Today we’re featuring a really neat teacher from India. I’m excited to present to you Leia Sharma. Read on to learn a little about Leia and her studio and to hear her piano teaching tips.
Leia writes:
I run a private piano studio in New Delhi, India. My story is a little unusual: although I have wanted to be a piano teacher since I was 15 and started teaching out of my bedroom in my parent’s home in Bangladesh, I decided not to study music and got my Bachelor’s and Masters in completely unrelated subjects! Now that I’ve been running my private studio for almost a year, I’ve decided to work on a Masters in Instrumental Teaching alongside and I’m almost halfway through.
I think my studio is a great place to learn piano because I try to focus on two things: (1) proper technique (you’d be surprised at how many teachers let their students get away with flat fingers and more) and (2) that learning piano should be fun and relevant. The fun factor is brought in by improvisation, composition, and games, and I try to keep lessons relevant by using recently-published materials, pop songs, and ear training reference songs that the students have heard of.
I would say that you don’t necessarily have to teach piano in the way that you were taught. I’m sure you had a wonderful teacher (I certainly did), but each child is different and we live in a different generation now, so your students need updated teaching materials and a relevant approach. And put away books and sheet music sometimes so that the students can take charge of the music and compose something of their own!
My favorite resources at eartrainingandimprov.com are definitely the improv videos. They are so easy to recreate in class and don’t take much time, and my students love them!
You can get in touch with me at www.facebook.com/leiaslessons.
Thanks, Leia, for letting us get to know you and for sharing your piano teaching tips!
Have a question or comment for Leia? Leave a reply below.
Kristin: I think this new series is a terrific idea!
Leia: Great to hear about your teaching – and kudos for keeping it fun, and incorporating more modern and relatable songs in your lessons.
Do you have any particular tips for connecting the ear training side of things with the instrumental technique?
Well, Christopher, you know I love your site for great ear training ideas! When teaching intervals, I always use this checklist:
– students should HEAR it (using modern reference songs)
– PLAY it
– SING (or hum) it
– COMPOSE with it
I usually teach one interval per month, which allows us to do all these things. Once they can do all of the above, they have a pretty good understanding of the interval!