Enroll in Piano Lessons
Spring 2024 enrollment is now open
Dr. Boccard is currently accepting students of all ages and levels (starting at CHF 47.-/lesson)
Request a free trial lesson
Lessons Offered
Children
Teenagers
Adults
Group lessons for children and adults
Pre-College preparation
College students and professionals
Rehabilitation for injured musicians
Online lessons
Piano lessons in French and English
COURSES AND TUITION
Dr. Boccard offers more than 20 years of teaching experience including 12 in the USA where he has developed new teaching methodologies. He teaches children as well as adults and professional pianists. His teaching and his multidisciplinary approach is the synthesis of his years of teaching experience in the United States and Switzerland and focuses above all on a collective and participatory learning of music and the piano. More playful and in line with today's society, Dr. Boccard has been teaching this type of group structure for over 10 years and notices a higher motivation and learning for many children. Classes can be held either in French or in English.
The Boccard Piano School offers three study courses:
- Adagio Course: an introductory course for 5-6-year-old children
- Allegro course: a classic study course for beginner and intermediate children/adolescents aged 7 to 17
- Con Brio Course: An advanced private study course
ADAGIO
This 45-minute piano and musical initiation course in small groups of 2 to 4 students are intended for motivated children aged 5 and 6. This preparatory course offers students the opportunity to learn in a fun and relaxed setting as well as to discover the basics of piano technique by exploring listening, singing, improvising, and movement.
Prerequisites:
A strong desire to make music, learn and listen
Tuition per child:
(CHF 53.-/lessons)
ALLEGRO
In this 60-minute course in small groups of 2 to 3 students (7-17 years old), each student receives individualized instruction and advances at their own pace. Therefore, there is no need to be at the same level to enter the class. Students learn their pieces during the lesson in a relaxed setting and go home with confidence. The group structure offers the possibility of making music for 4 and 6 hands, learning music theory without pressure or exams, and making musical friends from the start of the learning process.
Prerequisites:
A strong desire to make music, learn and listen
Tuition per child:
(CHF 67.-/lessons)
A couple remaining open spots on Wednesday afternoon at 5 pm and 6 pm.
CON BRIO
This private course is mainly intended for adult students (beginners or advanced) and highly motivated children/teens. In this course, students generally possess either a solid musical foundation and/or can work regularly at home without help.
Prerequisites:
None for adults.
It is recommended that children follow the Allegro Cursus for a minimum of 2-3 years before entering a private lesson. Parents of students under the age of 12 are encouraged to attend lessons regularly and take notes.
Tuition :
(starting at CHF 47.-/lessons)
Weekly 20, 30, and 45 minutes lessons available.
“We are so grateful that Aurélien is our daughter’s first piano teacher. He is very patient, kind and encouraging and the piano teacher and role model I wished I’d found as a young girl. Our daughter looks forward to her weekly lessons. Aurélien is amazing with children and he creates an environment that is friendly and inspiring.”
“My child looks forward to every lesson... I see her progress. A benefit to these group lessons is that she holds herself more accountable because she wants to keep up with the other students. I think it’s a great option to private lessons.”
“Aurélien has been very professional in his approach with my grand daughter and at the same time warm and caring. She continues to enjoy her lessons with him and looks forward to each new session.”
STUDIO POLICIES
Calendar
Classes start September 28 août 2023 and end June 15, 2024. The summer semester is based on an à la carte system.
Class cancellation
A student who wishes to stop his lessons must notify the teacher, in writing, at least one month before the scheduled end of the lessons. After this period, school fees are due for the coming term.
Missed lessons
Lessons missed by the student, for whatever reason, will not be replaced or deducted from the number of fees. If the teacher is absent, the lesson will be placed in private or in a small group later.
Instrument
Daily contact with the instrument is essential for good musical development. Ideally, a student should have an acoustic piano at home, but a good weighted, 88-key electric piano is acceptable for the first two years of study only.
Auditions:
TBD
Master classes
TBD
Payment
Payment is made no later than the first of each month or:
• August 31 for the 1st quarter
• November 30 for the 2nd quarter
• Februry 28 for the 3rd quarter
The price is readjusted if a student joins the class in the middle of the term.
“Dr. Boccard is great with our son, who started piano lessons at age 13. We appreciate his knowledge and willingness to work with our son’s playing style.”
“Aurélien has an exceptional approach to fostering a child’s appreciation of music. The structure of his class is dynamic and engaging; he is exposing children to the piano but also core musical concepts like rhythm, soft and loud sounds, high and low notes. His approach is grounded in creativity, encouragement, and close observation of his students. In teaching piano, Aurélien has found his vocation.”
2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR
CALENDAR
The studio calendar is divided into two sessions: the school year session (September to June), and the summer session.
FALL LESSONS 2023
August 28: Fall lessons begin Start.
August 31: 1st quarter payment due
October 21 - 28: Fall break
November 30: 2nd quarter payment due
December 15: Last day of class:
December 23 - January 7: Christmas break
SPRING LESSONS 2024
January 8: Classes resume
February 17- 25: Winter break
February 28: 3rd quarter payment due
March 30- April 7: Easter Break
June 15: Last day of class
SUMMER LESSONS 2024
Summer lessons are scheduled at the end of the spring semester and start begining of July. Summer tuition is due at the frst lesson.
July 15: deadline for the CHF 100.- deposit towards fall tuition to reserve fall spot.
BREAKS
The following breaks are included in the tuition schedule and not subject to make-up lessons: Jeûne Genevois (Premier ou deuxième jeudi du mois de septembre), Vendredi-Saint, Lundi de Pâques , Jeudi de l'Ascension , Lundi de Pentecôte, 1er août (Fête Nationale).
Keyboard Injury Prevention
In his desire to transmit and help others through music, Dr. Boccard's interest has brought him to study and seek knowledge outside of the scope of music performance in fields such as biomechanics, human anatomy, somatic education, psychology, and coaching. He has been working in the field of injury prevention for pianists and musicians with some of today's leading methods and approaches such as the Lister-Sink method, the Taubman approach, and Alan Fraser’s approach to technique. Dr. Boccard's interest in holistic methods has brought him to work intensively with Alexander technique teachers and Feldenkreis® practitioners. He is also a practitioner of the Tomatis® Method, a technique of sound sensory stimulation that has tremendous success in helping children and young adults with developmental delays, psychomotor difficulties, attention, and communication disorders.
Dr. Boccard has been working in the field of keyboard injury prevention for more than ten years with some of today's leading methods and approaches such as the Lister-Sink method, the Taubman approach, Alan Fraser’s approach to technique, and Effortless Playing with Nancy Reese. Dr. Boccard's interest in holistic methods has also brought him to work intensively with Alexander technique teachers and Feldenkreis® practitioners. He also uses the Tomatis® Method and Forbrain® to help pianists and musicians improve their listening, musicality, and fine motor coordination as well as NLP techniques to help boost concentration, memorization, and confidence. Dr. Boccard is constantly seeking new neuro-pedagogical methods to helps his students improve their musicality, technique, well-being, and overall musical experience.
Dr. Boccard's extensive knowledge can provide injured pianists or simply pianists who experience limitations in their playing a unique solution. Retraining usually requires an extensive period of time as it takes time and patience to relearn new healthy habits at the keyboard.
The Dorothy Taubman Approach is based on a series of different motions and skills that are gradually integrated into a facile, healthy, and expressive technique. This approach has been used to help injured musicians for several decades with great success. Dr. Boccard is a regular attendee of the Golandsky Summer Symposium in Princeton (NJ) and has worked actively with John Bloomfield, Robert Durso, and Edna Golandsky. Dr. Boccard is currently training with Beth Grace in Kansas City.
The Barbara Lister-Sink Method treats the mechanisms of both the piano and the human body through a systematic approach - from the simplest coordination of the most fundamental levels of sound production to the most complex kinetic patterns. It is strongly using the principle aspects of the Alexander Technique on muscular and mental release. Dr. Boccard worked for many years with Dr. Lister-Sink and her revolutionary method. He also completed a Keyboard Injury Certificate with Dr. Lister-Sink In Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Alan Fraser's approach connects the Feldenkrais Method and piano technique to reeducate injured pianists by becoming aware of their neuro-motor ability and skeletal structure. Fraser's background in Feldenkrais plays a large part in the unique view he brings to piano technique; Dr. Boccard attended several of Fraser's summer symposiums and is very familiar with this keyboard approach.
Effortless Playing by Nancy Reese is a unique technical approach going against most current common pianistic ideas. Some of them are: to overcome gravity, the suspension is the key, not relaxation. The use of the body is primordial as the arms are suspended by the torso. Dr. Boccard has worked several times with Nancy Reese over the last few years.
About
Dr. Boccard has 20 years of experience teaching piano to all ages and levels, including college students. His multi-disciplinary approach to music focuses on: technique, body mapping, theory, history, various styles, memorization, floor activities, computer games, and performance training. Dr. Boccard's students participate in recitals, masterclasses and festivals in the Kansas City area. Most of Dr. Boccard’s students enter the Royal Conservatory of Music program earning the highest scores.
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with a beginner student here
with an advanced student here
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tuition
A variety of pricing options are offered based on lesson length, frequency and level.
Contact the Studio for more information about children and adult private tuition.
Dr. Boccard's
qualifications
A highly trained and certified pianist, Dr. Boccard has obtained many music degrees and certifications in both Europe and the USA.