Information About Elize - Congleton teacher

Personal Description:

My love for music is a golden thread throughout my life. I started playing piano at the age of 7. Although I studied mathematics and statistics, I longed to be busy with music… At the age of 40, I started vocal training and song-writing a few years later. I decided to re-do my Gr 8 piano exam and re-did the Gr 8 theory as well as a refresher. In 2016 I studied with Dr. Avril Kinsey in Cape Town - musicianship in general - including composition, vocal studies, music history and business studies.

We relocated to the UK in 2017 - a new life and time to get busy with music! I ventured into music teaching - I was not prepared for the joy of teaching piano; I should have started years ago!. What a privilege to do what I enjoy, and get paid to do it.

I have 4 beautiful adult children. I home-schooled all four of them for the first few years of school and am thankful for what I learned from them. I treasure the solid relationships - after all, we spent many years together.

I am married to a friendly and clever engineer; my oldest two children are engineers - music brings balance in our house. Otherwise we may get intellectual headaches!

Tutoring Experience:

I have taught piano for a few years now. However, the years of teaching at school as well as the many years of home-schooling my own children was a wonderful preparation for teaching piano - the subject I am most passionate about!

Tutoring Approach:

It depends on the desired outcome of the student. I use beginner books series written by Riekert Joubert of Sound Mind: the first few lessons are designed to build a foundation in reading music; in the second book melodies, the introduction of accidentals and articulation gives an interesting flavour; the student quickly experiences achievement - playing a "real" song. Half an hour is a good duration for a beginner lesson.

I prefer teenage and adult students unless the younger student is geniunely interested in learning to play.