FAQ

The Piano Prep School is located on the campus of Maranatha Baptist Bible College in Century House. The Prep School is easily accessible from Main Street –the sidewalk perpendicular to Main Street brings you directly to the Prep School’s front entrance.

Maranatha Piano Prep School faculty are specially trained to include a variety of music learning methodologies in both private lessons and group classes:

• Movement activities—Dalcroze Eurhythmics
• Improvisation activities—Orff and others
• Problem solving activities for listening, performing and creating—Wiggins
• 12 Step Conversational Solfege (Tonal and Rhythm Patterns)—Feierabend

Maranatha Piano Prep School faculty purpose to maintain well-balanced lessons:

• Technical Skills such as posture, arm weight, relaxed shoulders, good hand position, finger independence/thumb control, the basic drop, pedaling, 2-note slur, rotation etc.
• Technical Drills such as 5 finger patterns, scales, chords, cadences, and arpeggios
• Sightreading
• Improvisation
• Theory Concepts (via flashcards, theory books, and theory software programs)
• Educational and Classical Repertoire
• Sacred Arrangement Repertoire (if desired)
• Hymn Improvisation (if desired)

Maranatha Piano Prep School is a Christian environment where teachers truly care about their students.

Maranatha Piano Prep School faculty have the primary goal of developing well-rounded, life-long musicians, not merely “piano-typists.” Developing the students’ musical skills helps students learn other musical instruments with a much smaller learning curve.

Students have the opportunity to participate in several piano competitions and festivals:

• National Piano Guild Auditions (hosted at Maranatha Piano Prep School)
• National Federation of Music Clubs (hosted at Hartland Conservatory)
• The Achievement Program/National Music Certificate Program (hosted at Maranatha Piano Prep School)
• Wisconsin Association of Christian Schools Fine Arts Competition (Private Schools)
• Wisconsin Schools Music Association (Public Schools)
• Others

Students have the opportunity to perform in our newly remodeled recital hall for each semester.

Maranatha Piano Prep School is able to offer a first-class, well-rounded music education and still maintain competitive rates.

The Piano Prep School is officially open from the 3rd week in August through the 1st week in June:

FALL SEMESTER – 12 week semester: September – December
WINTER SEMESTER – 12 week semester: January – April
SPRING SESSION – 8 week session: April – June (no group)
SUMMER SESSION – 4 week session: Last two weeks in August and the first two weeks in September (no group)
Private lessons during the summer months are scheduled on an individual basis
For exact dates, please refer to “Important Dates.”

Both college faculty instructors and college interns (students who are studying piano pedagogy at college) teach private lessons and group classes.

All of the piano prep school faculty maintain a waiting list. While students may request to be placed on a specific faculty instructor’s waiting list (email jtschida@mbbc.edu), faculty instructors reserve the right to accept new students based on schedule openings as well as the student’s level, potential, goals, and work ethic. Also, an audition may be required.

• Private Piano Studio with two new Yamaha acoustic pianos
• Additional teaching studios on the 3rd floor of Old Main
• Piano Lab consisting of Nine Yamaha Clavinovas
• Recital Hall on 2nd floor—Burckart Hall
• 2 laptop computers for Music Educational Software Programs

The private lessons are scheduled at a mutually convenient time for both the student and teacher.
The group classes are pre-scheduled (see group classes).
The computer time is scheduled either 15 minutes before or after the private lesson.

We offer weekly group classes as an additional “perk” for all Maranatha Piano Prep School students.
No additional tuition is assessed for group classes.
See group class information.

Yes, non-Maranatha Piano Prep School students may/do enroll. 30 minute, 12-week semester classes are $60. Email janet.tschida@mbbc.edu

No, group classes are strongly encouraged, but optional.

Group classes…

• Provide confidence in playing for others
• Stimulate critical listening as students hear other students perform and comment on those performances
• Allow students to broaden their musical experiences
• Expose students to a variety of repertoire
• Provide a setting where drills and exercises are more interesting and motivating
• Facilitate the performances of ensembles including duets, trios, quartets and multiple ensembles
• Provide opportunities for supervised practice
• Establish a group dynamic that increases motivation
• Foster the development of communication skills
• Allow students to learn from peers as well as teachers

• Students may come 15 minutes before or stay after their private lessons to work on computer programs.
• The computer programs are programs that reinforce concepts learned during private and group lessons.
• No additional fees are assessed to students taking advantage of this offer.
• For computer usage policies and login info, see the “General Policies”
  Students wishing to use the computers should email janet.tschida@mbbc.edu 

Parents may park on Main Street in front of the Piano Prep School; however, the upper lot to the left of the main entrance is a much safer place to park.

Go to the south end of the Century House hallway, go into the lobby, take a right (west), and go into the room–the restroom is on the right side of this room. Restrooms are also located in the basement and on the 2nd and 3rd floors of Old Main.

A lost and found basket is in the waiting area by the Century House restroom. If you lose or forget something, feel free to email janet.tschida@mbbc.edu.

No, students do need to trim their nails before coming to lessons. Students also need to wash their hands before their lessons.

A coat rack is on the south end of the Piano Prep School hallway.

Feel free to pay online (See Financial Info-Policies). Please deposit written checks in the “Preparatory Payment Lockbox” located in the hall outside of the piano lab (1st floor of Century House), or mail to Maranatha Attn: Janet Tschida 745 W Main Street Watertown, WI 53094. To ensure your payments do not get misplaced, please avoid handing payments to teachers.

Please carefully observe copyright laws. (Using someone else’s book and making copies in lieu of purchasing the original is illegal.)

See Financial Information.

Infants (Early Childhood Music Program) through adults.

Complete the online registration form www.maranatha.musicteachershelper.com and secure a lesson time by mailing the first payment.