Piano Express®
Come join us in our new music program, Piano Express, where we learn piano in an engaging and playful environment.
What is Piano Express?
Piano Express is a gamified, goal-oriented musical experience utilizing technology & teacher instruction that propels students to advance quickly.
Students are graded by the connection of Chromebook and keyboard and can excel faster than waiting until their next lesson with teacher permission to pass a piece!
The class breakdown is simple: 30 minutes of Assessment and 30 minutes of Discovery Time.
During Assessment Time, students work individually at their keyboard with a Chromebook, headphones, and music to pass their music with correct notes and rhythms.
During Discovery Time, students collaborate as a small group, working on technique, theory, improvisation, sight-reading, and ear-training. This hour-long class caters to introverts and extroverts, grade-school students, and beyond. Students move faster, have more fun, practice more, and develop life-long music-making skills!
Gamify Lessons
Gamifying learning allows children to interact with the piano playfully with the spirit of exploration.
Goal-Oriented
A goal-oriented musical experience helps propel students to advance quickly.
Anxiety-Free
An anxiety-free environment encourages learning through rational thinking and problem-solving.
Collaboration
Encourage collaboration on technique, theory, improvisation, sign-reading, and ear-training.
Things to know about Piano Express®
Piano Express is ideal for kids starting out and like the group learning environment.
Students Per Class
Piano Express classes have a regular capacity of 6 students per class, creating a vibrant group setting with ample attention from the teacher and the teacher's assistant. Up to 2 additional seats may be offered for make-up lessons per each class.
Age Range
This program was designed for students ages 6 to 12. The gamified approach to learning piano creates a fun and rewarding system for students of this age range.
Program Levels
The core curriculum covers 6 levels. Early intermediate levels have now been added for students who have advanced through all levels! Level 6 contains exam repertoire from the Royal Conservatory of Music assessment system.
Cycle Duration
A Piano Express cycle consists of 12 weeks. 2 cycles are typical for the completion of each level, though students may reach completion after 1 cycle. Completion of the Piano Express program typically occurs within 3 years from program start.
Open Enrollment
Though class cycles last 12 weeks, students may begin the program anytime without waiting for a new cycle to begin! What students are learning during Discovery time is separate from what they're working on in their books, so they aren't constrained by a pre-packaged curriculum that doesn't take into account their individual strengths, weaknesses, and rate of progress.
Self-Paced Program
Students work at their own pace during assessment to progress through the system. Though scores are graded using the app, final approval is confirmed by an in-person teacher to take into account proper technique, dynamics, and approach.
A playful way to learn
The app gamifies the learning experience by testing and awarding Star Points to students for their performances. This has the effect of increasing student practice time as they try to get perfect scores on their songs.
Level 1: Green
Level 1: Green
Level 1
Students at The Piano Express start making music right away! Our students are able to play a handful of songs within the first few weeks. Our entry-level focuses on keeping a steady beat, studying the keyboard's landscape, learning the white keys' alphabet letters, and mastering finger numbers.
Level 2: Purple
Level 2: Purple
Level 2
After the students build a foundation of musicality in Level 1, it is time to start learning to read on the Grand Staff in Level 2. This level is an introduction to traditional note-reading. We keep the songs relatively simple so the students can take their first steps in learning a new language – the language of music! They will pick up dozens of fun-to-play songs like this along the way!
Level 3: Orange
Level 3: Orange
Level 3
After the basics of note-reading are introduced in Level 2, it is time to start getting fancy in Level 3! Students are introduced to hands-on playing with a focus on chords, parallel motion, and contrary motion.
Level 4: Blue
Level 4: Blue
Level 4
At this level, students are introduced to slightly more complex rhythm patterns, hand positions, and finger patterns. This book is full of familiar songs that students will instantly recognize and many authentic classics. This video features a song composed by Carl Czerny nearly 200 years ago!
Level 5: Silver
Level 5: Silver
Level 5
Students are ready (at last) to expand melodies to a full-octave range, necessitating the mastery of full-octave scales. This is also where students become familiar with traditional primary chords. Our method does not teach scales in an abstract, meaningless way. Scales (full-octave melodies) are integrated into the songs so students see their importance (and application) from the start – this performance is a great example.
Level 6: Gold
Level 6: Gold
Level 6
Now that students are familiar with primary chords, it is time to start putting them into patterns (broken, waltz-pattern, and Alberti-bass pattern). Suddenly, songs have a more detailed and sophisticated sound. This level is also the perfect stepping-stone into the intermediate repertoire. Many of our "Gold Level Graduates" seamlessly transition to successful standardized testing through RCM and MTNA events.
Frequently Asked Questions
We hope to provide all the answers to help you make informed decisions.
Got more questions?
How do I sign up?
You can sign up for private lessons by filling out our private lesson sign up form HERE.
For Kindermusik, please view the Kindermusik page of this website for class times. The sign up form is viewable from that page.
How often do lessons occur?
Recurring lessons are scheduled once per week at the same time with that same instructor. Drop-in lessons are flexible and can be scheduled when it’s convenient for you.
How do I stop?
Enrollment withdrawals can be made via email to lessons@potomacmusic.com. We require 14 days notice to unenroll.
Piano Express Signup
Sign up for an award-winning Kindermusik class at Potomac Music and allow your child to engage in developmentally appropriate activities that boost school readiness and foster a lifelong love of music!
Please complete the form, and we will get back to you for the next step.
Got questions?
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