General Questions

Where is your studio?

Kelly teaches from her home studio in St. Peters. Jennifer’s home studio is in St. Charles. We offer both in person and virtual lessons.

Are you accepting new students?

Jennifer is accepting new students. Kelly has limited availability for new students, but she does have a wait list and is happy to add you to it!

Can I sit in on my student’s lesson and should I?

For piano students in Kindergarten or younger, yes you may sit in on lessons, and should with some frequency. Your student will need your help practicing and the best way to acquaint yourself with what they will need is to be present when they are learning new concepts. For older students and all voice students, parents are always welcome to sit in on lessons. Whether or not you should sit in on the lesson depends a lot on the student and parent in question. Some students focus very well with a parent present and others find it distracting.

Do you hold recitals for your students?

Absolutely! Recitals are not required, but are strongly encouraged as music is a performing art. Public performance develops confidence and poise, gives students a goal to work toward, and creates a platform to celebrate student successes with family and friends.

Do your students participate in competitions?

Yes! We are members of the National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC), and our local chapter holds a yearly adjudicated festival. In addition to the spring festival, students can audition for our state competition, music camp scholarships, and college scholarships if they are planning to major in music. Thanks to this wonderful organization, our students have received college scholarships to the UMKC Conservatory, the Dobbins Conservatory of Theatre and Dance at SEMO, Mizzou, and the University of Missouri - St. Louis, as well as attended summer camps on full scholarship at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Webster University, and the University of Central Missouri.

In addition to the competitions offered by our NFMC chapter, we regularly look for other competition and audition opportunities for our students.

Voice Lesson Questions

What kind of music will we work on?

Young singers spend time working on Disney songs and musical theatre pieces, while middle and high school students work mainly on musical theatre pieces and art songs. ALL high school students can expect to develop their classical singing skills by working on art songs. A strong classical technique is a critical foundation for any type of singing.

We will not spend much time working on pop/rock/country songs, other than to prep for talent shows or auditions that would require that material. Often, young students in particular tend to try to imitate the sound of their favorite pop singers when working on that material, rather than sing in their own unique voice. Our goal is to help you become the best YOU you can be.

What happens in a typical lesson?

Every lesson begins with 5-10 minutes of vocal warm-ups. This helps us get our brains and muscles focused on singing with proper technique. The rest of the lesson is spent working on pieces the student and teacher choose together. Most students work on two to four pieces at any given time.

Do you do audition prep?

Yes! If you are preparing for an audition but not able to do weekly lessons on a continuous basis, we are happy to set up a limited run of lessons to assist you in choosing and perfecting your audition material.

At what age can my child begin voice lessons?

We accept voice students in Kindergarten and older, but please be aware that voice lessons for a Kindergarten student look quite different from voice lessons for a high school student. Because a singer's instrument is his or her body, vocal technique can be a very abstract thing to work on for a young student. For this reason, my younger students work on matching and staying on pitch, singing lyrics clearly, storytelling, and stage presence, which are all important foundations of becoming an excellent performer.

Piano Lesson Questions

What kind of piano do I need for lessons?

An acoustic piano or a nice digital piano are both great options. A great digital piano is preferable to a junk acoustic piano. Digital pianos have come a long way and have many practical benefits for families, one of which being that they do not require tuning.

If you elect to purchase a digital piano, you need to purchase one with a full 88-key keyboard, hammer action keys, and a damper pedal. The piano method I use requires students to use the whole keyboard right away and the damper pedal soon after. Weighted, hammer action keys will give your student the ability to play dynamics while giving them the feeling of playing a “real” piano.

If you elect to purchase an acoustic piano, choose a piano that has been well maintained and is in proper working order. Having to skip over keys that don’t work or practicing on a piano that is out of tune hinders your student from playing pieces as they are written, creates bad habits, and prevents them from developing a good ear. You should plan to have your piano tuned at least once a year. A beat up acoustic piano that has been sitting around collecting dust will need to be tuned even more frequently and will likely never hold its tune for long, which is why I would recommend a great digital piano over the free piano your friend’s grandma is giving away. If you have a bigger budget or the sky’s the limit, absolutely go for that brand new or quality used acoustic!

What piano method do you use?

In most cases we use the Piano Adventures series by Nancy & Randall Faber. Students are required to use the Lesson, Performance, Technique & Artistry, and Theory books.

At what age can my child begin piano lessons?

We accept piano students as young as 4. Keep in mind that at a young age, students need a lot of parent involvement. At home, they will need your help figuring out everything from where to put the bench to where their hands go on the piano to how to read the notes. For this reason, it’s a great idea for parents of younger students to sit in on their lessons from time to time. If your schedule does not permit you to be heavily involved in your young student's practice time, we suggest delaying lessons until they reach an age at which they can practice independently. 

Young beginners MUST be able to recognize their numbers 1 through 5 and their letters A through G to begin lessons.