We believe that learning the piano can be a fun and enjoyable experience. Our students learn valuable life skills like perseverance, patience, attention to detail, confidence and a greater ability to communicate.

We have served the greater Folsom area since 1996. We take pride in teaching students how to read music and become proficient piano players. Our staff consists of dedicated teachers with advanced degrees in piano performance and pedagogy. Each teacher is encouraged to collaborate with their co-teachers to provide students with the best experience possible.  We tailor our methods so that each student can enjoy a lifetime of music and reach their full potential.

With the advent of group lessons, hundreds of students have been able to experience the joy of learning how to play the piano at Folsom Piano Academy. By using a digital piano lab with headphones, students receive individualized instruction in a group setting and develop confidence in playing for others.

Whether the lessons are for an adult or a child, you have the choice between several different options for piano lessons. We invite you to tour our studio and come experience the excitement of music!

Jeanette's Corner

I have talked about various aspects of this topic before. For the purposes of our students and upcoming Spring Recitals, I'm going to focus on memorization. Ideally, you want to be comfortable playing your piece by memory at least 2 weeks before the performance. Please use this upcoming Spring Break to finish learning your piece and begin your memory work.

Memorizing is not a matter of repeating your piece many times until you can play it without looking at the music. Memorization takes conscious thought and deliberate action. It's different from regular practice.

The best way to begin the process of memorization is to memorize each hand separately. It's about really "knowing" what each hand is doing at any given point. It is also helpful to know the form or structure of your piece, for example, Section A, Section B, etc. Notice parts that are the same and parts that are different. If applicable, analyze any chords, modulations, and cadence points. The more you understand how your piece is put together, the less chance of getting "lost" during the performance.

Then you can practice starting at different points in your piece so that if you were to get lost or have a memory slip, you can simply go to the start of the next section or phrase. The worst thing you can do in practice is always playing your piece from beginning to end. Because in performance, if anything happens during your piece, you want to avoid going back to the beginning. Always think forward.

Finally, once your piece is memorized, you want to put it to the test by practicing performing it in front of others. Perform for your parents or friends. Visualize performing, "see" your fingers play the correct keys. Record yourself. These are all ways of testing your memory and preparedness for performing. And be happy when you mess up! You want to know where the weak links are in your memory so that you can go back and study the score.

Remember to psyche yourself up for performance. Get nervous. Then practice walking over to your piano, sit down and quietly find your hand position. Take a breath, play (you only get 1 shot), then stand up, smile, and take a bow. Mission accomplished!

Happy Practicing and Performing!