College Prep Piano Course
Planning to be a Music Major in college?
Prepare for success by learning to play the piano now.
Avoid the overwhelm
I was a college piano professor for over 14 years and taught freshman class piano. Every fall I saw my freshman music majors feeling totally overwhelmed by the many music courses they must take. Freshman music majors typically enroll in music theory, sight singing and ear training, private lessons, large ensemble (like band, orchestra, or choir) AND piano. On top of these music courses, they also take core classes like English, Math, or Science. It’s a lot!
“Why didn’t I learn to play piano sooner?” was the one comment I heard the most.
The College Prep Piano Course course will help you get a head start on learning to play piano. Learning to play the piano before your college enrollment will help decrease the feeling of overwhelm in your studies as a music major.
What Former Students Are Saying
“Taking lessons with Dr. Huskey was instrumental in passing college level piano courses. It helped refresh my knowledge of theory and chords that college piano requires, along with fingering technique. Because of my work with Dr. Christy, I managed to pass my piano class with an A!”
— Dagan Terry, private piano student 2021-2022, student at the University of Central Arkansas 2022-present
“I briefly took piano as a child, but I quit before giving it a chance. I wish I would have stuck with it because it would have helped me so much coming into college as a music major. Taking piano in college helped tremendously with music theory and in general as a musician. I now play at my church when they need some one to fill in. ”
— Taylor Turner, class piano student 2013-2015, former Band Director
“Being in Dr. Christy’s piano class was always a bright spot in my day. She makes you feel confident and encourages you to go beyond what you think you are capable of and you succeed! Being in her piano class made me a better musician.”
— Leslie Gunter, class piano student 2004-2006, Director of Bands, Oak Park Middle School, Lake Charles, LA
Why is piano so important to a music major?
Piano synthesizes performance skills with musical knowledge in a way no other instrument can.
On the piano, you can literally SEE music theory concepts in black and white!
You can’t SEE a half step on a flute or trumpet, but you can SEE and hear a half step on a piano.
You can’t SEE a major scale on the clarinet or trombone, but you can SEE and hear a major scale on a piano.
You can’t harmonize a melody on French horn, you can harmonize a melody and experiment with various chord structures on a piano.
And with most instruments, you can’t play music on two clefs at the same time, but on piano – you can!
The College Prep Piano Course course will help you get started learning all this and more – before entering college.
What will you get with the College Prep Piano Course course?
Flexibility. The course is a pre-recorded, online course available when you are ready to learn and have time to practice.
Value. Purchase the course for a one-time fee. Private piano lessons can be expensive. One year of PHSM costs significantly less than one year of piano lessons. And you never have to cancel or reschedule a lesson when your life gets busy.
Piano Skills. The College Prep Piano Course teaches foundational piano skills in technique and theory, skills that prepare you for college classes as a music major. This will help reduce the feeling of overwhelm experienced by most freshmen music majors Each module has a specific focus to provide sequential skill development:
Module 1: Reading music in both treble and bass clef, hands-together playing, level-appropriate repertoire.
Module 2: One octave major and minor scales, sight reading, intervals, repertoire.
Module 3: Two octave major and minor scales, sight reading, intervals, repertoire.
“Music Majors are required to pass a Piano Proficiency exam as a graduation requirement. I’ve taught piano proficiency skills at 5 different universities and students who learned piano before college had a much easier path. My university experience provides the framework for the College Prep Piano Course. I am confident this course will provide a foundation that will help you succeed in your studies as a music major. “
— Dr. Christy Huskey
Dr. Christy’s Piano Studio 2017-Present
Visiting Lecturer, Piano, Music Theory, Ear Training & Sight Singing, University of Central Arkansas, 2017-2022
Adjunct in Piano, Harding University, 2018-2020
Assistant Professor of Piano Pedagogy, McNeese State University, 2003-2017
University of Oklahoma, Graduate Assistant, 1993-1995