One of my biggest concerns as a piano teacher has always been this: what happens during practice at home? Building healthy practice habits from Lesson 1 is just as important as learning the notes themselves. I take great pride when students can explain how they practice, identify their own problems, and think about possible solutions. That awareness is part of true musical learning — and interestingly, it is also one of the most neglected topics in piano education. Students often do well...

In this post, I would like to share my thoughts on repertoire selection for students, how it directly contributes to learning motivation, and I will end this post with some downloadable music from the recent thematic learning inspiration: horse, in celebration of the Year of the Horse. I am not sure which puts me as a teacher in a greater dilemma: if a student comes with a request for repertoire that is not age or level appropriate, or if a student has no clue what music they would like to...

We are grateful to all our students and families for their dedication and preparation, and for joining us at today’s recital. A special thank-you goes to Tom Lee for sponsoring our venue and instrument, allowing students to perform on a high-quality instrument that supports expressive playing and inspires musical growth. Today’s recital is especially meaningful as it marks our first joint recital featuring students of Fei and Carl . Performance plays an essential role in music...