Piano Lessons in Santa Barbara for children and adults

Tanya Irwin Piano

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything." - Plato

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Santa Barbara Piano Lessons for children ages 5 to adults

A life-long love of classical music. Intelligence. Joy. A well-rounded personality

Did you know that learning to play the piano fosters ALL these aspects of your child’s development?

Enjoyment is the secret to learning any skill

It’s easy to believe that playing the piano is only about the skills or even that it’s a chore. Yet there’s a way to teach that inspires children to enjoy music and learning, so that their passion for the arts flourishes. Playing the piano can evolve into a favorite hobby, a way of self-expression, or a life-long appreciation of the beauty of classical music.

Ms. Irwin designs her piano lessons to match your child’s abilities and personality. For her, the true measure of success is when your child enjoys piano lessons and looks forward to more.

A wholeness approach to piano lessons

The piano lessons are taught in the tradition of the Russian classical school of music and European Do-Re-Mi notation. It’s based on the idea of wholeness in education, also known as a holistic approach. It includes music literacy, ear training, singing, music theory, and elements of music appreciation, as well as a piano technique that produces a beautiful tone.

However, there is a variety of beautiful non-classical music that students can learn.

It has been said: “The object of education is to teach us to love what is beautiful.” Ms. Irwin expresses this philosophy in her teaching by choosing a beautiful piano repertoire for your child. She offers her students a choice of charming short pieces that they enjoy and love to play.

Benefits of musical training

Music affects our body, mind and spirit.

A child’s brain has a remarkable capacity to change in response to the environment.

FACT: Research has shown that a child’s cognitive abilities and behavior changes when they take part in musical training during those times when their brains are most sensitive to development.

FACT: Scientists compared the brains of non-musicians to those of musicians who practiced an instrument intensely for several years. They discovered that the grey matter in the musicians’ brains increased. (Grey matter is the part of the brain that’s associated with general intelligence, memory, and focus, among other things.)

FACT: Piano training teaches a child to use their fingers and hands with great dexterity: this has been linked to neurological development during their formative years.

Music is based on math and language and therefore, learning to play piano helps your child in academics.

Honoring your child’s love of performing

Every child loves to show other children, their parents, and relatives what they’ve learned. When your child performs recitals or plays for others on an impromptu basis, they’ll enjoy music more, feel more confident, and be proud of their talents and achievements. All Tanya’s students have an opportunity to perform at piano recitals 3-5 times a year.