About Hong Xiao (Sarah)
Sarah is a dedicated music educator specializing in piano, singer-songwriter coaching, ear training, and beginner to intermediate music theory. She offers lessons online and in-home, aiming to create a dynamic and inclusive learning environment. With an ARCT in Classical Piano Performance and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Music Applications and Technology. Fluent in English and Mandarin, Sarah's holistic teaching philosophy prioritizes creativity, confidence, and a lifelong love for music, fostering essential life values like discipline and perseverance.
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My teaching philosophy revolves around fostering a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that nurtures creativity, confidence, and a lifelong love for music. I believe that every student is unique, with distinct learning styles and aspirations. As an educator, my goal is to tailor my approach to meet each student where they are, encouraging their individual growth and celebrating their personal successes. I prioritize creating a safe and supportive space where students feel empowered to explore and take risks in their musical journey. By infusing enthusiasm, patience, and innovative teaching methods into every lesson, I aim to inspire a love for music that extends far beyond technical proficiency. I began lesson's from a very young age and learned in a fairly strict environment. It took me a lot of experimenting to fully understand and appreciate how important music can be in everyday lives, and now I cannot go a day without It! I strive to instill not only musical skills but also essential life values such as discipline, perseverance, and the joy of self-expression through music. Ultimately, my purpose as a teacher is to guide and empower students to discover the transformative power of music, whether Classical or Pop piano, and foster a lifelong passion and appreciation for the art.
Name: Hong Xiao (Sarah) (Full name will be provided upon registration)
Age: 24
Gender: female
I have my Associate of the Royal Conservatory in Classical Piano Performance, which includes theoretical studies up to advanced harmony and history. In elementary school, I tried as many different instruments as I could, violin, cello, clarinet, trumpet, eventually settling on percussion throughout high school and playing drums for my senior year. I've had the opportunity to perform with the school Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Pitt Band as a pianist and percussionist, and as a pianist I've competed in regional and provincial Kiwanis competitions. In my third year of University, I continued my music education at the University of Sydney in music psychology, performance and production. I graduated McGill University with a B.Sc in Psychology and minor in Music Applications and Technology.
1. Kiwanis Music Festival, 2013 2. Senior Piano Romantic Division - Period Top Performer - 2012 3. Senior Instrumental Strings Award, 2012 4. Jacquie Dancyger Arnold Competition, 2012 Third Place 5. Provincial Kiwanis Competition, 2013 Seventh Place 6. Kiwanis Gold and Silver Placements, 2010 - 2015 7. Multiple Gold and Silver Placements across various years (2010 to 2015)
From an early age, my musical journey unfolded across diverse instruments and experiences, sculpting a versatile foundation that enriches my approach to teaching piano. Earning my ARCT in classical piano solidified my dedication to musical proficiency, laying the groundwork for a comprehensive understanding of musical theory and performance. My musical ventures expanded beyond piano, resonating through concert bands, jazz bands, and pit bands, amplifying my appreciation for ensemble dynamics and different musical genres. Engaging in numerous musical theatre productions broadened my horizons, integrating music with storytelling and performance—an experience that resonates deeply with my teaching philosophy. What sets my teaching approach apart is this multidimensional background. Drawing from experiences across instruments, bands, theatre productions, and diverse musical skills, I embrace a holistic approach to piano instruction. Just as teaching music to actors shares common ground with instructing children, my multifaceted experience allows me to approach piano education with a versatile, adaptive, and engaging methodology that resonates with students on multiple levels.
English
Mandarin
Rates and Studio Policies
Registration Fee: $25.00 (One-time lifetime registration fee may be used by all family members)
Rates for instruction:
30 minute private lesson: $39.00
45 minute private lesson: $49.00
60 minute private lesson: $59.00
Travel charge: additional $15.00 per visit (for lessons in a client's home as opposed to my studio)
1. Cancellation Policy
Lessons not cancelled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours notice are billable to the client and payable to the teacher. This does not of course apply to travel fees unless the notice is effectively given at the door and the teacher has travelled to the location.
2. Cessation (quitting) Policy
A client must provide a 2 lesson notice period to stop lessons. So a weekly student needs to give 2 weeks of notice, a biweekly student works out to 3 weeks notice and a twice weekly student works out to a week of notice.
3. Illness Policy
Lessons cancelled due to illness or extraordinary circumstances with less than 24 hours notice remain billable to the client and payable to the teacher.
BAH teachers are encouraged to offer a make-up lesson at a future date in the interest of client relations and general goodwill. This only makes sense as teaching a student with the flu for example, will ruin the rest of your week's employment.
No more than 2 lessons may be made up due to illness within a 60 day period.
4. Rescheduling Policy
Any lesson can be cancelled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours notice.
Summer Vacation and Extended Absence Policy
Clients may schedule longer absences for trips etc. 24 hours notice is required.
It is normal and typical for students and about 20% of our teachers to schedule a break in the summer. We do not enforce a notice period (see cessation of lessons) at the end of a long summer break.
5. Evaluation Period
There are no free trial lessons with Beethoven at Home but we do offer a 2 lesson evaluation period where it is easy to try out a teacher. There are no free lessons during the evaluation period and clients may choose to discontinue the lessons at any time by providing the required 24 hours notice. After the student's 3rd lesson the required 2 lesson notice period will apply (see cessation of lessons above).
Lessons in your home
Hong Xiao (Sarah) is available to teach in your home if you are located in the following areas
Online lessons
Hong Xiao (Sarah) can provide online instruction. While other platforms are possible BAH strongly recommends the use of the Zoom video conferencing platform as it is optimized for music lessons and audio quality.