FGCU FGCU Bower School of Music Offers Beginning Children’s Piano Class

Bower School of Music

Florida Gulf Coast University 

Beginning Piano Class for Children

Class plus Private or Partner Piano Lesson

Enrollment is under way for students in a Beginning Children’s Piano Class, to be held weekly during the 2017-18 academic year at the Bower School of Music, Florida Gulf Coast University.

Prerequisites for participation:

• Students, ages 6-8 years old with fluent reading ability and no previous piano instruction.
• Participation in a Musical Aptitude and Readiness Testing audition with Professor Cathy Albergo in August 2017 to both determine readiness and class placement (audition/interview is with both the child and parent or guardian). Audition dates to be arranged.
• Access to a piano (full-size, 88 keys, pedals, weighted keys) for daily practice.
• Commitment to daily practice and regular attendance at class.

The children's class will meet for 50-60 minutes beginning between 3:30 and 4:30 PM weekly (day and exact time to be determined), for a total of 14 sessions each semester in the Bower School of Music.  It is taught by Dr. Cathy Albergo, Director of the Bower School of Music & the Arts, piano and pedagogy faculty member, assisted by college students enrolled in Piano Pedagogy I & II (fall and spring semester).

The beginning piano class includes all fundamental music skills with an emphasis on music making and reading.   Weekly performance in class builds confidence and provides a creative and joyful environment for musical growth.   During the first year of study, all piano instruction takes place in a class plus private or partner lesson setting with the children participating in end-of-semester recitals.

Parents who are interested in making an appointment to determine their child’s readiness for piano study should e-mail Dr. Albergo, calbergo@fgcu.edu and include a phone number to enable individual scheduling.

Cost of the class is normally $500 per semester but is offered to all FGCU faculty and staff families at $300 per semester.   This fee includes all books and materials needed.  An initial payment of $150 is required after readiness for study has been determined. The balance of $150 is due before the fourth week of classes. Full tuition for the spring second semester is due by January 5, 2018. Payable to the Bower School of Music. 

In addition to two weekly pedagogy lecture/seminars, the college students enrolled in Piano Pedagogy I and II attend the weekly children's classes as part of their pedagogical training.  Pedagogy student course work with the children involves full participation in all of the children's learning activities, analysis of age/behavior/responses; sequencing of content; planning and teaching assigned video taped segments; written evaluation and discussion of the teaching of their pedagogy classmates.

The class/private combination of lessons provides the best learning environment for both group and peer motivation and learning and attention to individual learning needs.  The college students’ teaching is supervised by Dr. Albergo in both direct and video-taped observations.  These supervised college students work directly with the children, offering a 30 minute private/partner lesson in addition to the weekly class.