Piano Lessons Upper East Side - Study with a Juilliard Piano Teacher
In-home lessons in Upper East Side, NYC from an award-winning Juilliard graduate
- The Juilliard School — Master of Music in Piano Performance
- The Juilliard School — Instructor of Secondary Piano
- Piano Teacher in Students' Homes — Music to Your Home
- Piano Teacher in Students' Homes — West Amadeus Music Studio
- Kuleshov International Piano Competition — First Prize Winner
Why Greg Turner Piano Studio?
Train with a World-Class Pianist
By studying with me, you will learn the strategies for expressive and effortless playing, which I myself learned at Juilliard and Eastman while studying with legendary pianists and teachers, such as Julian Martin, Alan Chow, Nelita True, and Boris Slutsky. By applying these methods, I've won multiple international piano competitions, including the Kuleshov International Piano Competition.
I have spent years studying and applying these methods in my lessons, so each of my students gets an engaging and effective piano education rooted in the traditions of the greatest pianists.
Become a Well-Rounded Musician
Want to learn to play by ear? Compose? Perform at a high level? Whatever your goals are, I believe a strong understanding of all aspects of music will help you achieve them, so I offer a tailored yet well-rounded approach. I don't just cover technique or note learning in lessons — I also teach music theory, history, and ear training, as well as musical analysis and interpretation.
Unlike programs solely focused on how quickly you memorize repertoire, this comprehensive education allows you to master the art of music making and develop a lifelong appreciation of music.
Learn From a Trusted Educator
When it comes to choosing a piano teacher, finding someone you can trust is everything, especially for lessons in your own home. By choosing to work with me, you're putting your trust in a teacher who has been vetted by the best in the field.
I'm proud to have earned the trust of prestigious institutions, such as The Juilliard School, as well as the top in-home music lesson companies in Manhattan: Music to Your Home and West Amadeus Music Studio. I am also a member of the Music Teachers National Association, and I have been listed on its music teacher directory.
Watch Me Play!
Here is an excerpt of Brahms' Sonata No. 3 in F Minor, Movement 5. If you would like to watch more videos of me playing piano, visit my Youtube channel.
Offering Piano Lessons to Adults and Children
Lessons for Adult Students
I have years of experience teaching piano to adults of all ages. I understand that adult beginners face an entirely different set of challenges as children and so my teaching style for adults is very different from my teaching style for kids. I will NEVER give you a method book meant for kids, speak to you like a child, or railroad you with one method. Instead, I focus on creating a learning environment that respects your life experience, goals, and musical preferences.
I strive to create a sense of community among my adult learners, so they can feel like they aren't alone in their musical journey. I separate my recitals by age group, and am in the process of creating a regular meetup for my adult students to give them the oppurtunity to meet and play for other people in the same boat as them.
Lessons for Children
I understand that most children will not go into music as a career, so my priority with all the children I teach is fostering a life-long love for music and the music making process, and to give them the tools to make music effortlessly.
I also believe that music is a path to personal growth. In lessons, I will teach your child to problem solve, learn efficiently, set goals, focus intently, and be disciplined. These are all skills that students will carry with them for the rest of their lives far beyond the domain of music.
For more details on my teaching philosophy, please read my teaching philosophy below, or read it on my teaching philosophy page.
What do Students Learn in Lessons?
Everyone in my studio gets a well-rounded music education tailored specifically to their needs, strengths, and goals. This includes the following subjects in different amounts depending on student:
Refinement of Practice Strategies
No one can reach their goals without effective practice strategies. In my lessons, we focus extensively on practice methods, discussing which strategies to use and how to allocate practice time effectively. We also reflect on the practice sessions done throughout the week, with me providing suggestions to refine the students practice process over time.
I sometimes ask my piano students to record their practice sessions to ensure they are practicing in a way that guarantees results. Through this constant refinement, all my students develop confidence that their dedicated practice time will bring them results.
Healthy Technique
I've studied healthy and efficient piano techniques with some of the world's greatest teachers at Juilliard and Eastman. I strive to pass this knowledge to my students in an understandable way, ensuring they can play at a high level without injury for life.
I assign most of my students some amount of scales and exercises that work on weaknesses in their technique. That said, all of my technique assignments and instructions aim to give you the tools to achieve musical goals in the pieces you play. In my studio, good technique is only a means to an end.
Music Theory
I incorporate music theory into my lessons. By learning how the music is structured and why it sounds the way it does, students enhance their appreciation for the pieces, as well as their analytical skills.
I occasionally use the RCM curriculum for music theory for students who want a deeper dive into music theory. This well established curriculum brings students beyond an undergraduate level of music theory by the end of the program.
Music History
I also teach music history in my lessons. By exploring the stories behind the music and the cultures that influenced it, students connect more personally with the pieces they play.
For advanced students, I use the RCM curriculum for music history. It is a well established curriculum that brings students beyond an undergraduate level history by the time they finish the program.
Ear Training
I teach my students the essentials of ear training that I learned at Eastman and Juilliard. They will be trained to recognize pitches, intervals, and chords, allowing them to better play by ear, and gain a deeper understanding of the structure of the music they play.
Teaching Philosophy
Piano lessons should develop a students love for music
I understand that most people will not go into music as a career, so my number one goal for all of my students is to develop in them a love for music and the music making process that lasts them the rest of their lives, and to give them the tools to make music fluently and effortlessly.
Music is a path to personal growth
When learning an instrument, one learns to problem solve, learn efficiently, set goals, focus intently, and be disciplined. These are all skills that students will carry with them far beyond the domain of music.
Music is a path to connection
To me, learning to play an instrument is about expressing emotions, telling stories, and connecting deeply with the music, the composer, and your audience.
My lessons include frequent discussions about the character and emotions of pieces, and expressing these aspects is the number one priority. Through this process, my students learn to become not just better musicians but more empathetic people in general.
A highly supportive environment is essential
Though every student progresses at their own pace, I truly believe every student is capable of being a master of their instrument. I make sure all my students feel capable of achieving their goals. I never degrade, shame, or yell at my students.
I strive to create an environment where students feel safe, confident, and comfortable to make mistakes, yet eager to fix them.
Students should be held to the highest standard they can be
A highly supportive environment does not mean standards should drop. But I also understand that everyone has a different standard they should be held to. Expecting the impossible is a perfect way to make a student feel incompetent, no matter how supportive you are.
With this in mind, I constantly adjust my standards with my students and try to hold them to the highest standard they are capable of being held to without being discouraged.
Piano expertise takes years to develop
Even the most talented pianists in the world work tirelessly to get where they are. Lang Lang was known to practice up to 8 hours a day as a child. Talent exists, but it is overrated. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work. If you want to see results, you must work hard, no matter who you are.
Anyone promising you that you'll be able to play Moonlight Sonata or Rondo Alla Turka in a month is lying to you or completely delusional. There is no such thing as mastering piano in a few lessons and any decent pianist will tell you this.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are lessons with Greg Turner Piano Studio?
For information on my pricing, please check out my pricing page. I offer 30, 45, and 60 minute lesson packages of 1, 5, and 15 lessons, with discounted rates for larger packages.
What areas of NYC do you do in-home piano lessons?
I teach in-home lessons all throughout Manhattan, NYC! At the moment, I do not teach in the other boroughs, however I do teach in-home lessons in Jersey City as well.
Do you teach students how to read music?
I teach students with no prior experience reading piano music. Many of my students started never having read sheet music before. I have a system that the fastest note readers use to help you learn music faster.
Do students learn how to sight read music?
For anyone interested in learning to sight read piano music, I have learned the strategies that the best sight readers in the world use and having experience teaching these strategies in piano lessons. I also have resources for my students to practice their sight reading outside of the piano lessons, free of charge.
How does payment work?
I send invoices via Square that can be received via text or email. This invoice can be completed with any payment method, including cash payment.
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