Meet Sue van Wetten, ARCT

When children learn music in a fun-filled environment, they carry it with them for the rest of their lives.

Games and hands-on activities are an integral part of my teaching style. Children learn best when they are having fun.

I want students to love learning music and playing the piano. I teach popular music and easy/intermediate versions of well-known classical pieces they know and love. 

I supplement with fantastic music from many composers so students are exposed to a wide variety of music styles and genres. Long after they finish music lessons, students will have a repertoire of pieces that will mean something to them.

See the Studio Where My Students Learn

What I believe about teaching piano and music

Music and piano lessons is much more than learning to play ~ it’s about using music, the piano, the discipline of practicing and joy of learning as a catalyst to help students fulfill their potential.
Music lessons should be fun. I teach through games—on and off the piano bench—using visual, auditory and kinesthetic activities.
Parental involvement: When parents of beginners are involved both at their child’s piano lesson and with home practising, I have found students are more excited, committed and progress more consistently.
Creating a sense of community: Piano can be a solitary activity. Back to back students will get to know each other and, when possible, play music games. If it works out, piano parties will also offer students an opportunity to meet each other, play games and play the piano for each other.
Knowing my students as people: How children feel can have such an impact on their music experience every day. Together we take time to share our day before and after lessons. And sometimes … just for fun … I write piano compositions for their stuffed animals!
Learning music extends beyond the keyboard. Students play theory games, compose, transpose, learn how to play lead sheets and play popular music!  I encourage them to borrow from my music lending library. Exams will happen occasionally through Royal Conservatory of Music – but this is not my focus.

My Musical Journey

I was lucky enough to grow up in a home which had a baby grand piano. When my mother played a Chopin Nocturne, I would lean against the piano and something inside me was fierce to learn to play the piano. I was five years old.

Even though I asked for piano lessons from the age of five, my mother wouldn’t let me start until I was nine and a half years old.  She thought I wouldn’t practice! She was wrong.

Piano meant so much to me that I travelled an hour and a half (three buses) each way to go to piano lessons.  

Ten years after starting lessons, I started my ARCT in Piano Performance, and completed it in ten months—with first class honours.

My Mother’s Baby Grand

Now that you’ve learned a bit about me, I suggest that you review my studio policy.

Read my Piano Studio Policy
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