What I Do
Private lessons
I offer private lessons beginning at age 4 (depending on the readiness of the child), and I am happy to take beginners of any age or transfer students. I often use the Piano Adventures method, but I like to draw on a variety of materials and methods to suit individual students. I also prepare students for RCM examinations.
Private lessons are available in 30-, 45-, and 60-minute sessions, usually once per week. Click here for fees. For 2022/23, we will have two group lessons, two online recitals, and one in-person recital for Hamilton and Edmonton each. Check the Calendar for details! For adults with more hectic schedules, we can schedule lessons every two weeks or on an as-needed basis (subject to availability).
Contact information
lara.debeyer@gmail.com 587-974-1283
All set up for online lessons!
COVID-19 AND THIS MUSIC STUDIO
I am now offering limited in-person lessons for local students (subject to availability). I am fully vaccinated and boosted, and I wear a KN-95 during lessons. For the time being, I ask that students continue to mask as well. There are two group lessons and two recitals online each year, and starting in the 2022-2023 school year there will be one Hamilton-based in-person recital and one Edmonton-based in-person recital.
Here is a great article that explains the benefits and logic of online lessons.
The teacher
Studio located in Hamilton, ON
Hi! My name is Lara.
I started piano lessons at the age of 3, and began teaching in my mom's home studio when I was 16. I have completed my Level 10 in Piano (Royal Conservatory of Music or RCM), as well as my Elementary and Intermediate Piano Pedagogy Certificates (also RCM) and the Suzuki Early Childhood Education Stages 1 and 2.
I grew up in a family of music teachers and because of that I never planned to teach music myself. I earned a masters in French literature and trained as a birth doula before I realized that teaching piano was actually my dream job. I consider myself lucky to be able to choose a career where I can continue to develop and practice new skills, as well as build long-lasting relationships with students and share what I love with them!
I spent the pandemic years learning to teach online and figuring out the benefits of remote learning. My next step is to complete the required RCM courses at the ARCT level to obtain my diploma.
Teaching philosophy
Learning a new style of teaching (online) in the difficult context of the pandemic has at once expanded how I think of teaching and what kinds of teaching tools I can use, and refined my teaching goals and ideals.
My number one goal is to create connection. To connect with the student, first, so I know how best to teach them; to connect with the family, so that we can work together as a team; to connect the student to the music, so that they can discover more music that they love and find success and fulfillment in what they do. I am here to help my students love and understand music.
My training is “classical” through the RCM but my interests in teaching and playing are continually branching out and include reading lead sheets, learning by ear, learning the makings of jazz piano, composition, movie soundtracks and pop music, and more. I find it is important to follow a student's interests as well as to steer them toward new styles and techniques that might interest them and expand their horizons.
What do students and parents say?
“Ms Lara is an extremely gifted teacher, the best one we have found! Our son has really enjoyed piano lessons, he has gained an incredible amount of musical knowledge and started on hopefully a life long journey of loving and playing the piano from Ms Lara’s encouragement and extreme patience when teaching a squirming 5 year old. We have also had the pleasure of having Ms Lara teach our daughter Music and Movement. She is able to hold kids attention spans and is able to involve kids with different ages and abilities all within the same class, making kids see music in fun and creative ways. ”
“Lara knows how to talk to kids. And that is what makes her an excellent piano teacher. Full stop.
As an experienced piano player and teacher, myself, I had attempted to forego lessons for my own kid and teach her myself. BIG MISTAKE. So many tears and tantrums. By the time we met Lara, I was worried that I’d turned my kid off piano forever.
When we did meet, however, I knew immediately that things were going to go well. She has a way to her: cheerful, energetic, engaging, relaxed, humourous, and fun. My difficult daughter was immediately taken. Stickers always help too.
By the end of her first year taking lessons with Lara, my daughter was practising without prompting, and more importantly, enjoying playing music. This is the secret to Lara’s sauce: she focuses on what’s important to build up first as a base, i.e. enjoyment, slowly introducing skill and advancement into the mix, as evidenced by the range of talent displayed at her end-of-year recital.
I would recommend anyone looking to instill a life-long appreciation of music and sustainable learning to sign up with Lara. Her own talent and passion for playing radiates.
7 years later, my daughter is still enjoying playing piano. Although we no longer have the benefit of lessons with Lara, since she moved away (something we’re still lamenting), I know that part of the reason why she’s still playing is because of the great start we had.”
“Lara was amazing with my 11 year old son and 7 year old daughter. They took lessons with her for almost two years and looked forward to her classes every week. Lara inspired them to work hard and get better without crushing their musical spirits in the effort. She even generously worked around forgotten music books, necessary rescheduling, and lessons in a wrestling singlet (my son, not her). We were sad to lose her to Canada, but hope you’ll take full advantage of having her there.”
Contact
Location
I am physically located in the Stipley neighbourhood of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, but I offer lessons to any student with a stable internet connection via Zoom.