piano Works