Creative

Piano

Lessons

Learn to Play the Piano

Explore Classical and Contemporary Music

Create Music by Composing, Improvising, and With ​Technology

Currently Enrolling New Students ​for September 2024

Hi! I’m Ian, my piano lessons focus on ​developing creative musicianship in ​addition to performance skills.

Lessons are student-centered and ​personalized, rooted in my ​knowledge and love of creating and ​playing music, and encourage life-​long music making.

As a musician and teacher, I’m ​serious about helping my students ​along their musical path, but I also ​know that sometimes the best way to ​do that is by being a little goofy - ​lessons should be fun, because music ​is fun!

Creative Pano Lessons with Ian Campbell is a safe place that ​welcomes people of all races, religions, gender identities and ​expressions, sexual orientations, and body types.

We respect, celebrate, encourage, and nurture the unique ​musical and creative possibilities of each individual.

Ian is an amazing piano teacher. He’s great at building lessons around students musical ​interests while seamlessly integrating theory and technique into any musical piece kids are ​learning. Ian is particularly great with neurodivergent kids, and adapting when kids are having ​a bit of an off day. He integrates fun into learning the piano and is always praising skills ​development, pointing out how much a student has grown. My kid has been a student of Ian’s ​for 3 years, all virtual, and we hope to continue with him for years to come. Highly ​recommend.

Alana

parent of Julian and Jo

About Me

I am an experienced music educator, ​pianist, composer, improvisor, and ​conductor.

I am passionate about teaching music ​holistically, nurturing my students’ creativity, ​and encouraging their musical interests.

I hold a Master of Music in choral ​conducting from the University of Manitoba, ​I spent two summers studying composition, ​counterpoint, and partimenti at La Schola ​Cantorum with the European American ​Musical Alliance in Paris, France. I hold a ​Bachelor of Music in piano and music ​theory from the University of Manitoba.

Ian is a very talented teacher, great with ​kids, and his expertise and interest in my ​son’s progress has been invaluable. He ​will not only help you to become a good ​pianist but also a well-rounded musician. ​The lessons have been customized to my ​son’s interests and abilities, but are also ​challenging. We couldn’t ask for a better ​teacher!

Carmen

parent of Matthew and Emma

Ian’s approach to teaching piano is ​unique, creative, and tailored to the ​individual student. Our children have ​become conversant in ‘the language of ​music’ since starting their lessons less ​than a year ago; they enjoy sitting down ​to the piano to play and have each ​worked on some of their own ​compositions with Ian’s guidance. We ​really appreciate Ian’s work with our ​children.

Andy

parent of Agnes and William

Programs

Ian is unfailingly patient with our kid. He ​is an expert at redirecting a distracted ​kid back to the piano, and he does it with ​humour and respect, and is great at ​showing support for her progress. We’ve ​recommended him to friends, and we’re ​recommending him to you.

Danny

parent of Libby

I would highly recommend Ian as a piano ​teacher. My son was a somewhat ​reluctant piano student and Ian’s ​patience, encouragement, and creativity ​instilled confidence, maintained interest, ​and inspired a love of music. In addition ​to being a gifted teacher, Ian is a brilliant ​pianist and composer. He is everything ​one would look for in a piano teacher.

Terri

parent of Jake

Piano Lessons for Kids

Think of all of the drawings and ​paintings they create, the ​playdough they sculpt, dances ​they jive to, stories they tell, ​games they come up with, the ​songs that they sing at the top of ​their lungs.

Your kid is so unabashedly, ​wonderfully creative.

I want to help your kid channel ​that creativity into their piano ​lessons. Rather than sitting up ​straight and playing only the ​music that is on the page, ​together we will write songs, and ​create songs spontaneously, learn ​to read music, understand how ​music works, and develop healthy ​hands at the piano.

Foundations

• The FOUNDATIONS program is for kids in Grade ​1 and above,
• the program lasts between 1 and 3 years
• Students will learn to read music, compose ​music, improvise, and learn to learn by ear
  

The FOUNDATIONS program can lead to CREATIVE ​or PERFORMANCE programs or turn into OFF-​ROADING as appropriate

Creative and Performance Stream

Both CREATIVE and PERFORMANCE programs are available to students who are:

• in Grade 3 or above,
  
• have completed the FOUNDATIONS program with Ian or have started lessons with another ​teacher,
  
• and have spent at least 1 year with Ian.
  

The CREATIVE and PERFORMANCE programs are a 9 month (Sept- June) commitment. Students ​are free to switch between programs at the end of each year.

Off-Roading

Some students—due to preference, personality or ​neurotype—thrive with a less conventional ​approach.

In OFF-ROADING lessons, students, parents, and I ​will find a path forward that is enjoyable, fulfilling ​and educational.

Some approaches I have taken in OFF-ROADING lessons are:

• Teaching songs though harmonic patterns (for example Pachelbel’s Cannon, Penny Lane and ​Jolly Old St Nicholas all share the same harmonic progression),
  
• Improvising and creating variations,
  
• Teaching wrote songs (learning song by ear),
  
• Composing/improvising songs spontaneously in lessons,
  
• Students are welcome to participate in the performance and recording opportunities from ​the CREATIVE and PERFORMANCE streams as they are comfortable and ready.
  

Piano Lessons for Adults

No matter your age, learning to play the ​piano can be a great adventure, an ​awesome hobby, and so much fun!

With your input I will customize your ​lessons to your interests and help you build ​your skills at the keyboard and your ​musicianship to achieve whatever goals ​you’ve set for yourself.

If you want to play classical repertoire or ​popular songs, just be able to sit down and ​improvise or compose your own music, or ​learn to play by ear: now is the time to start ​an amazing and fulfilling journey of learning ​to play the piano and making music.

Advanced + Intermediate Lessons

You have learned the basics, you can read music, ​learn repertoire, and you know some music ​theory. Congrats! That’s huge!

Do you feel like you are missing pieces or want to ​deepen your musical abilities?

Do you want to explore more advanced repertoire ​or different styles of playing?

Do you want to learn to compose or improvise?

The world of music is wide open to you! Let’s ​explore together!

Partimenti

/ par ti ˈmɛn ti /

Partimenti was one of the most powerful ​and common musical teaching methods in ​the western tradition of the 17th through ​19th centuries.

Through partimenti the student learns ​music by listening and responding to music ​stimulai.

Partimenti are two things:

1. an oral tradition and method of learning ​composition and improvisation at the ​keyboard,

2. instructional bass lines designed to ​teach harmony and counterpoint.

To learn morea bout partimenti and for ​information on the programs I offer, go to ​www.partimenti.ca.

Ian’s genuine love for what he teaches ​and enthusiasm for his students’ learning ​progress shine through his piano ​lessons. This honest and authentic ​personal investment makes the ​difference between a good teacher and a ​great teacher, and Ian is a great teacher.

His lessons are well-planned, balanced, ​and engaging. Not to mention, his ​extensive knowledge of the age-old, but ​now obscure craft of partimento, which ​informed some of history’s greatest ​composers, is a rare and precious gem in ​today’s world. I enthusiastically ​recommend Ian as a teacher to any ​student wishing to progress their piano ​skills and their understanding of music.

Alma

student

How Lessons Work

Lesson Schedule (2023-2024)

The lesson schedule is as follows:

• September 9 - December 13, 2024,
  
• Winter Break,
  
• January 6 - March 28, 2025,
  
• Spring Break,
  
• April 7 - May 30, 2025.
  
• Additional events will be scheduled throughout the year.
  

What You Need At Home

Piano set up:

• an electric keyboard or an acoustic piano (if you need help finding one contact me),
  
• a smart phone, tablet, or computer with a webcam and microphone, with internet access for ​online lessons.
  

Music:

• for students in Winnipeg, I will pick up your music for you and drop it at your home
  
• for students further afield, I will send you links to order the music online, send it by mail, or ​email PDFs
  
• I do this because often music publications look similar and have similar titles with slight ​variations
  
• any costs for music will be added to your monthly invoice
  

In-Person Lessons

I’m happy to see students in person. I teach out of my studio in the Minto area of Winnipeg’s ​West End. There is safe bike storage at the studio and 2 hour street parking in front of my ​studio.

Online Lessons

Online lessons are through Forte, a platform specifically designed for music lessons.

Before lessons begin I will e-mail an invitation to join Forte. This portal will provide your access to ​all online lessons. Check out Forte’s Help Center for more information or reach out to their ​customer service with questions, they are fantastic!

You will need a tablet or laptop.

Place your device at:

• either end of the keyboard so the camera will pick up the profile view,
  
• about 6 to 9 inches above the keyboard (propping the device on a small table with a few ​books works well),
  
• and at a right angle to the keyboard.
  

This allows the students to easily talk to me and for me to observe their technique and ​alignment at the piano.

Policies

To review all of my policies, click here.