FAQ

What is the cost of tuition? Tuition is $440/semester ($880/year or $110/month).  There is a $25 registration fee for each year, which covers insurance costs, equipment purchase or replacement, recital expenses, rewards, copies, laminating, and other annual miscellaneous studio expenses. See below for the cost of materials.

What materials do I get? Please visit the LPM official site and scroll down to Student Materials.

What age is the program for?  7 to 12 years old.

How is the curriculum calendar structured? The curriculum is organized into 4 sequential semesters spanning 2 years. It follows the regular school year (August thru early May). 

How long and how frequent are the classes? Classes are taught 1 hour weekly, for 15 lessons per semester.

How big are the classes? The optimum class size is 4-6 children, though there may be anywhere from 3-7 in each class.

Why are they group lessons? It has been well-documented that children in group settings learn and perform better.  With a group lesson teachers can justify the time it takes to learn, study, and create a lesson plan that utilizes and ENTIRE 60 MINUTES.  Group lessons also foster a constant feeling of accountability since the pre-adolescent age group generally wants to perform well for their peers.  AND in a group setting, students get to experience singing in rounds, subdividing (not just teacher & 1 student) singing and playing ensembles and playing games.

How much parent involvement is there? Parent involvement in music training is crucial. While parents are not required to come to class, parents/caregivers are involved at home through a weekly "Bench-Pal".  This is a section, in the at-home assignments, specifically developed for parent education/involvement.  It contains questions and prompts to ask student that will teach new concepts learned in class.

Is there any vocal training? Presto adheres to the philosophy that the voice is the first musical instrument. We spend a lot of time singing --even when students are playing on the keyboard they should be singing! The voice is trained to sing in tune, to sing naturally and openly, to sing in harmony, and singing accompanied. At this age, specific tone, placement or support instruction is not completely beneficial. Presto is not a performing group.

Which is emphasized more: ear training or note-reading? The Presto curriculum provides a solid foundation for strong musicianship as it strategically incorporates music theory, ear and vocal training in concurrence with piano skills.  It beautifully balances teaching all these skills.

Isn’t 10+ years old too late to start music lessons? There is a wealth of scientific research that supports the importance of children of all ages receiving a music education.  Music education, specifically instruments that require two hands such as the piano are fundamental in aiding children to achieve their full intellectual, social and creative potential.

What are the main instruments for Presto? First, is our singing voice.  Then the piano becomes the instrument for instruction and practice. Each child plays on his/her own full-size weighted keyboard in class and needs one for practice at home.  We also use tone bells, drums and other rhythm instruments in class.

Can I register for Presto II without having been through Presto I? No. Presto is a highly sequential four-semester program, meaning that concepts are introduced and then built upon. Completion of the Presto I is a pre-requisite to registration for Presto II.  **I do make exceptions for the Let's Play Music student who needs a challenge and will be successful.**

What do students do after 2 years of Presto? After graduation, students are prepared to excel in private piano instruction. They enter private lessons with exposure to and basic knowledge of note names, rhythmic values, chord structure, etc, and with the skills to play scales and cadences in five keys, transpose, and compose.  **I will sometimes invite diligent practices to continue with me for a 3rd 'Bridge' year.**

How is Presto different from other keyboard methods? Presto is the only program that contains over 25 original songs, games, and activities that teach precise musical concepts. It incorporates the philosophies of Kodaly, Orff, and Dalcroze and adapts them specifically to the piano. Classical music is introduced in “puppet shows” that will forever endear children to this genre. There are numerous innovative, creative ideas for internalizing music. In addition to these items, Presto differs from traditional piano methods in that musical concepts are taught through games and full body involvement, it is in a class setting, and ear training is emphasized from the start. Presto also differs from other “ear-training” based methods in that note reading is also emphasized from the onset and that the traditional letter names are used.

Why should I enroll my child in Presto? Your child will LOVE it!  And parents, you can be confident that an investment in music will deliver lifelong benefits for their child as music study creates lasting changes in their student's brain, increasing their capacity to perform tasks that require sustained attention and careful listening and reading skills.  Music students tend to be more engaged and motivated in their studies and more likely to win academic awards.