The Westlund Piano Studio

The Westlund Piano Studio transcends the ordinary.  Students receive an outstanding piano education, benefiting from a revolutionary approach that results in the development of excellent piano playing and music reading skills.

THE STUDIO- 1942 Baldwin 9’ Concert Grand Piano

 

THE LAB- Computer & MIDI Piano

THE GAMES- trunk full of fun music games & activities

Look at all these great features!... many of them not found elsewhere...

1. 

     The Westlund Piano Course
   

2. A series of piano instruction books that are an exciting new alternative to traditional approaches!  More >>
   

3. 
   

1. 
   

Each spring, students perform in a recital for family, friends, and peers. More >>

Approximately once a month, students receive a special lesson, called “Variety Day”, in which we do a variety of different and fun musical games and activities.  Students love it!

1. 
   

2. 

     Injury Preventative Technique
   

3. Students are taught a natural physical approach to piano playing that produces superior musical results as well as injury prevention.
   

4. 
   

1. 
   

2. 

     Improvising & Composing
   

3. Individual musical creativity is not commonly included in traditional piano studios.  Here at the Westlund Piano Studio, students benefit enormously from this valuable opportunity.
   

4. 
   

1. 
   

2. 

     Special Sight Reading Activities
   

3. Students enjoy unique and fun sight reading activities to very effectively reinforce this extremely valuable skill.  (“Sight reading” is the skill to successfully play written music at first sight without having to practice it!)
   

1. 
   

2. 

     7 Level Curriculum
   

3. Students progress through an expertly designed 7-level curriculum.  The curriculum covers beginning through mid intermediate levels of playing.  (Extremely serious and dedicated students can progress beyond the 7 levels into the late intermediate and advanced levels.)  Each level takes anywhere from 4 months to 2 years to complete depending on the student’s abilities and practicing habits.
   

4. 
   

5. Method books, sight reading books, improvising books, technic books, and theory books from the Westlund Piano Course are used.  Students also play several songbooks in each level by a variety of outstanding composers. 
   

6. 
   

7. Memorizing, ear training, ensemble, and maintaining a memorized repertoire are also emphasized in the curriculum.
   

1. 

     Piano Notebook
   

2. Each student uses a 3-ring binder containing the weekly homework assignment sheet, the “Memorized Repertoire” list, a set of flash cards, and other various handouts.
   

1. 
   

Roland MT-80s Music Tutor

Many of the students’ songs have pre-recorded, fully orchestrated accompaniments on MIDI disk.  Students play along with the accompaniments to help develop rhythm, steady beat, and ensemble skills.  It’s also a lot of fun!

Every May, students and parents receive a detailed, written report of progress.

1. 
   

Students earn stickers, candy, toys, certificates for accomplishing very clearly defined small and large goals.

I am a professional, degreed pianist and professional, state certified teacher providing private piano instruction of the very highest caliber.  I am an extremely dedicated teacher with 24 years piano teaching experience.

 

No "old-school" teaching techniques here!  I am an independently thinking, creative individual who doesn't follow tradition or the crowd.  I have unique ideas for very effectively teaching all aspects of piano playing: music reading, memorizing, physical technique, etc...

 

It is my view that the traditional, commonly used piano method books are highly flawed in many important ways.  My method- the Westlund Piano Course - is very special in that it eliminates the music reading problems that are caused by other piano methods.  Also, I have rejected the common practice of teaching students, through "rote-memorization", pieces that are far beyond their music reading ability, and can only be learned after much “spoon-feeding” from the teacher.

 

At my studio, we seek excellence, rather than settling for mediocrity.  I work hard to consistently uphold very high standards and expectations for each student.  Yet at the same time I strive to always maintain a positive and fun learning environment.  (After all, people learn better when they’re having fun!)  I also believe that the better one plays the piano, the more fun one will have.  So the primary goal at my studio is for each student to learn to play the piano the best s/he possibly can!

 

~ Elizabeth Westlund

Piano Teacher Directory: www.practical-piano-lessons.com