Kodály-based beginner piano and musicianship lessons for children aged 4 and up
Hello, I’m Caitlin!
I am a qualified Kodály music teacher, with a First Class music degree and a PGCE, and have been teaching children piano for 15 years. Piano teaching is very dear to me, and over the years – especially since having children myself – I have seen how powerful early experiences of music are for children. As such, I work mainly with children aged 4-8 as their very first piano teacher, which is a true privilege. I have developed an approach to teaching founded on the Kodály system, and aim to spark children’s love of, and connection with, the piano – which I hope will last a lifetime.
I am delighted to be able to offer piano lessons to new students starting in September 2025. All lessons take place at my home in LS8 (near Gledhow Valley Woods). We have a beautiful mahogany Yamaha upright piano, as well as sofas in the teaching room for you to watch/listen to the lesson each week. I have books, toys and colouring pads for your children to play with while their sibling’s lesson is taking place, and you are also welcome to help yourself to tea and biscuits from the kitchen.
I offer a range of lesson formats to make my piano lessons accessible to families. You can choose from a 20 minute, 30 minute or 40 minute lesson, either one-to-one or in a small group:
20 minute lessons – Children aged 4-5 only, one-to-one
30 minute lessons – Children aged 4+, one-to-one and small group (2-3 children)
40 minute lessons – Children aged 4+, either 2 siblings or 2 friends, each having a 20 minute lesson one after the other
A key principle of my approach is to involve the child’s family in their learning. So, as a parent/grandparent you are encouraged to stay with the children, being present for and listening to their lesson. You are also welcome to bring multiple children with you e.g. an older sibling/s having a lesson while your baby/toddler plays quietly with you. Children are always absorbing the environment around them, so bringing additional children to the lesson not only teaches the skill of listening/turn-taking but also supports your child’s development as they absorb the musicality around them.
Some parents choose to organise a small group lesson, either for their 2 children together, or for their child and their child’s close friend from school; I can teach a small group lesson of 2 or 3 children at a time. Please note, small group lessons are only available as a 30 minute lesson.
My aim for your child is to inspire a love and enjoyment of music. My experiences as a teacher over many years have shown me that the most important, foundational, core aim for a child when learning an instrument is for them to ENJOY the piano. I take away all pressure from your child, and aim to have fun, to take time over what we enjoy, and teach with patience and kindness. For this reason, I do not take children through graded exams, but if we collectively feel – as teacher and parent – that it’s the right thing for your child, I can work with an ABRSM grade 1-3 book, including aural exercises, in a non-pressured way.
As a mother, I have personal experiences of neurodiversity, which I draw on when attuning myself to your children’s needs. I am led by your child’s interests as well as providing structure to maintain concentration, and aim to channel their after-school energies into expressive piano playing!
My availability for lessons is Mondays and Fridays after school. There is currently a waiting list for all classes; if you would like to be added, please contact me using the form below. For all new students, I offer a trial lesson (paid for at the standard rate). Then, if you feel I am the right fit for your family and decide to continue with me, I invoice half-termly in advance.
What families say…
Caitlin’s approach with my daughter allowed her to form a connection to playing the piano that was meaningful, and relaxed. My daughter’s joy in creating and playing music is what we are so thankful to Caitlin for. She is clearly very skilled technically and also works wondrously with children.
Sharon
Caitlin is a knowledgeable and enthusiastic teacher. She engages with my children on their level and they love their piano lessons.
Helen
Our daughter Willow absolutely loved her piano lessons! Caitlin made learning fun and engaging, always tailoring the lessons to her individual needs. She truly looked forward to attending each week, and we’re so grateful for the positive experience.
Maggie
Having piano lessons with Caitlin is always fun… she is very good at teaching, she knows how to make me feel motivated to try my best!
Aulia
The Kodály Approach and what to expect in piano lessons
I incorporate some core principles of the Kodály Approach into my instrumental teaching work. Parental involvement/observation of lessons is encouraged as this can help you with ideas for bringing the piano into your home and as part of your family routine. The more you can play the songs and games from class at home, the more deeply the music will enrich your family´s life.
You may observe some of the following in your child´s piano lessons:
- Singing melodies as well as playing (Kodály believed the voice was our most important instrument and so inner tuning should be taught before instrumental playing)
- Body percussion – Tapping/clapping/stamping/dancing the pulse/rhythm of a song or rhyme before playing (helps to engage the body and muscle memory, children under 7 in particular are experiencing learning through the body)
- Inner hearing – the development of the thinking voice, very important for ensemble work and a ´mastery´ skill (e.g. if a song has a rest somewhere in it, we might add a nod to help us ´think´ the note in our heads)
- Music Mind Games are simple, age-appropriate theory games which I introduce alongside piano playing to develop aural abilities
- Preparation – Presentation – Practice is key to Kodály education and affects the musical language I will use around your child. i.e. I won´t use the words ´pitch´, ´rhythm´, ´pulse´ until I can tell that your child has understood how to recognise and perform these elements accurately first using lots of preparation songs. When I am sure they are ready, I will present the element and then we will practice it to reinforce learning.
- Whilst we may use a children´s piano book and various theory resources, my lessons are always child-led. I focus on your child´s interests and follow their ideas, going with their flow and occasionally adding in structures to help them settle into the lesson. This means, particularly for the younger children, sometimes the lesson goes off on a tangent, depending on your child´s mood. I love the variety that children come up with. I have had children create piano stories based on leitmotifs of their favourite animals as well as children who want to work out how to sight-read a simple piece of music backwards!
- Most importantly, Kodály music must be enjoyable! You will only see me praise your child, and use positive language. Kodály believed that the child must develop their own sense of internal relationship with music, such that it becomes a treat or a game, rather than a chore. So, I don´t usually set ´homework´ that ´has´ to be done by next week, but might ask the children to play a piece they already know at the beginning of the lesson from memory/without help etc. This reinforces past learning without the ´I forgot to practice´ guilt. An actively musical household is encouraged, so you as the parent could however play their songs on the piano and invite them to join you, only if they want to.
Music at Heart 