Tracia's Private Piano Lessons

MY CONTACT

Email: tracia@trug.com

about me

Name: Tracia Barbieri

Teaching Area: Davis, CA

Teaching Piano since 1991

Education: B.A. in Music; teaching credential: Secondary schools, graduate work

Lesson Books: Alfred line

Recommended starting ages: Girls: 6-7, Boys: 7-8

Adults: it’s never too late!

Lesson Length: 30 minutes for children, 45 minutes for adults

Method: “Gestalt” approach to music learning, utilizing piano as the instrument but focussing on a well-rounded music education including note-reading, phrasing, dynamics, and theory/history.

Related experience: Also a choir director for local community choirs, such as the Woodland Chamber Singers

Favorite composers

Classical: Beethoven, Debussy, Chopin, Bach, Schumann

Jazz, Blues: Martha Mier, Larry Minsky, Arletta O’Hearn

New Age: Jeanine Yeager

Character pieces: Dennis Alexander

Film: John Williams

not just piano lessons,
but music lessons
Hi! My name is Tracia Barbieri and I teach private piano lessons out of my home in Davis, California. This page is intended to give parents and interested adults an idea of my methods of teaching.

FAQs

What is your musical background?
I began teaching piano immediately after earning my Bachelor's Degree in Music from U.C. Davis in 1991. I continued my education, earning a teaching credential in Music in the secondary schools, and further graduate study in choral conducting. I have a strong background in music theory and history, which I incorporate into my lessons.

What piano books do you use?
I use the Alfred line of lesson books because they maintain a nice balance between enjoyable classical, folk, and original compositions. It helps new students to jump right in and immediately play familiar songs through intervals rather than note names, which can be burdensome for the new learner. After a few months, of course, we start reading the notes, since one of the most beneficial aspects of taking piano lessons is learning to read music! The adult book is also excellent because it quickly gets to satisfying literature that the adult learner can feel proud of.

What is a good age for a child to start?
This depends on each individual child. Signs that a child is ready to be successful at lessons are:

1) That she shows an interest in piano. Most important!
2) That he is able to do basic reading, since reading music, even without note names, is very similar to reading books.
3) That she shows the ability to be attentive and interested for a half hour or more--remember, this means not only for the lesson but for practicing!

For most kids, this usually means that they are ready at around age 6-8. I have reluctantly started kids as young as 5, but they often burn out quickly. Kids who are older than 8 also have great success, since they get past the rudimentary stages very quickly and proceed quickly to the more rewarding pieces.

And as far as adults go, It's never too late to start!!

How long are your lessons, and how much practice is required ?
Lessons are once a week and last for a half-hour (45 minutes for adults). Just like learning any new skill, the more you practice and work at it, the better your skills will develop. But, more like brushing your teeth, it is usually how often you do it, and not for how long each time, that yields the best results. You would not brush your teeth for an hour on Sunday night to make up for missing it all week, and piano practicing is just the same. The kids who play the piano for a few minutes every time they walk by it do much better than ones who sit diligently for an hour once or twice a week.

What Piano Method do you use?
I do not restrict myself to some of the conventional descriptions of piano method, such as Kodaly, Suzuki, or Classical. I believe that a love of music and a way to express it can be the most cherished skill a person can have. This is why I teach a well-rounded approach to piano as music lessons over that of a discipline. I also feel that, though the Classical Repertoire is a great springboard from which most students excel, the more accomplished student does not need to be limited to that genre, and thus I encourage learning new age, jazz, and other types of music that are well suited to the instrument.

I don't have a piano yet in my house? What do you suggest?
I suggest getting a piano in the house before starting lessons. Just having it around helps inspire kids to want to play it, which builds anticipation and excitement. Pianos can be expensive, but I highly recommend even an old, used piano over that of the fanciest electronic keyboard. This strong opinion is because part of the rewarding experience of playing the piano is the physical satisfaction you get through the soothing sympathetic vibrations created by playing an acoustic instrument. The number, spacing, and physical "action" of the keys can also be vastly different in keyboards over that of pianos, making it frustrating to switch to the real instrument.

My first suggestion is to look at the selection of used pianos at your local music store--you may find, when considering the cost of moving a rented instrument to and from your home and the monthly rental charge, it might cost you less to buy a piano than it would to rent one for even six months.

If you or your child is interested is starting piano, you may contact me at tracia@trug.com and we may see if there is a time slot available for you.