Throughout our web site we emphasize the importance of studying piano, and this is simply for many of the same reasons that ALL music conservatories have a piano requirement: piano is the universal instrument that teaches musicians important musical concepts not possible on any other instrument.

However, this could not be MORE true for a singer. It is crucial that every singer learn enough piano to be able to "plunk out" the notes of a melody to learn a song. The only other way for a singer to learn a song is by imitating a CD (and you do not need to pay a teacher big bucks to do that!)

More advanced study of piano simply provides the singer a deeper understanding of music, and therefore a better ability to sing. Just as all scientists must learn math as the parallel discipline to their primary study, all musicians must learn piano. Just as physicists must learn MORE math than almost any other scientist (except maybe high level computer scientists), so must a singer learn MORE piano than other musicians must. Piano is simply that important to a singer.

Further, all singers learn to sing "with piano" as their primary performance modality. Few singers can sing "a capella" and stay in tune - without many years of practice and/or special musical gifts. And even fewer have a musical band or orchestra at their finger tips to accompany them. Since a piano will always be accompanying them onstage, the more they understand what they are doing the better the singer is able to be "part of the team", and especially "not get lost". A singer who is able to accompany himself/herself (at least for practice) is several steps ahead of the crowd, and a singer who can perform in this capacity is often a much more appealing performer. (No need to pay for the accompanist!)

All our voice students are encouraged to study piano to the highest degree possible, and lessons will always include important piano plus voice skills that will help the singer to sing better in performance.

(See Why Piano? for more information on the importance of piano.)