My first semester

[eins]

I'm a beginner from ground zero. I had a hard time committing to a private teacher that I didn't know, for a subject that was totally new to me, and the anticipated cost of private lessons didn't exactly motivate me either to go that route. I happen to work just across from the community college here in Mission Viejo, CA. It is Saddleback College https://saddleback.edu/ . So I researched and found they offer piano classes for beginners. The first new semester (6-week summer, very compacted; one unit, $36) would start in four weeks, six weeks after I bought my piano. I registered and was accepted. That was then.

May 23 was the first day. We were about 25 students, from all walks of life. Music majors, students that needed the credit, members of a band, parents, and just people like me who wanted to learn to play for their own enjoyment. We were divided into two groups, absolute beginners, and students with already one semester behind them.
 
The beginner's group went through new material of music theory and technique at the beginning of every lesson. Then we got to play on the digital pianos they have in the classroom, with our headsets on. The teacher would come to each of us to check off our performance and make suggestions. There were three quizzes and today, June 29, was the final examn. The more pieces we played (and they don't have to be perfect), the better a grade we could get if we went for a grade (which I did, I need the challenge). I ended up playing 11 pieces. Wait, I think you'd call them tunes, not pieces. Alfred's Group Piano material.

For students without an own piano, they have practice stalls there with lent uprights (mostly Kawai) from a local dealer. After a year, they get sold and replaced. Summer is a bad time for starting because the sale had happened, the bad-in-shape pianos were the only ones left, and there were not enough. Good I had my own (a brand new Perzina).
 
We got at least one 15 minute session per semester with the teacher in private. That's when we sit at an upright and play for her, with more detailed critique of our technique and performance, and individual guidance for future development. I ended up getting two such sessions.
 
The summer semesters are short, only six weeks long. My second semester of MUS54 is already lined up, going from August to December. In the meantime, I'm taking Harmony and Composition, a summer online class(MUS1) that also goes for only six weeks, with the same syllabus as during a regular 4 month semester. Hey, I'm a late beginner, I have no time to waste    This is 3 units, $78.

Looking back, I am very happy I went this route. At first, I was afraid I wouldn't get enough attention from the teacher, in a group of many students, but classes go very fast, I had to concentrate fully the whole time and I never felt idling. It is amazing how much I learned and you can't imagine the joy I feel with each new piece that I start and learn to play. I feel confident now to just walk into a hotel lobby and sit down at the grand and entertain the crowd, haha. Okay, maybe not in a hotel lobby, but in someone's home, with just one person listening ;-)
 
I'd be happy to elaborate if anyone has specific questions.  Oh, I almost forgot to mention, I passed with an A 

[abell88]

Congratulations, Eins! Sounds like a great start to your new career!

[Appenato]

that's awesome! it's always nice to hear of someone motivated enough on their own to begin music and hear of them excited about it.  congratulations and best of luck with your second semester.