Let's Try Now

To all my wonderful students and families,

I hope you are well during this trying time of the COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Order. I don't even know how to explain how much I miss you all!  A lot!!!

Some would think I should be upset that I'm not able to generate any income right now, but I'm not. Money is not really what it is about for me at this point. I really don't make much working part time, and I am super thankful my husband still has a job to support our family. I really am just worried about all of you being able to continue to learn and use music!

I'd really like to try doing some piano lessons with those of you who would like to and can afford it. It is ok to take some time off here and there, but we are now 7 weeks out from the last lessons I taught. That is almost equivalent to taking a whole summer off--which I never advise!  There is just too much backing up and review that has to take place when there is no practice or progress for that long.  I want your music education to be as seamless as possible, and unfortunately, I don't really foresee being allowed to open my home to you again in the very near future.

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to begin to wrap my head around this and really want to try, but I think maybe we all have been wishing that the shelter-in-place and social distancing orders would end at some point in the foreseeable future. I am starting to feel that things could continue to go on this way for a very long time, and now is the time time to try to adapt and do what we can.

Here are some ways we could attempt online lessons:

1) You could send me videos of you playing your songs.

• This could work better than a live online lesson, as WiFi/cellular connections are not always good enough to see/hear clearly over Zoom or other online meeting apps. 
• I am up for whatever format would work best for you. You could upload videos and send me a link, or you could text or email me video clips of each song. As long as I can see you at the piano and hear you clearly, I can then send feedback (in your preferred format: email, text, reply video) like I would give in a lesson.  
• If you'd like to try this option, we would need to verify whether or not I have copies of your music to look at.  If not, I would need you to send me a picture/scan of the pages I don't have here so I can follow along with your videos.

2) At this point, I would really like to try a FaceTime lesson with someone.

• I've tried Zoom and Google Meet apps, and haven't had much success.  The quality of video and audio have not been good.  
• My own kids have had successful lessons via FaceTime with their private music teachers, and it seems to be the best platform for sound and video to travel both ways at the same time. 
•  If you would be willing to try a FaceTime lesson with me, please shoot me a text and we can get it set up. 
• If it goes well, I would be up for doing FaceTime lessons with as many of you as have access to an Apple device with FaceTime capability!

I believe music and the arts are important in our daily lives right now for our entertainment and comfort, and they will also remain important in the future for our mental and emotional well-being and healing!  Let's keep learning and sharing our talents and gifts!