LIBBY.M.BOLAND
LIBBY BOLAND
Piano and Voice Lessons
Hi there!
My name is
Libby Boland, and I
have been fortunate
enough to spend most
of my life making and
teaching music. I’m always
excited to embark on new
musical adventures. I would be
delighted to be a part of yours!
“We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
And sitting by desolate streams; —
World-losers and world-forsakers,
On whom the pale moon gleams:
Yet we are the movers and shakers
Of the world for ever, it seems.”
~ from Ode, by Arthur O’Shaughnessy
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Come be a music maker, come be a dreamer of dreams with me!
Learn to sing or play from an experienced, dedicated and joyful music teacher. Read on for more information, or email libbymboland@gmail.com with any questions or to set up your free trial lesson!
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Why study music?
Let me count the ways! Music can add so much to our lives, from brightening our mood, bringing fun and light into our day, to expressing our feelings and helping us to heal from difficult and painful experiences. Music is a way for us to connect with one another, ourselves, and the soul of the universe itself. I was blessed to have been given the gift of music as a child, and it truly changed my life for the better. Now it is my great privilege to share that gift with others!
A little about me:
I have been playing piano and singing for as long as I can remember! One of my first memories is of sitting on my grandfather’s knee singing the old folk song “Darling Clementine” together. I hold a Bachelors of Music Education: vocal emphasis from the Hartt School of Music, and a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the New School. I am now what is lovingly called a “veteran” school classroom music teacher: for the past nineteen years, I have taught full classes, small groups, and individual lessons in general music, piano, ukulele, guitar, chorus, songwriting, and more to - at this point, thousands! - of students ranging in age from 5-18 in both private schools (four years) and NYC public schools (fifteen years). I have also had the pleasure of directing our middle school spring musical for ten years. I have experience with and draw from a variety of pedagogies, including the Kodaly (level-one certified), Orff and Gordon methods, and I taught “Music Together” early childhood parent-and-child classes for five years.
Originally from the beautiful but somewhat uneventful woods of Northwestern Connecticut, I moved to Astoria for an adventure with some friends after college, then ended up liking it so much that I never left! In my free time I enjoy writing fiction, doing crafts, spending time outdoors, visiting new places, socializing with family and friends, as well as of course taking advantage of all the amazing musical and artistic offerings of the city. In recent years I have also been focusing more on combining my musical and creative writing skills in exploring songwriting, and have been enjoying performing locally very much!
About my studio and teaching philosophy/methods:
I am currently offering lessons in piano and voice to students ages 6 through adult at many levels, though my specialty is working with beginners of any age. My music teaching philosophy centers around the belief that all people are inherently musical, but that we each have different needs in order to draw that musicality forward. Because of this, it is a key component of my teaching method to first meet students where their passions lay, using repertoire they are motivated to learn as an entry point to enthusiasm for their instrument! From there, I begin weaving in note-reading skills, proper instrumental technique and basic music theory concepts while encouraging them to expand their musical horizons.
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I believe one of my greatest strengths as a veteran teacher is my ability to build - and the utmost priority I place upon building - a loving, nurturing, and supportive relationship with each and every student I have the privilege to teach.
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Interested in learning more?
Read on to learn more about studio policies, rates, and other information. Please reach out at libbymboland@gmail.com with any questions or to set up a free trial lesson!
Rates and Payment Policies
Forms of accept payment include electronic transfer methods Venmo, Zelle, and PayPal, as well as cash (receipt will be provided). If possible I always prefer, for your convenience and mine, prepayment on either a monthly or semesterly basis, and I offer a slight discount for doing things this way. However, you of course also have the option of paying week-by-week, in which case I request that the payment be transferred electronically anytime that week up until the day of the lesson, or that cash payments be made in person at time of the lesson.
Rates
Pre-payment Options ($5-per-lesson discount:)
Prepaid option #1 – 4-week batches (due on or before the date of the first lesson):
4 30-minute lessons: $140 ($35/lesson = $420 for 12-week semester)
4 45-minutes lessons: $200 ($50/lesson= $600 for 12-week semester)
4 60-minute: $260 ($65/lesson = $780 for 12-week semester)
Prepaid option #2 – Pre-paid by the semester (due on or before the date of the first lesson):
12 30-minute lessons: $420 for 12-week semester ($35/lesson)
12 45-minutes lessons: $600 for 12-week semester ($50/lesson)
12 60-minute: $780 for 12-week semester ($65/lesson)
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Week-by-week:
30 minute lesson = $40 ($480 for 12-week semester)
45 minute lesson = $55 ($660 for 12-week semester)
1 hour lesson = $70 ($840 for 12-week semester)
Cost of Materials
Typically a new student will be given 1-3 books to start, and more materials may be added as time goes on and the student’s needs change and progress. I try to add no more than 1-2 new books per semester. Most piano books cost between $7 - $12, so your total cost for piano materials in a given semester should be no more than $14 - $24. With voice, books are typically more in the $15-$30 range but we will not require additional materials as often as with piano. I will let you know what materials I feel are needed, order them, and provide you with an invoice to be paid upon receipt of the book/material.
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ISchedule
I teach in a semester format, and am currently accepting students for the fall '23 semester, which consists of twelve weekly lessons. I teach lessons on Saturday mornings, with makeups available on weeknights or Sundays occasionally as needed. If Saturdays are not doable for you, reach out and we can see if there are any available weeknight slots. Please don’t hesitate to reach out once a semester has already begun! If we connect once the semester is underway (as long as I still have space open) I will be happy to pro-rate fees accordingly.
Fall ‘23 Semester Lesson Schedule:
Saturday 9/23
Saturday 9/30
Saturday 10/7
Saturday 10/14
Saturday 10/21
Saturday 10/28
Saturday 11/4
Saturday 11/11
*No lessons 11/18
Sunday 11/26**
Saturday 12/2
Saturday 12/9
Saturday 12/16
**(changed from Saturday 11/25 to accommodate post-Thanksgiving travel. If this alternate date doesn’t work for you, please let me know and we can find instead a weeknight that or you may choose to be pro-rated/skip without penalty.)
Free Trial Lesson
Interested in learning more? Reach out to set up a free trial lesson! This is a time for teacher and student to meet and get to know each other a bit. We will talk about the student’s goals and needs, my methods and studio policies, and do some work together to see if we may be a good fit!
Contact me at libbymboland@gmail.com to set up your free trial lesson!
Studio Policies and Information
About my studio:
I teach piano and voice lessons from my studio apartment in the upper Ditmars area of Astoria, Queens. While parents are welcome to drop off and pick up, I do have a small waiting area for parents where you are welcome to wait during lessons if you prefer. The instrument I use for teaching piano is a fully weighted Casio Privia digital piano.
Policy for student absences and make-up lessons:
At the beginning of the semester, I ask that student/students’ family please look at the schedule and communicate if there are any conflicts with scheduled lesson dates, and if so we will arrange a mutually convenient make-up time. If there are more than a few conflicts within the semester, then it may be better to arrange a different day/time.
Despite our best laid plans, sometimes life just happens! In cases where something comes up - illness**, last minute scheduling issue, etc. - I do require twenty-four hours notice in order to cancel or reschedule a lesson. In other words, if your lesson is scheduled for 5:30 on a Tuesday, I would need an email/text/phone call by Monday at 5:30 in order to cancel or schedule a virtual or make-up lesson. If this notice is not given, payment for the lesson will still be due regardless. If lessons are being cancelled or rescheduled last minute more than twice in any given semester, we should have a conversation about whether the time/day and studio is a good fit for your life/schedule at the moment. As for tardiness, unfortunately I will not be able to extend lessons past the scheduled time and full payment will be due, so please do try to be on time!
**A note about sickness - I know sometimes in this Covid era it can be stressful wondering what is appropriate or okay to attend when we’re not feeling our best. I take Covid seriously and if I am feeling ill, I will offer a virtual or makeup lesson in order to respect you and your family’s safety, and I ask the same courtesy of you. If you or your child are feeling symptoms, I ask that you err on the side of caution and contact me 24 hours prior to cancel or schedule a virtual lesson/makeup lesson.
Policy for teacher absences:
Life happens to me sometimes too! If something comes up on my end, I will contact you with as much notice as possible, and provide the option of either a makeup lesson at a mutually convenient time, or to skip the lesson without payment (with a pro-rate of fees in cases of pre-payment.)
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Free Trial Lesson
Interested in learning more? Contact me at libbymboland@gmail.com to set up your free trial lesson!