West Kelowna piano teacher Claudia Kargl learned to love music at an early age.

Starting when she was seven-years-old, Kargl learned to play the piano at her father害羞草研究所檚 side.

害羞草研究所淢y father studied with some exceptional talent in Vienna,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淗is teacher was related to the famous composer Franz Liszt. Dad lost his thumb in the war, and that害羞草研究所檚 when he decided to pass his love of music on to me.害羞草研究所�

Kargl immediately took to the piano, and as a result of her father害羞草研究所檚 instruction and encouragement, she chose to pursue a career in music. For 38 years, Kargl has taught children and adults the joys of the piano in a unique, beginner-friendly way.

Kargl害羞草研究所檚 educational programs incorporate music appreciation classes that feature composers and musical stories from all over the world, as well as an alternate system of notation that she ways works much better for children.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e studied children害羞草研究所檚 literature and educational psychology, which is why my program is all about making learning fun. I think it害羞草研究所檚 criminal that there are books and programs where you learn music by numbers. When I taught in Vancouver, I had a group of kids coming to me from the Vancouver Academy. I did some testing to see how much they had learned, and I was shocked 害羞草研究所� they learned the piano notes by numbers.害羞草研究所�

Kargl says that learning the piano by numbers sets children up for failure later on, as it teaches children a rigid system that can害羞草研究所檛 adapt to different scales and hand positions. If Middle C is taught as Note 1, she says, children often can害羞草研究所檛 adjust when they害羞草研究所檙e required to move their hands and position their fingers on different keys.

Instead of using numbers, Kargl害羞草研究所檚 system uses a combination of games and age-appropriate activities to teach children the piano in an individualized way that incorporates colours, animals, and letters. Kargl害羞草研究所檚 method of teaching offers a flexibility that other programs don害羞草研究所檛, a flexibility that is particularly effective for teaching children with learning disabilities,害羞草研究所� she says.

害羞草研究所淚 had one child in Kanata who was mute, but when she sat at the piano she was completely different,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淚 taught children in Vancouver who couldn害羞草研究所檛 read properly. One lad couldn害羞草研究所檛 read music. So I showed him the notes on the piano. First he was imitating, but then he started composing.害羞草研究所�

Another of Kargl害羞草研究所檚 students aspired to enter a competition for a music scholarship, but encountered an unusual obstacle.

害羞草研究所淚 had one woman who came to me when she learned that I had been part of the RMTA Executive. She was in tears. She said, 害羞草研究所榥obody wants to teach my daughter to play piano because she only has one arm.害羞草研究所� I took that girl to the highest level possible.害羞草研究所�

Kargl says that the student entered a music competition judged by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra害羞草研究所檚 keyboardist, where she won a scholarship.

For Kargl, teaching and playing music is about finding fulfillment through artistic expression of one害羞草研究所檚 individuality.

害羞草研究所淢y dad was 92 years old when he died. He was still teaching at SLR, he was still driving and playing music every day. He was my example. The last words he ever said to me were that if you have a dream, go after it.害羞草研究所�

Find out more online at www.childrenspiano-artscorner.com