At Piano Diana, we celebrate the transformative power of music. With over 30 years of teaching experience and a commitment to excellence, Diana helps students navigate their musical paths with confidence, skill, and joy. Join us and discover the joy of playing the piano!

VISION

Piano lessons open a world of career opportunities and offer a great platform for further musical studies, all while developing the creativity, confidence and focus needed for so many of life's endeavors. While musical style preferences vary widely, the foundations to a good musical start are concrete. Within an interactive, pleasant lesson setting, I strive to integrate all of these educational basics from the beginning: performance, technique, ear training, sight reading, ear playing, composition, history and more. I look forward to assisting you on your journey. To best enjoy our sessions, please take the time to review these standard studio policies before the commencement of this year's lessons.

ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE TIME

While I appreciate that some students may endeavor to arrive early, please be advised that lessons will begin on time, and not early.  If you arrive more than 5 minutes early, please wait in your vehicle until your scheduled time, or if the studio is open, enter and sit quietly in the waiting area. Please do not knock unless the door is locked. As I cannot provide supervision, parents who leave their student for more than 10 minutes following their lesson will be charged a late fee of $1.00 per minute after the first ten minutes.

LESSON PREPARATION

Students should bring a teacher's notebook, and all assigned material (flashcards, books) to each lesson. Some students find a special piano bag helpful. Students should keep fingernails trimmed short (not extending past the end of the finger) to ensure proper hand position, and good technique. Students are also asked to wash their hands before lessons to properly care for the instrument, and to prevent the spread of illness. The washroom is available for your use. Socks should also be worn for pedaling practice.

THE PIANO

You must have a piano, digital piano or full-sized keyboard (88 keys) in your home for practice. If you are using a keyboard, a touch-sensitive (louder when pressed harder) weighted keyboard is recommended after the first year, to allow the student to progress well. A metronome to encourage proper pacing and accurate tempo is also a wise investment.

ILLNESS & MISSED LESSONS

To help keep our studio healthy for all families, students who are home from school due to illness should contact me so we can hold their lesson virtually (Zoom or another platform). This allows learning to continue while protecting the shared studio space.

If a student is too sick to participate, we simply continue with the next scheduled lesson the following week. Because the studio is fully booked, I’m not able to offer makeup lessons for missed appointments, and all lesson times are charged.

My goal is always to maximize student learning, so I build two flex weeks into the teaching year. These weeks allow me to offer courtesy make‑up lessons for unavoidable, pre‑planned absences such as travel.

SCHEDULING CHANGES & CANCELLATIONS

I understand that team-based extracurricular schedules can shift with the season. If your family’s schedule changes, I will work with you to find any available permanent lesson time that allows your child to continue lessons consistently.

If you are considering ending lessons, a one‑month cancellation notice is appreciated so we can wrap up on a positive note. Before making a final decision, please bring any concerns to me — many issues can be worked around with a small adjustment.

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

While most students are excited to begin piano lessons, the reality of the daily commitment, or frustrations with learning leaps are expected to occur. Your encouragement and praise will be essential to your child's success. Additional steps you can take to maximize your child's success include:

• For pre-reading children, you may sit beside the piano during the lesson, and ask for clarification for yourself to better help your child during practice sessions at home.
• Help your child to set aside a regular daily practice time. Routine can be highly successful.
• Ensure that your child is practicing with reference to the teacher's notes to make the best use of their practice time.
• Periodically check-in at the end of the lesson, or phone me at another time, to provide feedback and discuss any special musical interests or hurdles your student appears to be facing. Together we can tailor lessons specifically for your student.
• Feel free to sit in the living-room and listen to the lesson progress (additional children may be present if not a disturbance to the lesson)
• Encourage your student in musical exposure (CDs, concerts) and experimentation ('just banging on the piano') outside of practice time.
• Help your student find ownership of his/her musical experience.

PRACTICING

Well established, good practice habits not only help students to progress more rapidly, but also helps them to better enjoy their musical journey – and importantly – their lessons. While the amount of time required for good quality practice varies according to the student's age and playing level, the consistency of daily practice and focus on specific learning objectives (noted in teacher's notebook) is paramount. While missing a day of practice may not be noticeable, missing two consecutive days can lead to significant frustration. However, recognizing that life can be busy, please encourage your student to be upfront about the success of the week's practice, so that I can better discriminate between misunderstood learning points and lack of practice. In the latter case we will make an effort to enjoy what your student has accomplished thus far and better enjoy the lesson together. If daily practice is regularly missed, I will work with you to determine the cause and best solutions to move forward.

WORKSHOP & RECITALS

Students are encouraged to participate in our workshops and recitals, as music is often a shared, community‑based experience. These group events provide valuable opportunities to build confidence, develop performance skills, and learn from peers. Because they are an important part of a well‑rounded musical education, workshops and recitals are included in monthly tuition and offered at no additional cost.

EXAM & COMPETITION PREPARATION

Students interested in local competitions (such as the Piano Festival) or certified examinations (Royal Conservatory of Music) are encouraged to speak with me so we can plan appropriate preparation. In British Columbia, RCM exams are recognized for high school credit, making them a meaningful academic milestone as well as a musical one.

Competitions and exams can be excellent motivators and provide strong structure for some students, but they are not the right fit for everyone. We make these decisions together, based on the student’s goals and readiness.

A FINAL NOTE

Thank you for considering me as a piano teacher for yourself or your child. My goal is to optimally serve you on your musical adventure, opening up a world of opportunities and enjoyment for years to come. Please feel free to communicate openly with me if you ever have any questions, concerns or comments. I can be reached by telephone at 604-306-5168 or via e-mail at dpalmqui@gmail.com. Please remember to check this website for updates.

Sincerely,

Diana Harvey,

ARCT (Performance), BSc., BC Registered Music Teacher