Did you take piano lessons as a child? Are you considering lessons for yourself or your child now? 

If you were lucky enough to have lessons, they probably felt like a world apart from the music you actually loved. Maybe you remember practicing uninspiring pieces—music you didn’t connect with. You loved songs on the radio, but your lessons followed a different path. Or perhaps you had a great teacher who passed on their passion, and there are still a few cherished pieces you remember.

But when you sat down at a piano somewhere else, you felt stuck without sheet music. People assumed you could just play anything—but if only it were that easy! You might have wondered why no one ever taught you how to simply sit down and play.

You’re not alone. That was my story too. Except somewhere along the way, I fell in love with music and the piano, and a big part of that was learning to create my own music.

The Turning Point: Getting Creative with Music

At a young age, I started to explore music creatively. I’d take my favourite songs and turn them into medleys, linking them together. I could read music, so I’d teach myself the basics and figure out the rest.

I continued learning classical pieces in my lessons, but improvisation was something I discovered on my own. My knowledge of theory was basic, but I kept progressing through the piano performance grades. I’d spend hours recording myself on cassette tapes, lost in improvisation, using simple chord shapes and key centres as my guide.

Eventually, I started composing music and writing it down. This was a turning point — my music began to take shape. I needed help understanding what I was creating, but my piano teachers didn’t offer guidance in this area. Luckily, some inspiring high school music teachers nurtured my creativity and helped me grow.

Fast forward through a music degree and a PhD in composition, and I gained the tools to teach in a way that blends creativity, theory, and performance. And guess what? I’m still learning, still creating, and still loving music.

Teaching with Joy and Creativity

I started teaching piano when I was just 17 — and at first, I taught exactly how I was taught. That changed when I worked with some amazing, creative piano teachers who showed me how to make lessons fun, engaging, and relatable.

Today, I love teaching classical pieces (and my students love them too!), but that’s just one part of what we do. At Imagine Piano, students learn to:

🎶 Improvise – Play what sounds good without relying on sheet music.

🎶 Understand Chords – Create their own accompaniments using lead sheets.

🎶 Explore Music Flexibly – Whether it’s breaking down a favourite song or preparing for exams, lessons are tailored to each student’s goals and interests.

My students are developing into creative and independant musicians: One student taught herself to play “You Are My Sunshine” with chords for her grandparents’ wedding anniversary. She ended up singing it and leading the group of grandchildren in the performance. That’s music that’s accessible, relatable, and meaningful.

Lessons as Unique as Your Child

Every student is different, and lessons can take many paths:

🎵 Some thrive on games and interactive challenges.

🎵 Some learn best by moving music through their bodies (especially little ones!).

🎵 Some love analysing favourite songs and figuring out how to play them.

🎵 Some aim for exams and love structured, goal-oriented learning.

Just recently, I took my piano apart (not a weekly event!) for a group of homeschooling kids. They were fascinated by the mechanics inside the piano — a hands-on experience that sparked curiosity and wonder.

At Imagine Piano, lessons are designed to inspire and empower students to explore, create, and fall in love with music in their own way.