Sara Araujo
Teaching Philosophy
My teaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that every student has the capacity to develop musical skills and artistry when guided by structure, patience, and inspiration. They deserve the opportunity to reach their highest potential, regardless of their age or background. I remain committed to helping all students achieve meaningful progress and personal fulfillment through piano study.
Curricular decisions are made collaboratively, considering student interests and parental expectations while guided by pedagogical principles. I emphasize the value of classical repertoire and pedagogical works, as these foster reading skills, technique, and musical understanding. Student preferences are also incorporated, ensuring motivation and engagement; when repertoire is beyond current ability, we work on preparatory material that builds toward long-term goals.
My scope of instruction includes theory, aural skills, sight-reading, technical development, and performance preparation. These elements are introduced from the earliest stages, providing the student with tools for confident musicianship. I approach technical study as a tool for expression, with careful attention to the relationship between musical ideas and the physical means required to realize them. When challenges appear, we identify and refine the underlying technical elements. I encourage memorization selectively to strengthen concentration, performance security, and interpretive depth.
Practice expectations are individualized, based on developmental stage, external commitments, and long-term objectives. Parents are encouraged to provide consistent support, particularly with younger children, by attending lessons and guiding home practice.
Live performance needs to be a tangible goal, rather than something that might happen in the distant future. That is why participation is encouraged as soon as possible. This experience should be fulfilling and in celebration of the milestones that they reach; hence I work with each student in preparation for these events regardless of their level.
Ultimately, my goal is to empower students with the skills, confidence, and curiosity to make music a meaningful part of their lives, while cultivating discipline, artistry, professionalism and integrity as part of their core values.
On developing proficient musical skills…
Every musical skill that a student develops contributes toward the final goals, which are performance and musical understanding. When a student understands what lies behind a touching performance or what are the pillars upon which a beloved piece is built, their enjoyment of music increases, and it fosters long-lasting curiosity and a desire to aim higher each time.
Focusing on the practical benefits of proficient musicianship, each skill that they master expands the areas in which students can experience music. Talking about piano, this could be accompanying, ensembles, or even composing. When it comes to repertoire, being able to sight-read, master rhythmic complexities, and having analytical skills and a trained ear all contribute to making the learning process easier and more time efficient. In turn, this leads to confident, enjoyable and successful performances. It is a never-ending cycle in which the better the students become at these skills, the more music they want to explore and are able to balance their artistic goals with the advancing stages of life.
As teachers, we cannot act as if these elements do not pertain to our instrument. We must beat the instinct to prioritize repertoire due to the limited amount of lesson time. We must keep in mind the goal to form well-rounded musicians that eventually need to become able to approach repertoire on their own and any gaps in their musical education eventually catch up with them and can lead to frustration.