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Olivia Olson

Dear Rob:

I wanted you to know that the techniques you have been using to teach my daughter piano and music theory have been, quite simply, amazing. Her learning curve has been, to say the least, dramatic.

After her first lesson, she showed me how she could construct a scale starting on any note. It was like a puzzle to her to figure out each key, and she was eager to show us how she could do it.

Despite Liv's natural ability with melody, I had a difficult time giving her piano lessons, because she was never motivated to practice. This is why I took a keen interest when she came home from the lesson and told me with a smirk, "Rob's a WAY better teacher than you. Dad!"

Then she showed me the entire lesson. The simplicity and logic of the approach floored me, as my own teaching technique had been standard and did not interest her in practicing at all (Dad's have it tough!)

Intrigued (and jealous!) I listened to the tapes of your lessons and, in my opinion, your teaching skills and lesson plan are the clearest, most fun and most logical I have ever seen.

Liv's fascination with your technique of teaching her to construct scales from every note was particularly telling; previously from my teacher her by the book, she had zero interest in developing rote skills. What you have done is make her approach music as a series of creative puzzles, and I was struck by the satisfaction she had in figuring each part of the lesson out.

Of course, she still hates the fingering exercises! But at least she's doing them, and this is a major step forward.

Finally, since Liv is a blossoming song writer, I wanted you to know how amazed I was that she WANTED to practice the chord progressions exercises, and was especially interested in making up her own progressions. As a result she showed me some chord progressions she thought sounded "cool."

In short, Kay and I wanted to give you feedback that your skills as a teacher are of a higher level than those of any teacher we have had for the kids, your techniques are original, simple and, in Liv's case, extremely effective.

We wanted to give you our feedback so that you were aware of how much you've turned around Liv's disinterest in practicing in the first lesson alone.

Sincerely,

Martin Olson (Liv's Dad)

 Ed: Olivia went on to perform on the Ellen Degeneres Show and is the voice of a popular character on the hit show "Phinneas and Ferb."