Lynn's Piano Lessons

Summer Recital 2023:

Parents and students, thank you so much for all your hard work for this summer's recital! There were 26 wonderful performances that we watched together on Zoom, on Jun 24. We also enjoyed a fun 'Recital Quiz' afterwards, and Emily & Alexander Sun's family was our winner. Families voted for the most impressive performance, and Morand Yu won the Audience Choice Award! I believe that we all appreciated and celebrated each other's improvement through the recital.

If you are considering signing up for piano lessons with me and would like to watch the previous recitals, please contact me via email.

I recently asked my students, “What would your life be like without piano?” I was surprised by their answers because they knew the benefits of learning piano so well. For example, they said they feel various emotions as they practice, and they feel proud as they master the pieces. They understood that music improves their mental health by catharsis, even though they did not know how to explain it. Not only are there emotional benefits, but there are also physical benefits such as development of certain parts of the brain resulting in improvement of reading and math skills, as well as the benefits related to attitude such as learning the power of persistence, developing time management skills and creativity, and learning how to perceive various concepts in this world. Music has made my life more beautiful and meaningful, just like painting adds vitality to a picture drawn with a pen. That is why I enjoy teaching piano with the belief that music can enrich my students’ lives as well.
My goal of teaching piano is to enable my students to enjoy music throughout their life. I hope they will find the joy of playing the piano, experience the excitement of making music, and appreciate the beauty of different styles of music. To this end, I carefully select pieces or books that suit my students, keeping their tastes and abilities in mind. For example, I make sheet music for several children's songs for younger beginners, so that they could enjoy it. I also use a variety of activities or games to teach different concepts, especially for younger students: M&Ms Challenge, Treasure Hunt, Memory Game, etc. I sometimes let them choose the next piece they want to learn so that they will be eager to practice. I also teach my students how to appreciate music and encourage them to regularly create their own music. I hold recitals twice a year to celebrate their improvement together and hold several sight-reading contests to encourage them to practice consistently.
I also believe that students can learn best in an atmosphere where they feel safe and are encouraged. That is why I use positive words only, to assure my students that I am here to support them and not to criticize them. For example, I use the word 'different' instead of 'wrong' and try to find something positive even in the students' mistakes. I often compliment their ability to notice and correct their own mistakes. In addition, I am always a smiling piano teacher who genuinely loves her students. I pray not only for them to improve in piano, but also to lead better lives, because I love them.
I was lacking in knowledge and experience when I started teaching my own children ten years ago. However, I learned so much over the past three years since I started using Faber Piano Adventure as a method book series for beginners. Soon I also started having my students use the Four Star Sight-Reading & Ear Tests and Celebration series. I have been encouraging my students to take the RCM exams because it is well designed to comprehensively enhance students’ musical development. I could witness the huge benefits in my students who finished their RCM exams successfully. I took the Elementary Piano Teacher Course in 2021, in which I learned so much.
Although I am usually sensitive to attitude changes in my students, I also need parents’ support such as observing the students’ learning attitude and communicating with me to decide on the teaching methods and suitable types of homework.
I guide my students to set short-term and long-term goals, and encourage daily practice individually considering their learning style and abilities. Every student is different in their innate ability and learning style. I believe that teachers are responsible for helping them enhance their strengths and overcome their weaknesses, with patience and wisdom. I want to become such a teacher, helping her students celebrate the joy of music throughout their lives. To this end, I am constantly learning. (Written in 2021)

(In Korean)
Lynn(김영인)은 한국에서 태어나서 5세에 엄마로부터 피아노를 배우기 시작했고, 그 이후로 피아노를 치기 싫었던 기억은 한 번도 없을 정도로 피아노와 음악을 사랑했다. 초등학교 2학년 때 피아노 전공자에게 레슨 받기 시작하여 5년 후에는 RCM level 9 에 해당하는 곡들을 연주할 수 있었고, 피아노 선생으로부터 전공을 해 보라는 권유를 받았지만 포기하였고 대학에서는 약학을 전공했다. 그렇지만 교회 예배 반주와 음악 동아리 활동을 통해, 그리고 집에서 틈이 날 때 마다 늘 피아노를 가까이 하고 찬양곡 작곡 활동도 계속 했고, 서울 콘서바토리에서 재즈작곡 코스를 3학기 수강했다. 그 이후로 약사로서, 선교사로서, 언어학 테크니션으로서, 여러 나라에서 살며 여러가지 일을 하면서도 음악에 대한 열정을 잃지 않았고, 2009년 이후로 자녀들과 주변 사람들에게 필요에 따라 피아노 레슨을 하며, 피아노를 통한 음악의 즐거움을 나눠왔다. 2017년 이후로 캐나다에서 피아노 교사로서 학생들을 가르치기 시작했고, 2020년의 판데믹 상황 중에도 온라인으로 레슨을 계속했다. 그 한 해 동안만 해도 몇몇 학생들이 총 7회의 RCM 시험을 우수한 성적으로 통과했으며 2021년에는 한 학생이 OMFA Virtual Provincial Final에 참가하여 그룹 안에서 3위를 차지하였다. 같은 해 RCM Piano Teacher Course를 통해 전문성을 키웠고, RCM level 8 이론과 실기 시험을 First Class Honours로 통과하여 2022년 1월 부터는 RCM Certified Teacher의 자격을 얻었다.

그는 레슨할 때에 항상 웃음을 잃지 않고 학생의 상황을 깊이 이해하며 긍정적인 방법으로 문제를 해결하도록 애쓰는, '인내심 많은' 선생님이라는 말을 자주 듣는다. 꾸준한 연습이 때로는 고통스럽다는 것을 이해하기에, 그는 학생들의 진보에 박수와 환호를 아끼지 않고, 학생들은 더욱 성취감을 느끼며 노력하게 된다.

그는 매일 아침 그 날 만날 학생들을 떠올리며 때로는 가슴이 벅차고, 어떻게 그들을 효과적으로 도울 수 있을지 고민하며 기도하는 것이 그에게 에너지를 준다. 피아노를 통해 음악을 배워가는 기쁨을 학생들에게 나누어주는 것이 그에게는 너무나 큰 만족과 보람을 주는 일이기에, 학생들을 만날 수 있는 하루하루가 하나님께 감사할 뿐이다.

Hello! I'm Lynn (Young In), a piano instructor and an amateur composer. Music has made my life more beautiful and meaningful, just like paint can add vitality to a picture drawn with a pen. That is why I enjoy teaching piano with the belief that music can enrich my students’ lives as well.
As an RCM certified teacher, I specialize in elementary piano, from beginners to RCM level 4, but I am also able to teach the intermediate level. My lessons consist of music theory, technical requirements, sight reading, ear training, music history and composition, in order to help the students grow into well-rounded musicians. Upon request, I can also teach how to play chords to accompany songs by reading chord symbols only. As the pandemic draws to a close, I continue to offer both in-person and online lessons.
I hold recitals twice a year to celebrate students' improvement together. I also hold several sight-reading contests to encourage them to practice consistently. I'm familiar with the RCM exam, so several students of mine have been very successful with their exams at different levels.
I believe that students can learn best in an atmosphere where they feel safe and encouraged. That is why I use positive words only, to assure my students that I am here to support them and not to criticize them. Every student is different in their innate ability and learning style. I believe that teachers are responsible for helping them enhance their strengths and overcome their weaknesses with patience and wisdom. I'm constantly learning to become such a teacher, helping students celebrate the joy of music throughout their lives.