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!

Playing Soccer with Slippers

Would you play soccer with slippers? You may have already heard me say this, but I equate practicing on digital pianos or upright pianos like practicing soccer with slippers instead of cleats. Or it could be equated to playing soccer with a light, foam-filled ball instead of a regular-weighted ball. How is this so? Well, imagine you only have slippers to use at your soccer practices. Your feet will train according to the weight and feel of the slippers. Everything your body does will be in response to wearing slippers. Or the same could be said about using a different kind of ball.

Then imagine it's game day and your coach hands you a pair of cleats just before heading out to the field to play in a game. Ooh, now the shoe feels different. It's even heavier. Your feet, legs and body aren't used to responding with cleats on. Quick adjustments are going to have to be made. While it's possible to adjust on the fly, it can be somewhat distracting and disconcerting to the player especially when nerves are heightened.

The same can be said for piano players. This is one of the reasons FPA hosts quarterly Performance Workshops for private students. It's to give students the opportunity to practice adjusting "on the fly" when performing on a grand piano in front of others.  For group students, we try to give them an opportunity to try out their recital piece on one of our grands the last couple of weeks leading up to the recitals.

You see, the mechanics behind the "action" of a grand piano is very different from all other pianos. Because the action of the key levers involves "lifting" against gravity, it offers the pianist a greater amount of dynamic control and the ability to play repetitive notes much cleaner and faster. Uprights don't get to take advantage of natural gravity in the same way. For more explanation and a visual of the difference between the action of a grand piano vs an upright, check out this YouTube video.

So when preparing for a performance, if you don't have a grand piano, try to find opportunities to play on a grand piano as much as possible so that you'll be better prepared for "game day!"

Happy Practicing and see you at the Spring Recitals!