It is my goal to produce students who develop a lifelong appreciation for music. I strive to give my students a deeper understanding of music and thereby enhance their artistic sensibilities. I believe that the study of piano, or any art for that matter, makes for a more sensitive and intelligent person who is capable of expressing their emotions in mature and profound ways. I am strict, but the overarching goal of my lessons is to enhance the students sense of joy in life through music. Without this strict attitude, students cannot advance very far and I am only hurting their possibilities of artistic expression. However, I do enjoy having a good time! Piano lessons should be fun, and I am not intimidating, I just place a strong emphasis on doing your homework like any teacher for any subject would.
Fees
My fee is $15 for a half-hour lesson, $30 for a full hour lesson, and $22.50 for a forty-five minute lesson. The first lesson is free so the prospective student can decide whether they like taking lessons with me or not.
Contract
I have a studio policy that I prefer all parents to read and sign. You can find it under the section titled 'Studio Policy' to the left. If you have any questions, please ask me before you sign the contract. This contract is due at the student's first lesson.
Contact Info
You can call me to set up a lesson time at 815-222-1983 or email me at sbernath6208@gmail.com. I will accept phone calls anytime from 10a.m.-9p.m. Monday-Sunday (so any day). If I don't pick up right away, please don't get discouraged, just leave a message with your name and phone number and I'll get back to you. My email is sbernath6208@gmail.com if you'd prefer to contact me via email. I also ask that you fill out a new student form which you'll find below. In this form, you'll answer a few short questions about the type of music the prospective student enjoys, their piano at home, the extracurricular activities they are involved in (this is to make sure that a student won't be on overload), as well as questions about what music they've recently played and who the student has studied with in the past (if they are transfering), and where they'd like to see their musical education take them in the future. If you have any other questions about my studio, feel free to call at the times I previously mentioned. However, if it is a question that can be answered during lesson time, I'd strongly prefer to answer it then.
I currently have time slots open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings, as well as Sunday afternoons and evenings. I prefer weekday evenings, but Sunday afternoons and evenings are fine too.