Children are generally ready for piano lessons by the age of 7 or 8. It is possible to start a little younger, as long as parents or carers have the time to support their child at home.

As an experienced primary school class teacher, I structure the lessons so that they are active and engaging for children. For example:

• 10 minutes reviewing pieces worked on during the week

• 5 minutes music theory

• 15 minutes introducing new music

• 5 minutes sight-reading

• 10 minutes creative work (improvising or composing)

• 5 minutes making a plan for the next week’s practice

• 10 minutes playing pieces together as a duet

You are most welcome to have piano lessons even if you are an absolute beginner without any prior musical experience. My piano lessons are designed for adults and children who are new to playing so no previous knowledge is necessary. Learning how to read music notation and getting to know music theory will be part of your piano lessons.

Definitely not. I believe that there is no age limit to learning and enjoying playing the piano for your own pleasure.

Maturity brings advantages such as strong motivation, the ability to focus on what’s important to you, and to organise your own time.

If you have an acoustic piano, make sure that it is regularly tuned.

Some shops offer rental of a piano, with the option to purchase it at the end of the agreed period.

You may want to consider a digital piano, as they are more affordable and take up less space. They can be used with headphones.

I would recommend choosing a digital piano with 88 keys (the full range), if you have the space. Anything less than this will restrict you later on with regards to the pieces you’ll be able to play.

The keys should be of full length & width (the same as an acoustic piano) and a box shape rather than the flat synthesiser-style keys found on cheaper keyboards.

Lastly, it’s important that the keys are weighted. Having weighted keys creates a more similar feel to an acoustic piano and will make it easier to transition between the two.

The most important aspect of practising is to make sure it is done on a regular basis. The brain and fingers learn best by doing a ‘little bit and often’ – you will find a small amount of practice every day much more effective than two hours before the lesson.

For a bare minimum, I recommend spending at least 15 minutes per day, five times a week at the piano as a beginner. If you or your child are able to spend 30 minutes a day practising, the progress will be much faster.

Aim to make piano playing part of you or your child’s daily routine – not only will you progress more quickly, you will enjoy it a lot more.

I have found that cultivating a Growth Mindset when learning empowers students to improve their skills, embrace challenges and to enjoy the process.