Are you ready for a joy filled routine of playing piano?
The Keyboard Collective helps learning and growing piano players to push through inconsistency and build a regular routine of practice and play. People fighting burnout or feeling spread too thin will find community support, accountable goal setting, and a joyful practice that brings you back to the piano again and again.
Does this sound like you?
This 12 week course will guide you through half of the circle of fifths, using unique content and a multitude of styles to deepen your knowledge and practice of piano. This is designed to help guide your learning and build structure in your practice, with room for creativity and personal goals. This class is priced to be comparable to private lessons, so that it is an accessible way to continue your piano learning.
The Keyboard Collective is a good fit for you if...
You have been playing piano for 6+ months
You are returning to piano after a long break
You took piano lessons as a child and would like to return to it
You play piano off and on and would like to build a regular routine
You play another instrument fluently and would like to apply your understanding of music to piano
You want to learn piano, but you want to play many styles of music, not just classical
The story behind the class
My journey as a music teacher started in large group settings- first in classrooms with children, then zoom rooms with adults, and know this cosmic internet portal (which also includes a zoom room).
When I took the leap away from other music schools, I knew that I wanted to grow my live group classes online. I’ve always viewed these containers as the place for the most opportunity, and I am so warmed and delighted by connecting with everyone in each call.
This is Your Moment
This piano class is designed to be accessible to as many people as possible, and is made available with captions and recordings to play back and practice along with. All musical selections are hand-picked with your level in mind, and will be taught with a spiralic approach, so that you can access the content no matter what stage you are in on your piano journey.
The music included in this class will feature a variety of genres, from classical, to blues, jazz, pop and contemporary styles of piano playing. All of the lessons will flow through a natural progression of skills, and will gradually advance in difficulty throughout. By the end of the class, you will have amassed skill at a variety of weekly lessons, as well as built a regular routine of practice, connected with a community of other music lovers, and focussed your own personal goals on the piano.
Choose the Plan that Works for You
Early Bird Pricing $250
Five Monthly Payments of $50
for august only
All pricing is on a sliding scale to make this class as accessible as possible. I’m offering early bird pricing for registration by the end of 2021 as a way to make this extra affordable, and to welcome you into this new course at the cheapest possible price!
Discounted Option $55 a month
five Monthly Payments
$275
For folks that aren’t able to pay the regular price. Especially for people who are in underrepresented groups.
Median Cost
$65 a month
five Monthly Payments
$325
This is the medium tier on the sliding scale pricing, to help keep this course affordable and to help cover all of the costs involved.
Full Value
$75 a month
five Monthly Payments
$375
The full value of the course, including the development of the learning resources and the softwares used to host this. I invite you to pay this option if it feels right and within your means, to help support the longevity of this program.
You Could Be…
Learning in community
Have you taken enough online classes where you stay on mute for 2 hours and walk away feeling less connected than when you started? That won’t happen here! Each class opens with check-ins, and there will be connection points embedded in the class, and opportunities to share your experience and support each other throughout.
Playing music in all styles
This is not a traditional, classical piano class. This is a piano class full of unique and varied styles of music. We will explore contemporary pop music, global composers, and dive into the wealth of styles that we can play on the piano.
leveling up your playing
This class is designed to reflect a full season of piano playing and personal growth. By joining this class, you are committing yourself to supportive community and to maintaining a regular practice of piano playing- if nothing else, at least during our time together once a week!
Get To Know Your Teacher
Kelsey is a multi-genre pianist who specializes in teaching a variety of styles of piano playing to adults. Kelsey's work is rooted in joy, expansive connections, and community building, and it is her goal to make music more accessible to everyone, and to break down the barriers of access in traditional music learning.
Let Yourself Feel Supported In
Music is a Language
The goal with learning music is to internalize it as naturally as a child learning to formulate words. Music is a language. At the root of music learning (and language learning) is listening. My education background is rooted in a method called “sound before sight,” which balances music literacy with listening and playing intuitively. Just as we would learn a new language, we will practice speaking, reading, writing, and listening throughout this class.
Play is intuitive
Play is the most intuitive form of learning. We see this in children, and in nature. Young learners practice new skills through joyful play. This is why many of us are drawn to learning an instrument. Rooting your learning in curiosity, joy, and fun will create a sustaining and impactful practice that you will want to return to again and again.
Learning is spiralic
The funny thing about learning an instrument deeply is that it is a lifelong practice. You make take classes or lessons in a way that ebs and flows, but you will return to this experience again and again, in new ways. Having any lifelong craft means that we will cycle through knowledge and skills repeatedly. This cycle is like a spiral, and each rotation through will elevate your understanding.
Community over competition
My driving philosophy in music, to create organic social environments where music can thrive. These classes are centered around community and connection, and everyone’s stage in their piano playing journey is celebrated and encouraged.
about the class
Keyboard Collective
This class includes:
A kickoff workshop about developing rituals and routines around your practice
A welcome video and virtual introductions when enrolled
12 live zoom calls and unlimited access to all replays
A breakdown of half of the cycle of the circle of fifths, learning to play 12 different keys of music
Sheet music in 12 different keys of music, with 15-25 different pieces available to you by the end of the four month period
Community discussions, learning partnerships, and opportunities to practice skills with your peers in the class
Personal goal setting and space to reflect on and adjust your goals together
What styles of music are included?
What really sets this class apart from any other piano class out there is the music used within. This class is designed to be a place to develop a regular piano practice, to structure your playing, and to experience a unique variety of musical styles.
Using all different styles of music, we will move through the first half of the circle of fifths. Each week you will open a new digital portal with a new scale for the week and the music selected in that musical key. As we progress through different tonal centers, we will also try on new styles and new challenges. Your music will range from classic to contemporary, blues to motown, rock, pop, and everything in between. Each new style will introduce new skills, from practice with hand independence, developing stylistic details, playing with new rhythms and time signatures, and listening to music you might now inside and out, or maybe something you’ve never heard before. Both will keep this class fresh and fun.
When we’ll meet:
The live sessions of the class will meet on Wednesdays, from 8:00-9:30 p.m. CST starting in September.
Using Podia
I’ve moved to the platform Podia for a few reasons. This platform has allowed me to design sliding scale payments and monthly subscriptions and payment plans to make these offerings truly accessible for more people. Podia also allows me to share a multitude of resources and messaging with you that you can refer to again and again as we continue through this course.
Choose the Plan that Works for You
“Kelsey makes playing fun! Her sense of style and know-how makes learning songs less daunting and more fun. Her arrangements are approachable and her skill at breaking down essential elements for us during class makes it possible to learn them more quickly and answers questions that I would have had trying it on my own. This makes my practice more effective sooner on my journey to learning to play a new song. She also tries to take our perspectives into account as she teaches. Other classes ask why you take them and then do not weave the answers into the course plan, but Kelsey tries hard to please while also being an excellent, well-rounded teacher.”
What Our Students Are Saying
“Because of Kelsey’s class I was able to have a fun way to celebrate the season. My mother-in-law was able to tune in from Nebraska and watch the performance. We learned songs from all different faith and cultural traditions as part of the class, which expanded my list of favorite holiday classics! Kelsey also taught us general tips on how to play for singalongs, which I can’t wait to use! I can’t wait for the next holiday season, I bought the caroling books that go along with the class materials to prepare for in-person caroling once it is safe again.”
“Kelsey is a wonderful piano teacher! I started lessons with her less than a year ago, and I can’t believe the progress I’ve made! She is kind, positive, and encouraging. Her explanations are very clear, and her suggestions for improvement are very helpful and achievable. In addition, she tailors her private lessons to meet the needs and personal goals of her students. It has been a great experience!”
“Above all, the keyboard caroling class is a truly great experience because of the community it creates. At the end of the five weeks, Kelsey organizes a public recital, where your friends and family can join to listen. Being unable to visit my family in December 2020, it was heartwarming when they all logged in to watch me perform – this was all thanks to Kelsey.”