Frequently Asked Questions
This page answers most of the questions we receive regarding private music lessons at our music school, but if not, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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Included in all students’ basic tuition are weekly lessons, school-wide events and programs, and access to many PPS services and resources. We want our students to participate and learn as much as possible while they attend PPS, both in their lessons and through our many enrichment offerings. Participation in recitals and our annual PPS competition are offered at no cost — as are the recordings of these special events! We also allow our students free access to our recording studio. Tuition rates for additional lessons, theory classes, and group-supervised practice sessions are listed in our pricing guide.
We welcome students of all ages at PPS, including adults! For our youngest students, we offer our Little Mozarts program as an opportunity for parents and small children to learn the fundamentals of music at an early age. When ready, students 4-8 years old can graduate to group piano classes, which teach younger students the basics of piano in a fun, relaxed environment. Around this age, students may also be ready to move to shorter, half-hour private lessons. After age 8, we recommend 45-60 minute lessons to maximize their progress. We are happy to evaluate each student to recommend which class will give them the best experience.
We offer virtual lessons that you can take remotely in your home! Because travel time and cost is prohibitive for instructors, we only offer in-person lessons at our school.
Pacific Piano School isn’t just a place for music lessons. We are committed to a holistic, enriching music education for all of our students, with lessons being only one aspect of the student experience. We ask each student to commit to regular performances. PPS hosts an annual competition for all ages and encourages our students to participate (and win!) outside competitions. For students who are preparing for exams (i.e., Certificate of Merit®️ and AAPA), we require participation in our music theory class to refine their skills and best position themselves for success.
We are open 7 days a week, but availability varies throughout the year. We almost always have some availability, but the most requested times and days usually have a waiting list. The best way to find out is to give us a call to discuss upcoming openings.
Our competition program is geared toward very serious students who want to focus on preparing for and winning competitions. We accept students on a rolling basis via audition with the instructor. Acceptance into this program isn’t solely based on pre-existing skill, but also takes into consideration students’ potential and their commitment to the program. Students that are new to music, however, can still be accepted to this program. For more information, contact us.
At PPS, we place a strong emphasis on teaching music literacy, including music theory. This allows each student to understand music on a deeper level and helps them progress quicker toward their goals. While general music theory is incorporated into lessons as required for each piece, we offer and strongly encourage all students aged 8 and older to attend music theory classes with one of our faculty members. For students preparing for the Certificate of Merit and AAPA exams, we require dedicated music theory studies to best position them for success. We teach all levels of music theory, up to and including the Advanced Placement (AP) level.
As with anything that is skill-based, practice is essential. PPS is dedicated to helping every student reach their full potential — and practice is required to meet this goal. Depending on your program and experience, our instructors will work with you to establish a practice schedule best suited for you. For our youngest students, this is often at least 15 minutes per day, 5-6 days per week. As students grow and develop as players and take on longer, more challenging pieces of music, we’ll adjust your recommended practice time accordingly.
We offer many performance and evaluation opportunities at PPS every year, including two main recitals in the Spring and Fall. You are free to participate in any or all of our in-house events at no additional cost beyond your monthly tuition.
Music knows no limitations when it comes to age! In fact, there are numerous benefits to taking music lessons in adulthood. At PPS, we have taught many adult students, and have found them to be highly motivated, disciplined, and focused students who tend to progress quickly (while having a lot of fun!).
Great question! While each of our experienced instructors apply their own style and emphasis, there are a few core values to our teaching philosophy. First and foremost is fun! We want all students to LOVE their music lessons. Second, we emphasize healthy technique and a strong foundation in the fundamentals. This, combined with pedagogy rooted in music theory and literacy, provides students with the basis they need to succeed. Lastly, we are committed to helping each student reach their individual music goals. Our highly-skilled teachers will work to unlock students’ potential and challenge them to achieve their goals and more through a lifelong relationship with music.
PPS is open 7 days per week. We are open between 2pm-9pm on weekdays and 9am-9pm on weekends. Administrator hours are between 12pm-5pm M-F. We are closed on some major holidays. See the School Calendar for more details.
Each student’s musical journey is unique — and it should be treated as such. Our experienced instructors will get to know your student, their goals, and recommend a program accordingly to ensure they get the most out of their experience at PPS.
Call us at (408) 599-3535 or email us at frontdesk@pps.school for more information about our programs, or have a conversation with one of our instructors. If you’re ready to start right away, you can use this enrollment form and we will contact you within 24 hours to set up your first lesson!
PPS has flexible rescheduling policies. We allow students to reschedule in-person lessons with at least 24 hours of notice given to the front desk. You can also attend any lesson virtually with 1 hour of notice. Make-up credits given in this way can be used for lessons when openings become available, extra theory classes, additional supervised practice sessions, and other classes, but must be used before they expire in 60 days. See our policies for specific program details and limitations.