Meghana Kesanakurti

I mainly teach beginners and students at the elementary RCM levels (Prep A to Level 4), however I also have experience teaching at higher levels. I have completed the RCM Elementary Piano Teacher’s Course and am working towards attaining RCM Elementary Piano Pedagogy Certification. My teaching style: My lessons cover various musical elements such as repertoire, technique, and theory, as they allow students to identify connections between these various aspects and help understand music on a deeper level. For beginners, I use method books to introduce music in a fun and structured way, along with occasional simplified versions of popular or well-known music to apply their knowledge. Eventually, we dive into the RCM certificate program, allowing the student to develop the necessary skills to become a strong musician. As I learned other genres such as jazz and Indian Classical music, I like to also incorporate some of their aspects to enrich my students’ musical experiences and help them develop into well-rounded musicians. I also like to expose my students to musical experiences through concerts, and provide creative freedom such as by composing. From my own experience as a teacher and as a student, I have found that creative freedom can uncover hidden talents, allowing a student to further develop their interest in music. For example, in my case, this led me to compose for my school concert bands and also win first, second, third, and honourable mention places in provincial student composer competitions. Furthermore, I wish to provide opportunities for my students to display their musical talents, allowing for greater motivation and enrichment. These opportunities, which could be recitals or competitions such as The Kiwanis Music Festival, help students to learn to work towards a goal and develop a sense of responsibility for their education. I believe that a teacher’s job is to help a student become the best version they can be in a particular subject or area. For anyone to excel in a particular field, they need passion, hard work, and opportunities. Hence, as a piano teacher, I wish to instill a sense of wonder and creativity in my students towards music as well as discipline, while providing opportunities for progress. These are the central elements of my teaching practice.