These are unusual times. They require flexibility, ingenuity and patience. I received this email: Dear Diane, I’d like to cancel Noah's piano lesson tomorrow. It’s his first day back at school, which he’s pretty nervous about. I think we need tomorrow to figure out the system since the school has very precise instructions for pick-up, drop-off, and COVID-19 safety. I think the piano lesson will be a bit of overload for him. His ability to be structured has really fallen apart over the past 8 months, and I’m sure you’ve seen that reflected in his piano lessons. Hopefully restarting school (eve ..read more

Dear Diane, I would love your thoughts on whether you think it’s productive for Ella to keep taking piano lessons over Zoom versus waiting until the “world opens up” again —when she can resume in-person lessons. I can see she's dragging during her classes, and she’s lost the enthusiasm for piano that she once had.  (I can also see how much more work it is for you just to get her to warm up.) I didn’t want to bring it up before because I feared that she would lose the progress she’s made with you.  But now I’m wondering if she’s young enough and early enough in her lessons that ..read more

I finished my Master's Degree at Peabody Conservatory and started a concert career. I participated in big international competitions like the Van Cliburn Competition in Texas and the Artur Rubenstein in Israel. I won the American Pianists Association Fellowship. I played a lot of concerts: solo recitals, chamber music and concertos. I loved it, I really did. At least the playing part. But I didn't love traveling by myself. It was too lonely for me, so I started teaching to supplement my concert income. That's when I got lucky. I began by working as an assistant to a much more experienced teach ..read more

As a parent, I found the best way to set myself up for disaster was to say to myself, "I'm so glad MY child doesn't... [fill in the blank]." For example, "I'm so glad MY child doesn't bite other children." Perhaps you can guess what my child's next challenge was. As piano teacher, I loved my huge studio, filled each day with delightful students of all ages. Sometimes I'd think to myself, "I'm so glad that I don't have to teach like Anne, in a tiny room with one upright piano." Fast forward. Guess where I'm teaching? All the planning in the world couldn't have prepared me for the teaching chall ..read more

“Diane is a professional, Jake. Do you know what that means?” I looked at her anxiously, waiting for the next words - sure it was going to be something that would make the kid feel terrible, and me wish I’d never opened my mouth. Something about me not wanting to waste my time on her kid. Perhaps you’d like some back story. Jake, age 11, is a child with many issues. I took him as a student last summer on a provisional basis and chose to continue working with him in the fall. He is definitely on the autism spectrum. He has a poor sense of his body in space, persevorates easily and was homeschoo ..read more

What's a Studio License? A Studio License is a grant for unlimited use within a single teacher’s music studio. That includes both printing hard copies for studio use, as well as distributing the digital files directly to students. The license never expires, so you can continue using the material for all your future students. Why do I offer Studio Licenses? Mainly because they are sensible and cost-effective for teachers. Selling single-use licenses these days would be naïve for me and annoying for users. I can only offer studio licenses for music that I publish directly as the traditional publ ..read more

Today's lesson was that piano isn't the most important thing. It might not be important next week either. Amy's mom: Sorry Diane I don’t think Amy is going to do the lesson today. She hasn’t touched the piano all week. me: I'm so sorry. This situation is just too hard. Amy's mom: Yeah... I told her I’d let you know she hasn’t practiced and it’d be fine but she’s not willing to try :( me: It's so embarrassing for her, I think. She just feels bad. Amy's mom: Yeah I think you’re right. I know you’d get her back on track too but can’t convince her. She’s just off in general. me: Just tell her tha ..read more

Charlie was concentrating. "You play the left hand part, and I'll play the right hand," I said. "I'm not that great at playing quick eighth notes," I fudged. "Please play the quarter notes slow enough to give me a chance, OK?" She looked skeptical. "I'll try," she said. I demonstrated some clunky quarter notes to get them in her ear. "Now it's your turn," I said, fingers crossed it would work with the craziness of an online lesson. Charlie played even quarter notes. I played some snappy eighths. She played four more stable quarters. There was a little delay as she finished and I began, yet th ..read more

I feel it in my bones now. I’m healthy. I have a warm, safe place to live. I’m not alone. I have food. I can get more. I’m in a lovely place. My favorite beaches may be closed, but I can hear the barking sea lions and the crash of the waves at high tide. I take pictures of jackrabbits and hummingbirds and sunsets over the water. Still, I miss my old life. I wish I could snuggle up next to my students and use the skills and tricks I’ve mastered over the years. I miss playing along with Audrey to correct her rhythm without her even noticing. I miss Oscar walking into the studio in a foul mood a ..read more

Is it just me, or are you feeling cooped up these days? I feel like I'm spending all my brain power trying to master the technology to do things that I don't even really want to do. The actual music I'm using, the thing about which I care the most, has been feeling like an afterthought. My youngest students have been the most frustrating. They have a delightful selection of books at home, many of which I don't have copies of because, um, why would I need them? They bring the book to the lesson, we use it. Except now. I needed more pieces around the level of Attention Grabbers Book One. Pieces ..read more