Hong Xiao (Sarah) - Teacher #3997

Instruments:
- Piano
- Singer-Songwriter

Services:
- Ear Training
- Music Theory (Beginner-Intermediate)

Languages:
- English
- Mandarin

Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy revolves around fostering a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that nurtures creativity, confidence, and a lifelong love for music. I believe that every student is unique, with distinct learning styles and aspirations. As an educator, my goal is to tailor my approach to meet each student where they are, encouraging their individual growth and celebrating their personal successes. I prioritize creating a safe and supportive space where students feel empowered to explore and take risks in their musical journey. By infusing enthusiasm, patience, and innovative teaching methods into every lesson, I aim to inspire a love for music that extends far beyond technical proficiency. I began lesson's from a very young age and learned in a fairly strict environment. It took me a lot of experimenting to fully understand and appreciate how important music can be in everyday lives, and now I cannot go a day without It! I strive to instill not only musical skills but also essential life values such as discipline, perseverance, and the joy of self-expression through music. Ultimately, my purpose as a teacher is to guide and empower students to discover the transformative power of music, whether Classical or Pop piano, and foster a lifelong passion and appreciation for the art.

Musical Education

I have my Associate of the Royal Conservatory in Classical Piano Performance, which includes theoretical studies up to advanced harmony and history.
In elementary school, I tried as many different instruments as I could, violin, cello, clarinet, trumpet, eventually settling on percussion throughout high school and playing drums for my senior year. I've had the opportunity to perform with the school Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Pitt Band as a pianist and percussionist, and as a pianist I've competed in regional and provincial Kiwanis competitions.
In my third year of University, I continued my music education at the University of Sydney in music psychology, performance and production. I graduated McGill University with a B.Sc in Psychology and minor in Music Applications and Technology.

Awards and Distinctions

1. Kiwanis Music Festival, 2013

2. Senior Piano Romantic Division - Period Top Performer - 2012

3. Senior Instrumental Strings Award, 2012

4. Jacquie Dancyger Arnold Competition, 2012
Third Place

5. Provincial Kiwanis Competition, 2013
Seventh Place

6. Kiwanis Gold and Silver Placements, 2010 - 2015
7. Multiple Gold and Silver Placements across various years (2010 to 2015)

Special Skills and Training

From an early age, my musical journey unfolded across diverse instruments and experiences, sculpting a versatile foundation that enriches my approach to teaching piano. Earning my ARCT in classical piano solidified my dedication to musical proficiency, laying the groundwork for a comprehensive understanding of musical theory and performance. My musical ventures expanded beyond piano, resonating through concert bands, jazz bands, and pit bands, amplifying my appreciation for ensemble dynamics and different musical genres. Engaging in numerous musical theatre productions broadened my horizons, integrating music with storytelling and performance—an experience that resonates deeply with my teaching philosophy. What sets my teaching approach apart is this multidimensional background. Drawing from experiences across instruments, bands, theatre productions, and diverse musical skills, I embrace a holistic approach to piano instruction. Just as teaching music to actors shares common ground with instructing children, my multifaceted experience allows me to approach piano education with a versatile, adaptive, and engaging methodology that resonates with students on multiple levels.

Rates

30 Minutes: $39.00
45 Minutes: $49.00
60 Minutes: $59.00

There is a one-time registration fee of 25 $ charged with the first lessons. All Taxes are included in prices, if applicable

NOTE: Your Credit card will be charged ONLY when the first lesson is set up and confirmed with the teacher

Policies


1. Cancellation Policy

Lessons not cancelled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours notice are billable to the client and payable to the teacher. This does not of course apply to travel fees unless the notice is effectively given at the door and the teacher has travelled to the location.

2. Cessation (quitting) Policy

A client must provide a 2 lesson notice period to stop lessons. So a weekly student needs to give 2 weeks of notice, a biweekly student works out to 3 weeks notice and a twice weekly student works out to a week of notice.

3. Illness Policy

Lessons cancelled due to illness or extraordinary circumstances with less than 24 hours notice remain billable to the client and payable to the teacher.

BAH teachers are encouraged to offer a make-up lesson at a future date in the interest of client relations and general goodwill. This only makes sense as teaching a student with the flu for example, will ruin the rest of your week's employment.

No more than 2 lessons may be made up due to illness within a 60 day period.

4. Rescheduling Policy

Any lesson can be cancelled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours notice.

Summer Vacation and Extended Absence Policy

Clients may schedule longer absences for trips etc. 24 hours notice is required.

It is normal and typical for students and about 20% of our teachers to schedule a break in the summer. We do not enforce a notice period (see cessation of lessons) at the end of a long summer break.

5. Evaluation Period

There are no free trial lessons with Beethoven at Home but we do offer a 2 lesson evaluation period where it is easy to try out a teacher. There are no free lessons during the evaluation period and clients may choose to discontinue the lessons at any time by providing the required 24 hours notice. After the student's 3rd lesson the required 2 lesson notice period will apply (see cessation of lessons above).

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