Yes — to make real progress, your child will need access to a piano at home for daily practice. We recommend a full 88-key weighted keyboard at minimum, and ideally an upright or grand piano. If you're not sure where to start, Cristina is happy to discuss rental options that work for your budget. Having the right instrument at home makes all the difference!

For ages 3–4, lessons are 30 minutes — perfectly matched to a toddler's attention span. Children aged 5 and older typically do 30–45 minutes per session. Once a student has established a consistent practice routine at home, lessons can grow to 60 minutes — but we never rush that step. It happens naturally when the child is ready.

For children under 5, parents are strongly encouraged to sit in on every lesson. Cristina will show you exactly how to supervise practice at home — the right technique, posture, and approach — so your child builds good habits from day one. This matters more than most parents realise: bad habits practiced repeatedly become very hard to undo. You'll always leave knowing the week's assignments, whether that's singing the notes, clapping rhythms, or working on a specific passage — so you can guide home practice with confidence.

Absolutely! Complete beginners are always welcome. Starting from zero with young children is our favourite — no habits to undo, and the joy of discovery is pure and wonderful.

All lessons are in-person at the Mahwah studio. For beginners and younger children, in-person teaching is essential — proper posture, hand position, and bow hold all require hands-on correction that simply cannot be done through a screen. For students aged 8 and above who have already built a solid foundation, occasional online lessons may be considered — for example, to review homework, check progress, or work on musicality and expression. Please reach out to discuss your child's specific situation.

Absolutely — and this is a great question. Many children start on piano and later transition to violin or viola, which works beautifully because piano naturally builds the music reading and ear training skills that strings require. If your child has their heart set on violin or viola right away, we recommend starting with some foundational work first: learning to read treble clef, solfège singing, rhythm clapping, and developing pitch awareness. Once those basics are in place, learning a string instrument becomes so much smoother — because violin and viola demand a lot physically (bow hold, left hand finger placement, posture) and having a musical foundation already means your child can focus on the technique without being overwhelmed. Cristina will always guide you toward the path that sets your child up for the most enjoyment and success.