Piano Studio
MUSICAL EXCELLENCE FOR OVER 35 YEARS
My name is Toni Huff. Thank you for visiting my site. I’m excited to set up shop here in South Carolina and have had the privilege of teaching more than a dozen students already. I had a similar studio in the Los Angeles and Chicago areas for over 35 years. I am very comfortable teaching beginners of all ages as well as intermediate and advanced students through high school and adulthood.
I studied piano all through childhood into college, where I was a vocal performance Major and sang opera (where I met my husband). I have studied over the years on my own and have accompanied church choirs. worship teams and vocal solos as well.
My Approach
Included in each lesson is instruction in scales/chords and technical exercises, sight reading, ear training, improvisation and music theory. Then we learn our repertoire. While my main emphasis is in the repertoire of classical music, I like to expose my students to all genres. I teach from many different kinds of piano books, and I have developed my favorites (tried and true) books over the years.
One of the unique things about how I teach is that I will instruct your child particularly in how to practice; precisely how to fill that 30 minutes where they are alone. I believe that it is so important how my students practice when in the privacy of their own home. This is such an important discipline! Sloppy or undisciplined practice (just filling up the practice time) wastes time and is discouraging. The more effectively they practice, the faster they will progress as a student and enjoy learning! Here is how. Each week, I will record (on their device) exactly what I require of them for the week in each book. The parent can know what is required and provide encouragement. For example, if a young student is having a hard time learning to count, I demonstrate on the recording counting while playing the correct rhythm! It’s the next best thing to me being there.
I’ve taught piano this way for many years and have had great results.
Tuition
Tuition is due in advance of the coming month, at the first lesson of the month. The cost of tuition remains the same for each month whether there are three, four or five 'lesson days' in any given month.
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Beginning students: Tuition is $108 for one month of thirty- minute lessons.
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Intermediate students: Tuition is $150 for one month of forty-five-minute lessons.
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Advanced students: Tuition is $200 for one month of sixty-minute lessons.
Read more about lesson recommendations, my absence policy,
summer lessons, recitals, and more in my full list of policies.
"Toni is a wonderful, Godly woman and an exceptionally gifted musician and teacher. I entrusted my children to her because I knew her passion to develop not only their musical acumen but also to encourage their desire to honor God through music. Her attention to detail & musical excellence is only surpassed by her genuine love for children and their emotional and spiritual well-being. She seeks to rigorously teach and train them musically from her wealth of classical and sacred music knowledge. My kids always came home excited and motivated after each lesson. Toni instilled in them a work ethic to spend time practicing out of a willingness to improve and not just because mom said it's time to practice. We miss her and hope that you and your children will enjoy the gift of music that Toni Huff can bring into your home."
-Elizabeth Hawn
"Toni was my piano teacher for over 12 years. She taught me, as a beginner, how to master the art of piano playing. She taught me how to take a simple song, add technique, dynamics, and feelings and make it come to life; creating my own masterpiece. Her love and appreciation for classical music seeped through her lessons; making even the least known composers seem extraordinary! I enjoyed every minute of our weekly lessons and would count the days down to our next. She taught me how to properly practice and be diligent to work out wrong notes and fingering. She also would give me a little push when I was being lazy. She was strict but very kind. Recitals were mandatory each year and looking back I truly dreaded playing in front of people. But now, I play nearly every Sunday in front of our church. Thanks to my recitals and Toni for pushing that stage fright out of me! Our lessons were not just about learning the piano. Her Christian life was also a great encouragement to me. She taught me how to show the love of Christ through piano playing. Toni was always there to listen and give advice; whether it was for piano or for everyday life. Making a point too, she built a relationship with each one of her students. She wasn’t just a piano teacher to me, she became my close friend and mentor. I am so grateful to her for all the wisdom she gave me; for piano playing and for life! Her joy to play and teach this wonderful instrument created a desire in me to teach piano as well. With her help and guidance I was able to begin teaching. I have students of my own now and have been teaching for many years. I look back on my piano lessons with all the fondest memories. Memories of sitting in her cozy piano studio, breathing music and being taught this great gift will always be near to my heart! "
-Kelle Rose Bliss
"Toni is a fun, engaging teacher! She is quite clear in her expectations, which makes it easy for kids to follow her instructions. She has a real gift for cultivating a love for music within my children. Toni tunes the mind to hear the different tones and the hands to convey what the music is supposed to give. My two boys still draw upon her groundwork to this day even though we moved away sometime ago. They are now middleschoolers with a dedication to music and performance."
-Bethany Szobody