Piano Lessons in Garland, TX
For Children and Adults | With Pianist Nathan Ryland
At Nathan Ryland Piano Studio, pre-college students and adults alike can learn to play the piano at a high level. Beginners are always welcome, as are advanced pianists preparing repertoire for recitals and auditions. Whether you have specific goals (learning how to sight read or memorizing piano music for instance) or don’t even know where to start, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
I have years of teaching experience at all levels, and both of my piano degrees came from the rigorous music program at the University of North Texas. I’m a concert pianist and educator, and I would love to pass along what I have learned.
Piano Lessons in Garland For All Skill Levels
I have experience teaching beginners, intermediate pianists, and advanced pianists.
Beginner piano lessons will include proper hand position, posture, foot placement, and other technique basics – setting a correct foundation will matter more and more as you progress at the keyboard. We will start to learn the notes on the piano, build five finger patterns from landmark notes like C, F, and G, play simple tunes on the keyboard, and introduce notes on the staff. We will also start to learn bass and treble clef, time signatures (and concepts like “beats” and note durations), and play music with your hands together as soon as you are ready. There is far too much to cover on the website, so please get in touch with questions.
Most importantly, my beginner piano lessons are structured in a logical way. Concepts will build upon each other, and we will often circle back to cement certain concepts in your long term memory. Additionally, I do not proceed faster than a beginner piano student is comfortable – this is a 1-on-1 teaching relationship, and the pedagogical velocity is personalized to you.
Intermediate piano lessons in Garland, TX are often centered around helping students break through plateaus. If it’s a student who started with me, we’ll introduce increasingly challenging piano literature and technical exercises to push their limits. When a student joins my studio at the intermediate level, we will carefully assess their current skills – perhaps their reading is deficient, or maybe finger technique is lagging behind. We will address these foundational issues before we push through to harder music.
I also enjoy helping advanced pianists reach new heights on the instrument. A student may benefit from a better understanding of music theory, or we may focus on repertoire selection, practice and memorization strategies, or even performance confidence.
All of my students benefit from a personalized and holistic approach to the piano. We will not leave any educational gaps, and you will be prepared to pursue different genres, write music, and play as an amateur or aspiring professional.
Piano Lessons For Kids and Adults in Garland
Kids through adults are more than welcome in my studio. I may suggest that we conduct a trial lesson for very young children, with the goal of assessing readiness. For instance:
Can the child listen to and follow instructions
Is the child strong enough to hold good hand position and depress the keys
Can the child remain relatively focused for at least 30 minutes
Among other things
My piano lessons for kids include fun learning materials, child-friendly piano music, and other musical activities. My goal is to help them learn to love music – this will help motivate them to practice and improve on the piano.
Piano lessons for adults are often filled with questions (a good thing!), discussion of practice strategies, and a focus on personal goals. I enjoy helping adult hobbyists learn the music they’ve always wanted to play or build on what they already know. Some adults want to participate in worship, some want to sight read Rachmaninoff as a hobby, and others want to polish their keyboard skills with the goal of joining a local band. I’d love to hear about your specific intentions at the piano.
My Piano Studio Location Near Garland
You’ll find my piano studio at 1412 Stoneboro Ln, Richardson, TX 75082, about 15 minutes from the heart of Garland, TX. For some of my students who live closer to the border of Garland and Richardson, I’m only 5-10 minutes away. Many drivers take President George Bush Turnpike W to TX-190 in Richardson. From there, E Renner Road takes you to Stoneboro Ln. If you like to plan piano lessons around other errands, we have a Whole Foods right around the corner, a Chick Fil A on the block, and easy access to highway 75.
Get Started With Piano Lessons
I would love to hear your questions about piano lessons at my studio. We can discuss goals for your child or yourself, start prepping for a recital or ABRSM exam, and talk about how long it takes to gain competence at the piano. I look forward to hearing from you.