Learn Piano your way with a TakeLessons expert

by Eunhye J. - Boston piano teacher

Greetings! My name is Eunhye and I teach piano lessons in Boston, Massachusetts.

Boston attracts musical talents from all over the world and has been home to many Grammy winners and nominees. It provides a rich musical environment to learn piano or music in general.

Let’s take a look at some resources that may help your piano learning in Boston.

1. Find Your Own Keys!

• Keyboard/Digital Piano If you are planning to purchase your keyboard/digital piano, Guitar Center is a great place to start. There are two branches in Back Bay and Fenway, which are easily accessible by T. The Natick store (321 Speen St, Natick, MA 01760) is more convenient for Framingham, Wellesley, and Weston residents. Various brands of keyboards are on display for you to try and the staff can help you to find the right model for your needs.

*Tip: Get a velocity sensitive or touch-sensitive keyboard with weighted keys. These features ensure musical expression and you will enjoy playing piano more. Make sure that it has more than 66 keys as well!

• Grand/Upright Piano If you are looking for an acoustic piano, visit the M. Steinert & Sons showroom located in Downtown Boston (at Boston Common, Boylston Station, 162 Boylston St, Boston, MA). I suggest making an appointment to get full assistance and plan for about a half an hour to try several pianos. Once you bring your piano at home, be sure to maintain it! Sudden changes in temperature and humidity can ruin the acoustics of piano. Call a piano tuner every six months!

*Tip: Did you know you can practice on a grand piano at the Harvard Musical Association at Boston Commons for free? HMS offers musicians the opportunity practice for 1 ½ hours at a time without cost. Reservation is a must. More info here: http://hmaboston.org/rooms/.

2. Get Inspired! I recommend checking out a variety of live concerts that will nurture and inspire you as you’re taking piano lessons in Boston!

• Venues Berklee Performance Center (BPC): This is the hot place for all contemporary music of all kinds – rock, world, jazz, pop, folk, classical, and more. You name it! Many promising Berklee students’ concerts are held here, as well as world-class musicians. (https://www.berklee.edu/BPC)

Symphony Hall: This is the home of the historic Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO). It’s located only a few blocks away from BPC. Although it is primarily a classical venue, Boston Pops and jazz giants regularly perform here. Fun fact: Near Symphony Hall on Westland Avenue there is a building that used to be a hotel (now an apartment called the Parkside) where Stravinsky stayed and worked during his Boston residency.

Clubs: Hang out with your friends and listen to great music! Scullers at the Hilton Hotel, Regattabar at the Charles Hotel, Lilypad, Ryles Jazz Club, Lizard Lounge, the Beat Hotel in Cambridge, and the Beehive in South Boston are among your many options.

• Festivals Beantown Jazz Festival: https://www.berklee.edu/beantownjazz Tanglewood: http://www.bso.org/brands/tanglewood/features/2015-tanglewood-season.aspx African Festival of Boston: http://www.africanfestivalofboston.com JP Porchfest: http://www.jpporchfest.org

• Enjoy Free Recitals at Colleges Berklee College of Music: You will be surprised by how diverse Berklee’s own music scene is! The annual piano concert hosted by the piano department features both faculty and students. (www.berklee.edu)

New England Conservatory (NEC): Third Stream, a synthesis of classical music and jazz improvisation, started here. The finest classical musicians, jazz musicians, and musicians from other traditions showcase classical or jazz music and the combination of those genres here. (http://necmusic.edu)

3. Explore Books and Materials Now that you are inspired to work on your own piano skills, you’ll want to get some instructional books, scores, and other supplementary materials. If you’re taking piano lessons in Boston already, your teacher can guide you. But here are some additional places to check out:

Music Espresso (295 Huntington Ave #212, Boston, MA) is NEC’s music bookstore that has been serving the New England community for a long time. You can find various method books, popular music scores for piano, jazz giant’s solo transcriptions, and imported classical scores. Learn more at www.musicespresso.com.

The Berklee Bookstore (1090 Boylston St, Boston, MA) sells traditional piano method books. But the beauty of this store is in its pop/jazz oriented instructional book selections. Many of them are written by Berklee faculty and published by Berklee Press. Some introductory course books (Ear Training and Harmony) can be also very helpful if you are inclined to learn jazz, pop, and other contemporary styles.

Now you are all set to go! You and your piano teacher will go through your musical journey together and it will be a success! Good luck!