Terry Hefko

Advice for Pianists: Piano Lesson Myths…
“Once I can play hands together, I don’t need to continue practicing hands separately.”

Reality: The very steps that bring you to a certain level of mastery are the ones that will help to maintain that level of mastery. Most people assume that practicing hands separately is a temporary step towards the goal of playing hands together. But let’s examine what professionals do. They will continue to practice hands […]

Advice for Pianists: Piano Lesson Myths…
“Children learn faster than adults.”

Realty: There is no difference. From my own personal experience of teaching both children and adults since 1975, this idea that a child’s brain is more receptive is incorrect. What may be true is that the child is less encumbered by the busy-ness of life and tends to have less mental clutter. This state results […]

Advice for Pianists: Piano Lesson Myths…
“Reading finger numbers is just for beginners.”

Reality: Professionals incorporate the fingering into their ability to read music. They read both the PRINTED fingering, the IMPLIED fingering, and their PERSONALIZED fingering. In fact, it is FASTER to read using a RELATIVE understanding of how the notes move from one to another than merely reading the ABSOLUTE note names. In order to do […]

Why I Teach Music

Music is a Science It is exact, specific; and it demands exact acoustics. A conductor’s full score is a chart, a graph which indicates frequencies, volume changes, melody, and harmony all at once with the most exact control of time. Music is Mathematical It is rhythmically based on the subdivisions of time into fractions which […]

On Piano Study

By inquiring into piano lessons for your child, you show that you obviously care very much about the role that music can play in his or her life.  The benefits of piano study are of immense value to the growth and development of any child. Consider for a moment, if you will, that your child […]

The Power of Music Education

Giving children the musical advanatge: Increases SAT Scores There is a direct correlation between improved SAT scored and the length of time spent studying the arts. College-bound seniors who’d had school music experienced scored 52 points higher on the verbal portion of their SATs and 37 points higher in match (89 points combined) than those […]

Finding Music

I remember when I learned piano in school. It was more like work and not very enjoyable. The teacher I had in chorus was energetic and was great with his students. If I was older I would have appreciated the keyboard lessons more. After I graduated High School I worked as a Retail Manager and […]